Gentlemen, and Lady, Start Your Engines!
Written by Allan Brewer · May 27, 2006
Those words are all that remain of the preliminaries to the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
Drivers participating in the 90th Indianapolis 500-Mile Race received final instructions and awards May 27 in the Public Drivers’ Meeting, the final activity at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway before the race May 28.
2005 Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon and Andretti Green Racing co-owners Michael Andretti, Kim Green and Kevin Savoree each accepted a “Baby Borg” trophy from Cindy Niekamp, Borg Warner president of Torque Transfer Systems, for being the winning driver and team owners at the 2005 Indianapolis 500. The Baby Borg is a miniature replica of the famed Borg-Warner Trophy, which bears the bas-relief likeness, name and average speed of every Indianapolis 500 winner. Andretti, Green and Savoree also received winning team owners’ rings from Mark Emkes, chief executive officer of Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire.
Paul Mills, vice president of the board of directors, Milk Promotion Services of Indiana, presented a plaque with an American Dairy Association milk bottle to Wheldon for his victory last year.
Sam Hornish Jr. accepted the 2006 Visa WorldPoints Pole Award from Brad Emmi, vice president of Bank of America. Hornish won the WorldPoints Visa Card Pole on May 20 with a four lap average of 228.985 mph in his No. 6 Marlboro Team Penske Dallara/Honda/Firestone.
John Weber, president and chief executive officer of Remy International, presented the starter’s rings to all 33 drivers who qualified for this year’s race. Hornish then presented Weber a special plaque, signed by all 33 drivers, on behalf of the starting field. Indianapolis 500-winning team owner Andy Granatelli presented Brickyard Crossing Golf Resort and Inn General Manager Kelly Bailey with the Unsung Hero Award.
Brian Barnhart, president and chief operating officer for the Indy Racing League, concluded the driver’s meeting by discussing race rules and guidelines with the drivers.
The 90th Indianapolis 500 is scheduled to start at 1 PM (EDT) Sunday. The race will be broadcast live on ABC Sports, the IMS Radio Network, XM Satellite Radio channel 145 (IndyCar Racing) and indycar.com, with pre-race shows beginning at noon.
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