Buy This Official Indy 500 Tour Bus That’s Probably Only Turned Left

Imagine camping at the 500 in a former IMS tour bus. That's a flex.
Earl's Auction Company

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The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is auctioning off old equipment it has lying around. A lot of it is random odds and ends like chairs and clothing racks, but there are a few interesting items for sale. No pace cars, sorry, only buses. Two of them, actually.

Both machines have unique Indy Motor Speedway liveries, and they’re both in reasonably good condition. I suspect the suspension on the right side of both buses might be a little more worn than the left, though. The vehicles were used as on-track tour buses, which means they have spent most of their lives turning left. The older of the two has 171,635 miles on the odometer and was built in 1996. That’s a lot of left.

To be honest, I’m not sure why you, the reader, would want to buy one of these over a cheaper alternative given the option, but that’s none of my business. They have the livery, sure, but they’re both just unmodified Freightliner buses in OK condition. A piece of IMS history? Sure.

The older 1996 MB chassis, seen above on the left, apparently needs some mechanical work. So does the newer 2007 MC chassis. The latter does have a 6.7-liter Turbodiesel, though. It’s not stated which engine is in the older bus.

Me? I would turn one into a sort of motorsport-themed RV. Forget even painting over or replacing the windows for privacy. Get some of that fogging/tinting film you can put on windows, rip all of the seats out, and keep the classic livery outside. There’s just so much space inside—so much room for activities. The possibilities are truly endless. Imagine showing up to the Indy 500 to camp in a former Indy 500 tour bus. That’s gotta be a flex.

Bidding for both buses ends three days from now, so you have plenty of time to justify the purchase to your spouse if you start mentioning soon after reading this. Sort of as a joke to start, of course. The older bus currently sits at $1,075.00, while the newer one is at $1,925.00.

A photo of one of the buses in use. IMS Museum website

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