USAC AND INDIANA PROMOTERS GATHER WITH IMS TO PLAN 100^TH INDY 500 CELEBRATIONS

Several race track promoters throughout Indiana joined together Wednesday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Media Center to introduce the mission of including local race tracks, their participants and their communities in the celebrations to commemorate the 100^th running of the Indianapolis 500.

In the event brought together by the Indianapolis 500 100^th Running Host Committee, Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Doug Boles spoke of the plan to coordinate activities involving this May 29th’s Indianapolis 500 in partnership with USAC with the objective of honoring the rich heritage of auto racing around the state of Indiana by engaging grassroots track and drivers statewide with ties to the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

Two-time Indy 500 pole winner and three-time USAC National feature winner Ed Carpenter spoke of his fondness for short track, open-wheel racing and the importance of the link between local tracks in each community with the 2.5-mile oval at IMS.  Indianapolis Motor Speedway historian Donald Davidson shared anecdotes from his 32-year career working at USAC and expressed the value of the connection between grassroots racing and IMS and its relevance to the sport throughout history.

Co-Chairman of the Indianapolis 500 100^th Running Host Committee Levi Jones emceed the event and stressed the importance of getting short track racing promoters, drivers and fans on-board with this venture.

“We want to garner the interest of race fans from Indiana and connect the many racetracks across the state and their communities with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” Jones, the seven-time USAC champion said.  “Linking IMS and short track racing will only serve to benefit auto racing in Indiana and throughout the country in the present and in the future.”