DEVELOPING: Freedom 100 Has a Smashing Close At IMS...

((HT: IndyCar/Versus/MT89MotorSport2))

Josef Newgarden won the Indy Lights Freedom 100 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as the set-up for this weekend's 500-miler.

Newgarden took the checkered under caution as two drivers ended up heading to Methodist Hospital for evaluation. Esteban Guerrieri was second and Victor Garcia was third.

With six laps left, Jorge Goncalvez lost control of his car between turns 1 and 2, smacked into the interior wall, bounced back into traffic, and slid down the track upside down before uprighting. It was a part of the track without any kind of SAFIR barrier.

Nearly half of the 18-car field failed to finish the race, and the HQ feels without the experience of most races that this is a precursor of what will happen this weekend.

Here's the wreck...

DEVELOPING: De Silvestro Injured In Indy Crash

((HT: WXIN-TV Indianapolis))

IndyCar driver Simona de Silvestro was injured in a crash at IMS this afternoon...

Her top speed during practice this afternoon was 221-plus MPH, but according to the Indy Star's Phillip Wilson, something broke on the de Silvestro machine sending it airborne before it came to rest in turn four at the speedway.

She was taken to Methodist Hospital and released about four hours later with burns to her hands and a second-degree burn to her right hand. IMS medical personnel have not given a final say on de Silvestro's condition as drivers are qualifying for the pole position this weekend...

Here's the crash, at about the :45 mark...


More when we know more...

IMS Holds Memorial For Tom Carnegie

((HT: WXIN-TV Fox 59/Indianapolis))

Everyone who could get near the doors of Indianapolis Motor Speedway paid tribute to Tom Carnegie, who was the voice of the track for more than six decades.

Race drivers including Sarah Fisher, Ed Carpenter, Carnegie's co-workers and members of the Hulman George family shared their memories and stories.

Speedway historian Donald Davidson recalled how Carnegie's voice stirred up the crowd, even for something as trivial as a sound check. Carnegie died Friday at age 91.

A special area in the museum will be set aside through the end of February to celebrate Carnegie's life as he worked at the speedway from 1946-2006.

Here's Fox 59's Larry Hawley outside the memorial at the Speedway...
 

Tom Carnegie Passes At 91

((HT: WISH-TV Indianapolis))

Every time the HQ and Associates have made the trek to the Brickyard, we always heard the voice of Tom Carnegie. Every new track record came over the public address with an authoritative bass and a voice of comfort.

You knew where you were and it was Memorial day again...

The 500 miles won't be the same...
Scott Sander reintroduces us to the voice of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Tom Carnegie, 'Voice of IMS' dies at 91: wishtv.com

Castroneves Takes Indy Pole, Danica Booed...

((HT: WXIN-TV Indianapolis))

The format is a little different, but it seems the results are the same for Indy qualifying in Indy...

Castroneves and Team Penske are littered all over the leaderboard at the Pagoda.

Helio averaged just under 228 miles-per-hour on his four lap average, and as a part of the new format, the drivers who were 2 through 8 got a chance to shuffle the deck in their own practice period.

Here's your top seven...

1. Helio Castroneves 227.970
2. Will Power 227.682
3. Dario Franchitti 226.990
4. Ryan Briscoe 226.554
5. Alex Tagliani 226.390
6. Scott Dixon 226.233
7. Graham Rahal 225.519

Danica Patrick qualified 23rd at 224.217 and will start behind two other women -- Brazil's Ana Beatriz and Switzerland's Simona de Silvestro, who were 21st and 22nd.
She called out her team on the public address after her run and got booed by the crowd...

Here's when Fox59 caught up with her...
 

NASCAR's Indy Race Still In Good Hands Without Sponsor

((HT: IndyStar/Ballard))

The NASCAR race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will have a new name next year. Or, more likely, an old one.

Allstate announced Monday it would not renew its title sponsorship of the race, which ran for the fifth time Sunday as the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.

Speedway spokesman Ron Green said a replacement won’t be sought and the race will revert to its original name as the Brickyard 400.

“We weren’t actively or aggressively looking for a title sponsor when we landed Allstate,” Green said. “They were looking to do something and it just made sense at the time. If someone were to come along again, certainly we would listen, but this event does not need a sponsor to be financially successful.”

Terms of the IMS-Allstate deal never were made public, but track president Joie Chitwood said at the time it was announced it was on the “high end” of race sponsorships, which would put the number well into seven figures annually.

Allstate refused to pay an advertising premium required by ABC/ESPN and so its name was not used during Sunday’s telecast. The network struck a separate naming rights deal with a restaurant chain and billed the race as the “Brickyard 400 presented by Golden Corral.”

Attendance Sunday was estimated at 180,000, off about 20 percent from last year, but in a statement Allstate officials said their decision wasn’t based on that.

“When we looked at all of our business results,” said Pam Hollander, Allstate’s director of sponsorships and promotions, “they were just stronger in other properties.”

Chitwood Second To Leave IMS

((HT: IndyStar/Cavin))

Joie Chitwood ((pictured, second from left, thanks daylife.com)) resigned today as president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway to become vice president of business operations of International Speedway Corp., the parent company of NASCAR.

Chitwood was elevated to the Speedway's position in December 2004 after serving various roles with the Indy Racing League, Chicagoland Speedway and the Speedway. He was one of the IRL's first employees.

Chitwood's last day will be Aug. 6. He said he began considering new challenges after last year's inaugural MotoGP race at the Speedway and the start of the Centennial Era, a celebration of the first 100 years of the facility.

In a statement, Chitwood said he plans to return to his native Florida.

Jeff Belskus, who became chief executive officer of Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corp. on July 1, will assume daily responsibilities at the Speedway. The statement released by track officials said it was unclear if Chitwood's position will be filled.

"With his history in the sport combined with his business acumen, Joie was well-suited for the role of president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and we appreciate how he has represented IMS. We wish him all the best,'' Belskus said.

Chitwood was one of the Indy Racing League's first staff members and his family has connections to the Speedway dating to the late 1930s, when his grandfather began competing in the Indianapolis 500.

"I had a lifetime of memories for this place before joining the company in 1996,'' Chitwood said in a statement.

Tony George Resigns As IndyCar/IMS CEO

((HT: IndyStar.com/Curt Cavin))

Tony George ((pictured, thanks Greg Griffo/IndyStar)) resigned his position as chief executive officer of Hulman & Co., the Indy Racing League and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corp. today, but he will remain on the board of the family’s organization.

He will be replaced by Curt Brighton (Hulman & Co.) and Jeff Belskus (IMS Corp.).

George, 49, became president and CEO of Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corp. in January of 1990 after the death of Joe Cloutier.

George brought NASCAR, Formula One and MotoGP to the Speedway, founded the IRL, oversaw the redevelopment of the facility and led the development of such safety initiatives as the SAFER barrier and the Delphi Safety Team, a group of medical personnel that travels to each Indy-car race. Last year, he was the driving force behind unification of the sport.

But he came under criticism from family members for his financial commitments, particularly the IRL — now in its 14th season — and Vision Racing, the team his stepson, Ed Carpenter, drives for. Last month, board members declined to continue funding the second Vision car that Ryan Hunter-Reay was driving.

Here's a look at the details from our friends at WISH-TV
Anthony Calhoun gets to sit at the adult table for this one...


“Our board had asked Tony to structure our executive staff to create efficiencies in our business structure and to concentrate his leadership efforts in the Indy Racing League,” said Mari Hulman George, IMS chairman of the board. “He has decided that with the recent unification of open-wheel racing and the experienced management team IMS has cultivated over the years, now would be the time for him to concentrate on his team ownership of Vision Racing with his family and other personal business interests he and his family share."

Mrs. George underscored the confidence in the leadership of Belskus and Brighton, who both were originally hired by Tony George.

“Jeff and Curt have both been with the company for many years in positions of top leadership,” Mrs. George said. “Tony, as well as the entire Board of Directors, has the utmost confidence in their capabilities.”

Joie Chitwood is president and chief operating officer of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC. Terry Angstadt is president of the commercial division of the Indy Racing League. Brian Barnhart is president of the competition division of the Indy Racing League. Charlie Morgan is president and COO of IMS Productions. Gary Morris is president and COO of Clabber Girl.

“These changes underscore our family’s commitment going forward to all of our companies, especially our commitment to the growth of the Indy Racing League and the sport of open-wheel racing,” Mrs. George said. “We believe the Hulman-George family’s long stewardship of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, beginning in 1945, and our significant investment in the Speedway and in the IRL demonstrates that we have full confidence in all of our companies and that we intend to grow them in the future.”

More facts and figures from WISH are in black...

Gone..or is he?

A report by Speed TV's Robin Miller (article here ) Indianpolis Motor Speedway CEO Tony George has apparently been voted off the island. However, according to this story in the Indianapolis Star here, that story is completely untrue.

It's no secret that like any family, the George's and the Hulman's who hold a "Vise-like" grip over the speedway and quite honestly, most of open wheel racing have some issues that need to be worked out. The question here is: Who do you believe?

George (pictured here Courtesy: Gavin Lawerence/Getty Images), who has been running the Speedway since 1990 also, is the President of the Indy Racing League and Hulman and Company, along with running his own racing team on the IRL circuit. Not to say that is a conflict or anything...but.

Most race fans will tell you that the Indy 500 has never been the same since George's power play in the early 90's when it became 2 groups, the IRL and CART. The CART drivers were not allowed to race at Indy for years and...well, when they left, so did a majority of their fans.

We don't know how this will play out or for that matter how much of it is true...it will be interesting to see if for no other reason than the 500 has begun to regain some of its luster, it remains to be seen how long that will hold.

Here is the man himself, Tony George ((Courtesy: WISH-TV))follow the video link here .