By Christian Overland, executive vice president, The Henry Ford
Our Racing in America team ventured this Thursday on a road trip to Indianapolis and the Centennial Indy 500. Our trip from Ann Arbor on Interstate 94 then south on interstate 69 to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) was just over four hours of driving. When we crossed over the Michigan state line into Indiana, I also noted many other cars sporting ?racing colors? such as Penske, Target Chip Ganassi Racing and, of course, Go Daddy. At a rest stop I saw an Oldsmobile Bravada with a Jerry?s Garage Unser Racing Museum sticker on its back window. Indeed, we were entering the landscape and home of IndyCar Racing.
After turning into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) and acquiring our credentials for the weekend we decided to walk around the speedway and hopefully meet a few Indy 500 legends and fans of racing history, however, because of a torrential rain we decided to tour the IMS?s Hall of Fame & Museum, which is located between turns 1 and 2 at the track.
Ellen Bireley, Executive Director of the museum and her staff spent months planning for this weekend and the museum?s special exhibition for the Centennial of the Indy 500 is terrific! There are wonderful photographs, trophies, and memorabilia from the past 100 years of Indy racing. However, the real treat for racing museum goers is that there are many Indy 500 winning cars from the Indy museum?s collection, private collectors and other museums such as The Henry Ford?s Indy 500 winner the Lotus-Ford 38/1 which Jim Clark drove to victory in 1965.
If that wasn?t enough, many of the cars past drivers were passing through such as Indy 500 champions Parnelli Jones and Bobby Unser, who are also members of The Henry Ford?s "Racing in America" Advisory Team. Bobby and Parnelli eventually ended up being interviewed inside the museum and then spent time with their fans signing autographs, answering questions and enjoying the conversations. We caught up to Bobby and Parnelli later Thursday afternoon in Unser?s motorcoach and both agreed this has been the best Indy 500 experience and fan turnout in years.
Later that evening, Racing in America innovators and advisors and Al Unser Sr., Al Unser Jr., and Dan Gurney and many others gathered at the Old Timers Dinner, which recognizes outstanding achievement and service at the Indy 500. Dan Gurney did a wonderfully warm and fun induction of his friend Sir Jackie Stewart into the Indy 500 Hall of Fame as a driver and tireless advocate for safety.
Bobby Unser, inducted Jim McGee with the terrific perspective of McGee?s innovative accomplishments as an engineer, including that in all of McGee?s 90-plus wins not one driver of his was ever injured. As well, everyone at the dinner was touched by the special recognition given to Jim Nabors for his years of service at the Indy 500 for his annual rendition of ?Back Home Again in Indiana? a tradition for the 500 pre-race ceremonies. Florence Henderson, who also performs in the pre-race ceremony singing ?God Bless America?, was also on hand to celebrate and recognize Nabor?s contributions to the most important race in history.
Indy 500 Tradition Tip: The best glazed yeast donut in the world is just about a mile from the track at Long?s Bakery on 16th Street in Indianapolis. The bakery started in 1955 and the Racing in America team guarantees that if you visit them in the morning you will have a meaningful and memorable experience, as the owners say ?the donuts will melt in your mouth.? Give yourself time because Long?s is busy in the morning - the price of greatness!
See you at the track!
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