SCOTT DIXON and his No.9 Target Chip Ganassi crew won the Verizon IndyCar Series Pit Stop Challenge at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Carb Day. He and his nine-man crew had a fast time of 11.658 seconds, edging out Prom King, Rookie SAGE KARAM, who incidentally is racing this weekend as a Chip Ganassi satellite team. Each of Dixon’s Pit Stop crew received a personally engraved, made-to-order ring celebrating the victory. The youngest of the crew members is only nineteen. Dixon’s team won $50,000, and Karam’s prize was $15,000.
There were Two Rounds with four races each, two Semi-Final races, and the Finals. Twelve drivers participated and a good time was had by all.
Saturday morning every year is the Annual Breakfast of the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association, where awards are presented to the media for their excellence in their particular field. Also, three singular annual awards are presented by AARWBA. The Jigger Award, named after an actual Indy 500 driver who had mishaps and only ran four laps. It’s kind of hard to explain, but this unique award is quite prized. This year’s winner was Indy 500 Rookie, SAGE KARAM, who missed his high school graduation so he could qualify for the Indy 500.
The Angelo Angelpolus Memorial Award Award, “Sports was His Life and Sportsmanship His Love” was ‘Presented to the 500 Mile Race Participant Who Best Exemplifies the Creed of Sportsmanship, IndyCar Series Team Owner and SAM driver, SAM SCHMIDT.
Schmidt Peterson Motorsports fields a two-car IndyCar team with drivers SIMON PAGENAUD and Russian Rookie MIKHAIL ALESHIN. For the Indy 500, Schmidt is also fielding 1995 Indy 500 winner, JACQUES VILLENEUVE. In the Indy Lights Series, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports w/Curb Agajanian fields four cars – Rookies LUIZ RAZIA and JUAN PIEDRAHITA, as well as JUAN PABLO GARCIA and JACK HARVEY.
Schmidt, a quadriplegic, made history on this year’s Indy 500 Pole day by running a 97 mph four-lap average driving his 2014 tricked out Corvette Stingray SAM (Semi-Autonomous Machine) around the famed 2.5-mile Brickyard.
The AARWBA Bob Russo Founders Award is “Presented annually to an individual who has demonstrated profound interest, tireless efforts and undying dedication to auto racing, exemplified by our Founder, Bob Russo, throughout his lifelong career.” This year it was awarded to DONALD DAVIDSON, the IMS full-time historian. It was presented by former recipient, BILL YORK. In 2010, Davidson was inducted into the Auto Racing Hall of Fame at Indianapolis. “His detailed memory of the history of all events includes participants, past and present.” Since 1965, Davidson has worked on race day for the world wide IMS Broadcast Network. He also has worked for 31 years as statistician and historian for USAC – United States Auto Club.
At the Saturday public IndyCar Drivers Meeting, 32 of the 33 2014 Indy 500 drivers received their commemorative ring. Absent was KURT BUSCH, who was at Charlotte Motor Speedway with his NASCAR Sprint Cup team. He has been commuting via helicopter and private jet between IMS and CMS.
At the Drivers Meeting, another special ring, the first annual Indy Legends ring from Firestone, was awarded to MARIO ANDRETTI.
Last year’s winning driver, TONY KANAAN, and team owners, JIMMY VASSER and KEVIN KALKHOVEN received their mini Borgs. Kanaan becomes the 100th driver to have his face on the multi-million dollar BorgWarner trophy. It takes nearly a year to craft the winner’s likeness on the esteemed award, starting with 25 all-angle photos with plain white background during the first Winner’s Photo Op. Steps include molds in clay, plaster, rubber and sterling silver, using the lost-wax process. The official unveiling was last December at the IMS Hall of Fame Museum. The 1952 Winner, TROY RUTTMAN, appears to be the youngest Indy 500 winner at age 22. The oldest drivers to win were both named UNSER: BOBBY in 1981 and AL in 1987. Both were 47.