1.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
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The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is an automobile racing circuit located in Speedway, Indiana, in the United States. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400 and it is located on the corner of 16th Street and Georgetown Road, approximately six miles west of Downtown Indianapolis. Constructed in 1909, it is the original speedway, the first racing facility so named and it has a permanent seating capacity estimated at 235,000 with infield seating raising capacity to an approximate 400,000. It is the highest-capacity sports venue in the world, considered relatively flat by American standards, the track is a 2. 5-mile-long rectangular oval with dimensions that have remained essentially unchanged since its construction. A modern infield road course was completed in 2000, incorporating part of the oval, including the mainstretch, in 2008, and again in 2014, the road course layout was modified to accommodate motorcycle racing, as well as to improve competition. Altogether, the current grounds have expanded from an original 320 acres on which the speedway was first built to cover an area of over 559 acres. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987, in addition to the Indianapolis 500, the speedway also hosts NASCARs Brickyard 400 and Lilly Diabetes 250. From 2000 to 2007, the hosted the Formula One United States Grand Prix. On the grounds of the speedway is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, which opened in 1956, the museum moved into its current building located in the infield in 1976. Also on the grounds is the Brickyard Crossing Golf Resort, which opened as the Speedway Golf Course in 1929. The golf course has 14 holes outside of the track, along the backstretch, the speedway also served as the venue for the opening ceremonies for the 1987 Pan American Games. Fisher began thinking of a means of testing cars before delivering them to consumers. At the time, racing was just getting started on horse tracks, Fisher noticed how dangerous and ill-suited the makeshift courses were for racing and testing. He also argued that spectators did not get their moneys worth, Fisher proposed building a circular track 3 to 5 miles long with smooth 100–150-foot-wide surfaces. Such a track would give manufacturers a chance to test cars at sustained speeds, Fisher predicted speeds could reach up to 120 mph on a 5-mile course. He visited the Brooklands circuit outside London in 1907, and after viewing the banked layout, in December 1908, he convinced James A. Allison, Arthur Newby, and Frank W. Wheeler to join him in purchasing the property for $72,000. Construction of the started in March 1909. Fisher had to downsize his planned 3-mile oval with a 2-mile road course to a 2. 5-mile oval to leave room for the grandstands
2.
Indianapolis 500
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The Indianapolis 500 is an automobile race held annually at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, an enclave suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. The event is held over Memorial Day weekend, which is typically the last weekend in May and it is contested as part of the Verizon IndyCar Series, the top level of American Championship Car racing, an open-wheel formula colloquially known as Indy Car Racing. The name of the race is often shortened to Indy 500, the event, billed as The Greatest Spectacle in Racing, is considered part of the Triple Crown of Motorsport, which comprises three of the most prestigious motorsports events in the world. The official attendance is not disclosed by Speedway management, but the permanent seating capacity is upwards of 250,000, the inaugural running was won by Ray Harroun in 1911. The race celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2011, and the 100th running was held in 2016, alexander Rossi is the defending champion. The most successful drivers are A. J. Foyt, Al Unser, the active driver with the most victories is Hélio Castroneves, with three. Rick Mears holds the record for most career pole positions with six, the most successful car owner is Roger Penske, owner of Team Penske, which has 16 total wins and 17 poles. For a list of races and winners, see List of Indianapolis 500 winners, the Indianapolis 500 is held annually at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a 2.5 mile oval circuit. Drivers race 200 laps, counterclockwise around the circuit, for a distance of 500 miles, since its inception in 1911, the race has always been scheduled on or around Memorial Day. Since 1974, the race has been scheduled for the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, practice and time trials are held in the two weeks leading up to the race. Traditionally, the field consists of 33 starters, aligned in a grid of eleven rows of three cars apiece. The event is contested by Indy cars, a formula of professional-level, single-seat, open cockpit, open-wheel, as of 2015, all entrants utilize 2.2 L V6, twin-turbocharged engines, tuned to produce a range of 550–700 horsepower. Chevrolet and Honda are the current engine manufacturers involved in the sport, firestone, which has a deep history in the sport, dating back to the first 500, is the exclusive tire provider. The race is the most prestigious event of the IndyCar calendar and it has been avouched to be the largest single-day sporting event in the entire world. Likewise, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway itself is regarded as the worlds largest sporting facility in terms of capacity, the total purse exceeded $13 million in 2011, with over $2.5 million awarded to the winner, making it one of the richest cash prize funds in sports. Due to safety issues, the race is not held in wet conditions, in the event of a rain delay, the race will be postponed until rain showers cease, and the track is sufficiently dried. If rain falls during the race, officials can end the race, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway complex was built in 1909 as a gravel-and-tar track and hosted a smattering of small events, including ones for motorcycles. The first long distance event, in conditions, was the 100-lap Prest-O-Lite Trophy in 1909
3.
American open wheel car racing
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American Championship car racing, also known as Indy Car racing, is a category of professional-level automobile racing in the United States and North America. As of 2016, the top-level American open wheel racing championship is sanctioned by IndyCar, competitive events for professional-level, single-seat open-wheel race cars have been conducted under the auspices of several different sanctioning bodies since 1902. A season-long, points-based, National Championship of drivers has been recognized in 1905,1916. The Indianapolis 500, which debuted in 1911, is the marquee event of Indy Car racing. The open-wheeled, winged, single-seater cars have generally similar to those in Formula One. The fame of the Indianapolis 500 leads many to refer to the cars that compete on the American Championship circuit as Indy cars. This form of racing has experienced high levels of popularity over the years, the golden era of the 1950s was followed by a decade of transition and innovation in the 1960s, which included increased international participation. The sport experienced considerable growth and exposure during the popularity of the CART PPG Indy Car World Series in the 1980s. Two organizational disputes in 1979 and 1996, respectively, led to a split that divided the participants among two separate sanctioning bodies, however, an official unification took place in 2008 that brought the sport back together under one single sanctioning body. The national championship was sanctioned by the Contest Board of the American Automobile Association, the AAA first sanctioned automobile motorsports events in 1902. At first it used the rules of the Automobile Club of America and it introduced the first track season championship for racing cars in 1905. Barney Oldfield was the first champion, no official season championship was recognized from 1906-1915, however, single races were held. Official records regard 1916 as the next contested championship season, years later, retroactive titles were named back to 1902. These post-factum seasons are considered unofficial and revisionist history by accredited historians, Racing did not cease in the United States during WWI, but the official national championship was suspended. The Indianapolis 500 itself was suspended for 1917–1918 due to the war. In 1920, the championship resumed, and despite the difficult economic climate that would later follow. Shortly after Pearl Harbor, all auto racing was suspended during World War II, from 1942 to 1945 no events were contested, banned by the U. S. government primarily on account of rationing. Racing resumed in full in 1946, the 1946 season is unique, in that it included six Champ Car events, and 71 Big Car races, as organizers were initially unsure about the availability of cars and participation
4.
INDYCAR
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INDYCAR is an American-based auto racing sanctioning body for Championship auto racing. The trade name INDYCAR was officially adopted on January 1,2011, INDYCAR is owned by Hulman & Company, which also owns the Indianapolis Motor Speedway complex and the Clabber Girl brand. The Leagues premier series was named the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series in 2003, in 2013, IZOD announced that they would be leaving the series. Verizon took over as sponsor in 2014, and the name became the Verizon IndyCar Series. The series initially raced exclusively on oval tracks, as the series was founded partly in response to the prominence of road. In 2005, the series abandoned its unofficial ovals-only stance, by 2009, the series had a roughly 50/50 split of ovals and road/street courses. Presently, the series currently runs one-third of its schedule on ovals, Indy Lights is the development series for the IndyCar series. It originally started in 2002, as the IRL Infiniti Pro Series coincidentally in the year as CARTs own Indy Lights series came to an end. Since the 2008 reunification, the Indy Lights name returned, the Indy Lights run as support races to IndyCar Series races. In the past, a round during the United States Grand Prix was also apart of the schedule, the series is now promoted by Andersen Promotions. The Pro Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear is a racecar driver development series in North America. Competitors use spec Formula Mazda race cars built by Star Race Cars, the original series, using first-generation tube-frame cars started in the early 1990s, with the current, high-tech, carbon-fiber car released in 2004. The series has historically included road courses, street courses, the series primary sponsors are Mazda and Cooper Tire and the cars, while purpose built for the track with carbon fiber monocoques, are powered by 250 horsepower Mazda Renesis rotary engines. The series stated goal is to develop new race driving talent, in 2010, the series became a part of The Road to Indy. In 2013 the series promotion was taken over by Andersen Promotions, uSF2000 is a series the organisation started sanctioning in 2010. Originally started in 1991 and folded in 2006, it was restarted in 2010 as part of the Road to Indy ladder series promoted by Andersen Promotions. The series utilizes tube frame Formula Ford chassis fitted with larger Mazda MZR four cylinder engines and wings, like other governing bodies, IndyCar awards points based upon where a driver finishes in a race. The top three drivers are separated by ten and five points respectively, the fourth through tenth-place finishers are separated by two points each
5.
2014 IndyCar Series
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The 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series was the 19th season of the IndyCar Series and the 103rd season of American open wheel racing. Its premier event was the 98th Indianapolis 500, held on Sunday, May 25, Scott Dixon entered the season as the defending IndyCar Champion, while Chevrolet entered as the reigning Manufacturers champion. The 2014 season featured eleven different winners, tying a record set in 2000 and 2001. Heading into the race of the season, Will Power led Hélio Castroneves by 51 points. In a race in which Ryan Hunter-Reays spin produced the yellow flag, Power finished ninth. As a result, Power clinched his first series title by 62 points, in the manufacturers championship, Chevrolet successfully defended their title ahead of Honda. Will Power become the first-ever IndyCar Series drivers title from Asian continent due to Australian sports mostly lies on Asia continent, all chassis were composed of a Dallara DW12 IndyCar Safety Cell base chassis, and Dallara aerokit. All teams competed with Firestone tires, on December 21,2012, Firestone signed a five-year contract extension with IndyCar to be the official supplier for IndyCar through 2018. The list below reflects drivers who competed in the 2014 season, Juan Pablo Montoya returned to IndyCar in 2014 after a 13-year absence, driving the No.2 Chevrolet, for Team Penske. Due to his previous CART experience, he was not considered as a rookie, another Colombian driver, Indy 500 runner-up Carlos Muñoz, debuted full-time with Andretti Autosport in their fourth car for the 2014 season, replacing E. J. Viso. Tony Kanaan left KV Racing Technology and joined Chip Ganassi Racing to replace the retired Dario Franchitti, sébastien Bourdais left Dragon Racing for KV Racing Technology in a 2-year deal. Bourdais teammate at Dragon, Sebastián Saavedra, was announced as his teammate at KV on February 12, Andretti Autosport returned to racing with Honda engines in a multiyear deal due to conflict with Chevrolet. Dario Franchitti announced his retirement from motorsport on the advice of his doctors following his accident in the Sunday race of the 2013 Grand Prix of Houston. In December, Kanaan was announced as Franchittis replacement in the No.10 car,2010 Formula Renault 3.5 Series champion Mikhail Aleshin replaced Tristan Vautier in the second Schmidt Peterson Motorsports entry, becoming the first Russian driver to compete in the series. Ryan Briscoe returned to racing in the No.8 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet. Dragon Racing did not return to run a full-time IndyCar schedule in 2014 in order to prepare the team to compete in the 2014–2015 Formula E season, simona de Silvestro departed the IndyCar Series after four seasons to take on a testing role with the Sauber F1 team. Panther Racing did not field an entry in the 2014 IndyCar Series after the loss of its National Guard sponsorship to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, the 2014 IndyCar Series schedule was formally announced on NBC Sports Networks INDYCAR Championship Preview Show on October 17,2013. The schedule consisted of eighteen races, hosted across 15 tracks and 14 venues, included were three doubleheader events, in Detroit, Houston and Toronto
6.
United States
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Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America, bordered by Canada to the east, the state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean. The U. S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean, the geography, climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse. At 3.8 million square miles and with over 324 million people, the United States is the worlds third- or fourth-largest country by area, third-largest by land area. It is one of the worlds most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago. European colonization began in the 16th century, the United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast. Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the following the Seven Years War led to the American Revolution. On July 4,1776, during the course of the American Revolutionary War, the war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain, representing the first successful war of independence against a European power. The current constitution was adopted in 1788, after the Articles of Confederation, the first ten amendments, collectively named the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties. During the second half of the 19th century, the American Civil War led to the end of slavery in the country. By the end of century, the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean. The Spanish–American War and World War I confirmed the status as a global military power. The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the sole superpower. The U. S. is a member of the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization of American States. The United States is a developed country, with the worlds largest economy by nominal GDP. It ranks highly in several measures of performance, including average wage, human development, per capita GDP. While the U. S. economy is considered post-industrial, characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy, the United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally, and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations. In 1507, the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller produced a map on which he named the lands of the Western Hemisphere America after the Italian explorer and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci
7.
Ryan Hunter-Reay
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Ryan Hunter-Reay is a professional American racing driver best known as a winner of both the Indianapolis 500 and the IndyCar Series championship 2012. In each accomplishment Hunter-Reay became the first American to win since Sam Hornish, Hunter-Reay also won in the defunct Champ World Series twice and the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. In addition to his experience in Indy car racing Hunter-Reay has competed in the Race of Champions, A1 Grand Prix, Hunter-Reay currently drives for Andretti Autosport. When Hunter-Reay initially joined Andretti for the 2010 he was signed on to drive for a partial season. Additional sponsorship was found and Hunter-Reay began to drive the season for Andretti. Hunter-Reay has since won both the Indianapolis 500 and the Verizon IndyCar Series championship, Hunter-Reay currently drives the number 28 car in the Verizon IndyCar Series. The number is a show of support for the estimated 28 million people living with cancer worldwide, Hunter-Reay then won a shootout against Formula Dodge drivers for the Skip Barber Big Scholarship and its $250,000 prize. Hunter-Reay would use the money to compete in the Barber Dodge Pro Series in 2000. Hunter-Reay began to compete in the Barber Dodge Pro Series in 1998, Hunter-Reay would drive the #28 Reynard 98E-Dodge V6 with no sponsorship. Hunter-Reay first competed in the race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, in the race Hunter-Reay started and finished in 23rd place in 23rd place after being involved in crash with John McCraig on lap 22. Hunter-Reay returned to the later in the season at the race at Metro-Dade Homestead Motorsports Complex. Hunter-Reay started in 21st place and finished in 22nd place after retiring due to damage to his car after 4 laps, Hunter-Reay scored no points towards the championship and finished 40th in the final point standings. Hunter-Reay returned to the series in 2000 to drive the #31 Reynard 98E-Dodge V6 with no sponsorship, at the season-opening race at Sebring International Raceway Hunter-Reay started in 9th place and finished in 8th place. Hunter-Reay would qualify on the position at the race at Concord Pacific Place. Hunter-Reays best finish during the season was a 4th-place finish at the race at Lime Rock Park, Hunter-Reay would finish 5th in the final point standings with 104 points. Hunter-Reay would also win the rookie of the year award. Hunter-Reay returned to the series in 2001 to drive the #31 Barber Dodge Pro Series Rookie of the Year/Simpson Performance Products Reynard 98E-Dodge V6, Hunter-Reay would win his first race in the series at the third race of the season, at Lime Rock Park. In the race Hunter-Reay started in 2nd place and led for 21 of 30 laps, Hunter-Reay would win his second, and final, race in the series at Exhibition Place
8.
Andretti Autosport
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Andretti Autosport is an auto racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series, Indy Lights, the Global RallyCross Championship, and the FIA Formula E Championship. It is headed and owned up by former CART series champion Michael Andretti, Andretti Autosport has won the Indianapolis 500 four times and the IndyCar Series championship four times. The team has won the Indy Lights championship twice, in 2008 and 2009, additionally the team has won the GRC Championship with Scott Speed in 2015 and 2016. During the teams formative years as Team Green, they won both the Indianapolis 500 and CART Championship in 1995. The team was founded in 1993 by Barry Green and Gerald Forsythe as Forsythe Green Racing and they fielded two Atlantics entries for Claude Bourbonnais and Jacques Villeneuve. In 1994, the team moved up to the CART series with Villeneuve as driver, the team scored a second place at the Indy 500 and Villeneuve won one race as a rookie at Road America. For 1995, Green and Forsythe parted ways, and Barry Green renamed the team Team Green, the team won the 1995 Indianapolis 500 and 1995 CART championship with driver Jacques Villeneuve. In 1996, the became known as the Brahma Sports Team for a season. In 1997, Parker Johnstone took over the seat, and KOOL cigarettes took over as major sponsor, the team became known as Team KOOL Green, and expanded to a two-car effort in 1998 with Paul Tracy and rising star Dario Franchitti. The two stayed on as teammates for five seasons, in 2001, Michael Andretti joined the organization as a satellite team headed by Kim Green, known as Team Motorola. In addition to running the CART schedule, Andretti entered the 2001 Indianapolis 500, Andretti and Green competed at Indy for the first time after a five-year absence, primarily due to the ongoing open wheel split. Andretti won his last race as a driver at the 2002 Grand Prix of Long Beach, in 2002, the team switched from Reynard to Lola chassis, producing a striking new livery to coincide with the change. In 2002, both Team KOOL Green teammates Tracy and Franchitti joined Andretti to race at Indy, due to MSA, however, primary sponsor KOOL could not appear on the cars, and associate sponsor 7-Eleven was on the sidepods instead. Tracy placed second in a controversial finish. The team protested the results, and a lengthy and contentious appeals process dragged on into the summer, ultimately, Green lost the appeal, to considerable disappointment and at considerable expense. After major problems in CART surfaced, Andretti, who had purchased majority interest in the team, Tracy left the team to stay in the Champ Car World Series, with Tony Kanaan joining Franchitti and Andretti. Andretti retired after the 2003 Indianapolis 500, and Dan Wheldon took his place, AGR ran four cars since the beginning of 2004, with Bryan Herta behind the wheel of the additional car. At the 2005 Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, AGR had all 4 drivers finishing 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th, Wheldon led home Kanaan, Franchitti, Kanaan and Wheldon won consecutive IndyCar Series Championships in 2004 and 2005, with Wheldon winning the 2005 Indianapolis 500
9.
Ed Carpenter (racing driver)
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Everette Edward Carpenter, Jr. is an American auto racing driver, currently competing in the IndyCar Series for his own team, Ed Carpenter Racing. He is the stepson of Indy Racing League founder Tony George, Carpenter was born in Paris, Illinois, and grew up in the town of Marshall until the age of 8. He is a graduate of Butler University, Carpenter has had a successful career in midget racing dating back to 1989. Carpenter would win nation quarter-midget events in Xenia, Ohio and Hagerstown, Carpenter drove in the USAC Regional Series in 1998 in the midget division. Carpenter drove the No.3 TG Racing car at 16th Street Speedway, at the track event on June 27,1998 Carpenter qualified with the 11th fastest time. Carpenter won the heat race and finished the feature in 3rd place. Carpenter drove in the USAC National Midget Series in 1999 for TG Racing in the No.3 Ed Pink Beast in fifteen races, Carpenter won a race at Louisville Motor Speedway and finished 13th in points. Carpenter returned in 2000 to drive the No.3 TG Motorsports car, Carpenter achieved four top five finishes with a best finish of 2nd at the Belleville Nationals at the Belleville High Banks and finished 9th in the final point standings. In 2001, Carpenter drove the No.2 Steele car at South Boston Speedway, in 2002 Carpenter returned to the series to drive for Klatt Enterprises. Carpenter competed in three races and finished 44th in points, Carpenter competed in the United States Auto Club#USAC Silver Crown Series in 2000. Carpenter had a best finish of 6th in the Southern Illinoisan 100 at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack, Carpenter started on the pole position in the A. J. Foyts True Value Hulman Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Speedway, the series most prestigious race. Carpenter led the first 80 laps before crashing and finishing in 20th place, Carpenter also won the Rookie of the Race award at Nazareth Speedway with a 7th-place finish. Carpenter finished 12th in the point standings. In 2001 Carpenter returned to drive for George Snider in the No.11 – numbered 111 at Gateway International Raceway – car, Carpenters best finish was sixth at the Coca-Cola 100 at Indianapolis Raceway Park, and he finished ninth in the final point standings. In 2002 Carpenter drove the No.44 Sinden Racing car, at the season-opening Little Trees 100 at Phoenix, Carpenter started 2nd and finished 21st after suffering an engine failure after 85 laps. Carpenters best finish of the season was at the Dominics of New York 100 at Richmond International Raceway where he started 7th and finished 2nd, Carpenter finished the season ranked 22nd in the final point standings. For 2003 Carpenter again drove for Hoffman Auto Racing in the No.69 Dynamics car, Carpenters best finish of 3rd place came at the Dominics of New York 100 at Richmond after starting 10th. Carpenter finished 35th in the point standings
10.
Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year
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Winners of the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Award, first awarded in 1952. No official award was given from 1911–1951, even though at least one rookie starter has been present in every running of the Indianapolis 500. The award is voted on by members of the media the night of the race, noteworthy accomplishments during qualifying, regardless of the respective race result, have frequently been a factor in voting. Other contributing attributes can include personal attitude, sportsmanship, professionalism, and interaction with driver coaches, fans, years in which two drivers are listed indicate co-winners, due to a tie in the final voting. The current award is $25,000 cash and a plaque, in the early years, when Stark & Wetzel sponsored the award, the prize package included $500 in cash, and a years supply of meat. The term rookie at the Indianapolis 500 can at times be misleading, according to race rules, a rookie is defined as any driver who has never qualified for the race and/or has never been on the track during the pace lap, and officially credited with a start. Several unique situations have created confusion, among the many include, In 1911, however,23 of the 40 starters had previously participated in early events at the Speedway in 1909–1910. Therefore, in the first 500, there were only seventeen complete newcomers to the Speedway. In addition, four drivers who raced in the 500 in subsequent years, had previous experience at the Speedway in 1909–1910. Inaugural 500 winner Ray Harroun had actually won a total of 7 races at the IMS through 1909 and 1910, in 1927, Louis Meyer did not qualify for the race, but served as a relief driver. He first qualified on his own in 1928, and was considered a rookie when he won that race, bill Puterbaugh had a notable streak of failing to qualify for the race six times from 1968–1974, before finally making the race for the first time in 1975. He was still scored a rookie for the 1975 race, jacques Villeneuve qualified for the 1984 race, but crashed in practice. He was not cleared to drive, and was forced to withdraw and he returned in 1985, but a crash early in the month prevented him from making a qualifying attempt. In 1986, he qualified and started the race, where he was considered a rookie, members of the media lightheartedly referred to him as the veteran rookie. Affonso Giaffone was a rookie when he first qualified for the 1997 race. As the safety car entered pit lane to start the race, the entire Row 5 where he was starting was involved in an incident in Turn 4 headed to the start, and never saw the green flag to take the start. All three drivers were credited with 0 laps, having taken the track for the pace lap, had he returned in a subsequent year, despite never actually starting the race, he would not have been considered a rookie again. The term rookie can also confuse spectators, as it suggests a young, in reality, it can be a mis-nomer, since several experienced champions of other forms of motorsports have come to Indy and been ruled a rookie because of their first start in the 500 only
11.
Kurt Busch
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Kurt Thomas Busch is an American professional stock car racing driver. He currently drives the No.41 Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and he was the 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series champion. He is the brother of 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kyle Busch. The brothers are second-generation racing drivers, their father, Tom, Busch has also driven for Furniture Row Racing, Phoenix Racing, Penske Racing, and Roush Racing in his Sprint Cup career, which began in 2000. The winner of twenty-nine Cup career races, Busch was driving for Roush Racing when he won the 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series championship, Busch also races on an opportunity permitting basis in the Pro Stock division of NHRA. When Busch won the Cup Series Championship in 2004, it was the first ever using the Chase for the Cup points format. Busch is also a Daytona 500 winner, accomplishing the feat in 2017, as well as being the 2004 Cup Champion Busch also won the 1999 NASCAR Southwest Tour Championship owning 7 victories in that particular division so far. Busch was born to Thomas and Gaye Busch in Las Vegas, at the age of six, Busch was accompanying his father to the track and driving go-carts himself. As an underage teenager, he competed in Dwarf competition winning in just his second race and this father and son team competed western tracks from Southern California to Utah. In 1994, his first full year as a driver, Busch won ten races at ten different tracks. His father eventually sold their equipment and purchased a powerful car for the Legends Series. After graduating at Durango High School, Busch enrolled at the University of Arizona, Busch became engaged to girlfriend Eva Bryan while attending the 2005 Hungarian Grand Prix. On July 27,2006, three years to the day of meeting on a blind date, they were married in Virginia. The footage was taped and later aired on national television, Busch announced on June 30,2011, Those in the NASCAR community have been aware for some time now that we are no longer together and we are legally separated. The announcement came days after Busch kissed another woman in Victory Lane celebration following a win at Sonoma Raceway, Busch and Eva Bryan filed for divorce in early June and were legally separated later that month. Busch has a history of verbally abusing members of his team. During the 2011 NASCAR Championship week, Busch revealed that he had working with a sports psychologist for two months, to work on personal issues. Busch is also a baseball fan and stated the goal of visiting every ballpark nationwide
12.
Indianapolis 500 traditions
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Due to the longevity of the Indianapolis 500, numerous traditions surrounding the race have developed over the years. Traditions include procedures for the running of the race, scheduling, for many fans, these traditions are an important aspect of the race, and they have often reacted quite negatively when the traditions are changed or broken. As part of the Memorial Day holiday weekend, the ceremonies of the Indianapolis 500 feature several patriotic songs. The most noteworthy and most popular traditions are the singing of Back Home Again in Indiana. The race has always been scheduled in conjunction with Memorial Day, through 1970, the race was held on Memorial Day proper, regardless of the day of the week, unless it fell on Sunday. In those cases it was scheduled for Monday May 31, after the Uniform Monday Holiday Act took effect in 1971, the race was scheduled as part of the three-day Memorial Day weekend instead, either the Saturday, the Sunday, or the Monday. Since 1974, the race has been scheduled for the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, Sundays were avoided for scheduling race activity dating all the way back to pre-500 races in 1909 and 1910. In early decades, Sundays were occasionally used for practice and/or qualifying, in some early years, practice may have been permitted on Sundays, but the gates might not be open to the public. When Tony Hulman bought the Speedway after World War II, Speedway management continued to refuse to schedule the race on a Sunday, qualifying and practice, however, were regularly held on Sundays during those years, with no days closed to spectators. From 1971-1972, the race was scheduled for the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, in 1973, the race was scheduled for Memorial Day Monday. However, rain delayed it until Wednesday, since 1974, the race has been scheduled for the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. The 1986 race was held the weekend after the federal holiday because of two rainouts. The race was held the following Saturday, May 31, the date of the race if May 30 was a Sunday. The 1997 race was similar to 1973 in having two rain delays, nearly as unique as 1986 and it was scheduled for Sunday, May 25, but heavy rain washed out the day. The race began the day, on Memorial Day. The race was halted after 15 laps, and could not be restarted, short of the 101 laps needed for an official race, track officials elected to resume the race on the following day. The race was run to completion, as laps 16-200 were completed on Tuesday, armed Forces Day also falls during the month of May, and usually coincides with one of the weekends of time trials. Since 1978 at the Speedway, that weekend is filled with activities honoring the U. S. military
13.
The Star-Spangled Banner
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The Star-Spangled Banner is the national anthem of the United States of America. Key was inspired by the large American flag, the Star-Spangled Banner, the poem was set to the tune of a popular British song written by John Stafford Smith for the Anacreontic Society, a mens social club in London. To Anacreon in Heaven, with lyrics, was already popular in the United States. Set to Keys poem and renamed The Star-Spangled Banner, it became a well-known American patriotic song. With a range of one octave and one fifth, it is known for being difficult to sing, although the poem has four stanzas, only the first is commonly sung today. Before 1931, other songs served as the hymns of American officialdom, hail, Columbia served this purpose at official functions for most of the 19th century. My Country, Tis of Thee, whose melody is identical to God Save the Queen, following the War of 1812 and subsequent American wars, other songs emerged to compete for popularity at public events, among them The Star-Spangled Banner, as well as America the Beautiful. Beanes was accused of aiding the arrest of British soldiers, because Key and Skinner had heard details of the plans for the attack on Baltimore, they were held captive until after the battle, first aboard HMS Surprise and later back on HMS Minden. On the morning of September 14, the flag had been lowered. During the bombardment, HMS Terror and HMS Meteor provided some of the bombs bursting in air, Key was inspired by the American victory and the sight of the large American flag flying triumphantly above the fort. This flag, with fifteen stars and fifteen stripes, had made by Mary Young Pickersgill together with other workers in her home on Baltimores Pratt Street. The flag later came to be known as the Star-Spangled Banner and is today on display in the National Museum of American History and it was restored in 1914 by Amelia Fowler, and again in 1998 as part of an ongoing conservation program. Aboard the ship the day, Key wrote a poem on the back of a letter he had kept in his pocket. At twilight on September 16, he and Skinner were released in Baltimore and he completed the poem at the Indian Queen Hotel, where he was staying, and titled it Defence of Fort MHenry. Much of the idea of the poem, including the flag imagery and some of the wording, is derived from a song by Key. The song, known as When the Warrior Returns, was written in honor of Stephen Decatur, absent elaboration by Francis Scott Key prior to his death in 1843, some have speculated in modern times about the meaning of phrases or verses. Professor Mark Clague has stated that the two verses of Keys lyric vilify the British enemy in the War of 1812 and in no way glorifies or celebrates slavery. Clague asserts that the used to refer to British professional soldiers but also the Corps of Colonial Marines which Key viewed as scoundrels
14.
LeAnn Rimes
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Margaret LeAnn Rimes Cibrian, known professionally as LeAnn Rimes, is an American singer. Known for her vocals, Rimes rose to stardom at age 13 following the release of the Bill Mack song Blue. The albums eponymous single, Blue, became a Top 10 hit. Rimes has won awards, including two Grammys, three ACMs, a CMA,12 Billboard Music Awards, and one American Music award. She has sold over 37 million records worldwide, with 20.3 million album sales in the United States according to Nielsen SoundScan, Billboard ranked her 17th artist of the 1990–2000 decade. Rimes has also written four books, two novels and two childrens books, margaret LeAnn Rimes was born in Jackson, Mississippi. She is the child of Wilbur Rimes and Belinda Butler. The family moved to Garland, Texas when she was six and she was enrolled in vocal and dance classes, and was performing at local talent shows at the age of 5. Rimes began her career in theatre, performing in a Dallas, Texas production of A Christmas Carol. After appearing on the television competition show Star Search, where she clearly charmed host Ed McMahon in addition to being a one-week champion. Rimes appeared a number of times on Johnnie Highs Country Music Revue in Arlington, Texas, by age nine, Rimes was an experienced singer. She toured nationally with her father and also performed a cappella renditions of The Star Spangled Banner at the opening of the Dallas Cowboys football games. Wilbur Rimes began recording his daughter under the independent label Nor Va Jak when she turned eleven and she released three albums between 1991 and 1996. Rimes was discovered by Dallas disc jockey and record promoter Bill Mack, Mack was impressed by Rimess vocal ability, and over the following three years, he made various attempts to bring Rimes to a mainstream level. In July 1994, Rimes recorded the song on her independent album, after signing with Curb Records, Rimes re-recorded a new version of Blue for her debut studio album, and as a single. However, Rimes told a BBC radio program in October 2016 that the company accidentally released the version she had recorded as an 11-year-old. She said it was this version peaked at number ten on the Billboard Country Chart. During this time the media was reporting that Rimes was the successor to Patsy Clines legacy, the album Blue sold 123,000 copies in its first week, the highest figure in SoundScan history at that time
15.
Back Home Again in Indiana
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Indiana is a song composed by Ballard MacDonald and James F. Hanley, first published in January 1917. While it is not the state song of the U. S. state of Indiana. The tune was introduced as a Tin Pan Alley pop-song of the time, in this respect it was a contrafact of the latter. This lively instrumental version by the ODJB was one of the earliest jazz records issued, the tune became a jazz standard. For years, Louis Armstrong and his All Stars would open each public performance with the number and its chord changes undergird the Miles Davis Bebop composition Donna Lee, one of jazzs best known contrafacts. Other lesser known contrafacts of Indiana include Fats Navarros Ice Freezes Red, since 1946, it has been an annual tradition for the chorus of the song to be performed during the pre-race ceremonies at the Indianapolis 500. In most years from 1972 to 2014, it was performed by Jim Nabors, Nabors has admitted to having the songs lyrics written on his hand during his inaugural performance, and occasionally his versions have altered several of the words. The singing is backed by the Purdue All-American Marching Band, in 2014, Nabors performed the song for the final time after announcing his retirement earlier that year, saying, You know, theres a time in life when you have to move on. I just figured it was time and this is really the highlight of my year to come here. Its very sad for me, but nevertheless theres something inside of me that tells me when its time to go, in 2015, the song was performed by the a cappella group, Straight No Chaser. For 2016, the song was sung by Josh Kaufman, the song is also featured prominently at the Indiana State Museum where a steam clock plays the tune at the top of every hour. Since 1991 Indianapolis TV station WISH-TV used components of the song in their news themes, stephen Arnold Musics Newsleader and Counterpoint with Indiana and 615 Musics In-Sink V.4 are news music themes that have the Back Home Again in Indiana Signature. It is also used to open every Little 500 bicycle race held at Indiana University, actress and Indiana-native Florence Henderson performed the song on a 1977 episode of The Brady Bunch Variety Hour and on a 1980 episode of Pink Lady and Jeff. Assuming that the 1917 sheet music, published by Shapiro, Bernstein, several chords can be observed to have been incorrectly identified. On beat four of five, the chord is identified as G dim. Since there is no G in the music and the doubling of the C# suggests that note as the root, it is a C# dim7 in name, and acts as a type of altered IV chord. Since it sits on four of a IV chord measure. Measure 11 of the chorus is notated with an Adim on beat 4 and they have the same notes, and this leaves the cord as an altered V chord, with D# as the root, which allows the bass line to move chromatically from D7 up to Em
16.
Jim Nabors
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James Thurston Jim Nabors is a retired American actor and singer. Born and raised in Sylacauga, Alabama, Nabors moved to southern California because of his asthma, while working at a Santa Monica nightclub, The Horn, he was discovered by Andy Griffith and later joined The Andy Griffith Show, playing Gomer Pyle. Nabors and Ron Howard are the last surviving regular male cast members from that series, the character proved popular, and Nabors was given his own spin-off show, Gomer Pyle, U. S. M. C. Though known for his portrayal of Gomer Pyle, Nabors became a popular guest on variety shows in the 1960s and 1970s and he subsequently recorded numerous albums and singles, most of them containing romantic ballads. Nabors is also known for singing Back Home Again in Indiana, prior to the start of the Indianapolis 500, except for a few absences due to health or other conflicts, Nabors sang the unofficial Indiana anthem every year from 1972 until his final time in 2014. Nabors was born to Mavis and Fred Nabors in Sylacauga, Alabama, where he sang for his school and church. He attended the University of Alabama, where he began acting in skits, while at Alabama, he became a member of Delta Tau Delta International Fraternity. Because of his asthma, Nabors moved to Los Angeles and worked as a cutter for NBC. He also worked at a Santa Monica tavern, The Horn and his act featured him as a character similar to the Gomer Pyle character he later portrayed, he sang in a baritone and sometimes spoke in his higher-pitched comedic voice. At the club, comedian Bill Dana saw Nabors act and invited him to appear on The Steve Allen Show, Nabors signed on to the show, but it was soon canceled. It was at The Horn where Nabors was discovered by Andy Griffith and was hired to play a role of Gomer Pyle. The show, which placed Nabors bungling, naive character opposite Sergeant Vince Carter, was also popular, Nabors resigned from Gomer Pyle, U. S. M. C. After five seasons—prompting producers Aaron Ruben and Sheldon Leonard to ask CBS to cancel it—because he desired to move to something else, most of the songs were romantic ballads, though he sang pop, gospel, and country songs as well. The climactic vocal performance on Gomer Pyle, U. S. M. C. Came in an episode titled The Show Must Go On, aired November 3,1967, in which Pyle sang The Impossible Dream in Washington, D. C. at a U. S. Navy relief show, accompanied by the Marine Corps Band. He hosted a variety show, The Jim Nabors Hour, which featured his Gomer Pyle co-stars Ronnie Schell, despite a poor critical reception, the show was popular. After the cancellation of The Jim Nabors Hour, Nabors embarked on a nationwide roadshow, typecast from his role as Gomer Pyle, Nabors found his subsequent roles mostly comedic. In a 1973 episode of The Rookies, he played his first serious role, also in 1973, Nabors sang The Star-Spangled Banner before Game One of the Major League Baseball World Series
17.
Mari Hulman George
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She was the chairperson of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 1988-2016, and Hulman & Company. Mari was the Hulmans only child, but from the age of eleven she was surrounded by the families of Indianapolis 500 drivers. Perhaps it would come as little surprise that she would marry one such driver, Elmer George, Elmer George, who met with little success as a driver, retired from racing in 1963, later becoming a Speedway vice-president and head of the IMS Radio Network. For most of the marriage, they owned a farm outside of Terre Haute. After the death of Tony Hulman in 1977, his wife, Mary Fendrich Hulman, was named the chairperson of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, when Mrs. Hulmans health began to decline, she retired and passed the chairmanship of the companies to her daughter in 1988. Mari Hulman George held those positions until the summer of 2016, shortly after the 2016 Indianapolis 500, Mari was elected chairman emeritus, and her son Tony George was elevated to the chairman status. Like her father and mother before her, from 1997 to 2015, Mari officially started the Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400 races with the starting command, Gentlemen. In 2014, she was joined by Jim Nabors, and for the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2016, Mari had also given the command in substitute for her mother in 1981. The college maintains the Mari Hulman George School of Equine Studies and she has also been active in the rescue and adoption of racing greyhounds
18.
Indianapolis 500 pace cars
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The Indianapolis 500 auto race has used a pace car every year since 1911. The pace car is utilized for two primary purposes, at the start of the race, the pace car leads the assembled starting grid around the track for a predetermined number of unscored warm-up laps. Then if the officials deem appropriate, it releases the field at a speed to start the race. In addition, during yellow flag caution periods, the car enters the track and picks up the leader. Prior to the first 500 in 1911, in the interest of safety, nearly all races at the time, as well as all Formula One races even to the present, utilize a standing start. In almost every year since 1936, it has been a tradition that the winner of the Indianapolis 500 be presented one of that years pace cars. In most years since 1911, the driver of the car at the start of the race has been an invited celebrity. Historically, the honor of supplying the pace car was, and continues to be, an honor by the respective automobile manufactures. The pace car was used to take the field on one unscored lap. The invited driver was given the honor of pacemaker, and manufacturers used the honor of providing the car as marketing exposure, during his tenure as Speedway president, Tony Hulman rode in the pace car nearly every year, immediately after giving the command to start engines. His primary duty was to marshal the start and in some years, dating back to the very early years, the pace cars were often painted with special liveries complete with logos, lettering, pinstriping, and other decorative markings. In addition, sometimes flagpoles, lights, and other motoring paraphernalia were installed to further identify the pace car, most manufacturers used the opportunity to showcase their higher end or luxury models. Since in the years, the pace car was only used for one lap at the start. In many years, the car was a convertible, which along with increasing the luxury status of the vehicle. In most years through the early 1950s, the car led the field around the track for one warm up lap. The pace lap concept was popular with fans, as many drivers commonly waved at the fans, by 1957, the procedure was changed so the pace car led the field for two warm up laps. This also allowed the fans on the mainstretch to see the entire field parade by one time before the start, previously only fans on other parts of the track got to actually see the grid go by for photographs and waving. For the 1957–1958 races, the grid was lined up and exited single-file from the newly constructed pit lane, the two laps allowed the field to properly form up, however, in practice it turned out to be difficult and both races saw incidents at the start
19.
Chevrolet Camaro (fifth generation)
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The fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro is a pony car produced by Chevrolet. It is the fifth generation of the Camaro to be produced since its original introduction in 1967. Chevrolet Camaro Concept is a designed by South Korean-born Sangyup Lee. The car is based on the Holden developed GM Zeta platform, the wheelbase is 110.5 in, which is 9 in longer than the previous generation, but an overall length of just 186.2 in,7 in shorter. The vehicle was unveiled at the 2006 North American International Auto Show, autoWeek editors unanimously awarded the Camaro Concept Best In Show. The 2007 Camaro Convertible Concept was announced January 6,2007 at the 2007 North American International Auto Show, early speculation by many automotive publications proved to be true when early embargo was broken on January 4,2007. Besides the obvious convertible top, there are changes to the exterior as well. Every surface was changed from the door-cut back, the rear fenderlines drop off from the horizontal surface to the vertical surface a couple of inches farther out than on the coupe to keep proportions good and the rear spoiler was reshaped. The 21 in front and 22 in rear wheels were redesigned and a thin orange line was applied to the outer edge. There are many changes that were incorporated into the new concept. The retro houndstooth-pattern seats of the coupe were replaced with modern leather, the metal finishes, accent panel finishes, and seats are all different colors. The rear seats are 6 in closer together to make room for the tonneau cover, the clarity of the circular gauges in square frames were improved by making the faces white with black chrome numbers and a red anodized needle. The deep-dish three-spoke steering wheel and four-pack gauge cluster carry over from the coupe concept, chrome seat-belt buckles are designed to look like the iconic belts buckles in late 1960s GM cars. This reworked interior of the Camaro Convertible Concept is now a close representation of what will be seen in the production version of the Camaro. General Motors showed several concept variants of the production Camaro on November 3,2008 at the 2008 SEMA show, other modifications include a Tremec six-speed manual transmission, Brembo brakes, Hurst short-throw shifter, 20-inch custom wheels, and a lowered ride height. Gloss black replaces every trim that came in silver in the final production Camaros such as on the wheel, Hurst shifter knob, vent trimings. The Camaro Dale Earnhardt Jr. Concept was produced with input from NASCAR Race driver Dale Earnhardt Jr, the Camaro started in SS trim and was tuned to run on higher-octane E85. It features a gray and white paint scheme with orange trim, additional features include 21 in five-spoke wheels, a dovetail spoiler, alternate grille, and other official GM accessory modifications
20.
Dario Franchitti
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George Dario Marino Franchitti, MBE, known professionally as Dario Franchitti, is a retired British racing driver. He is a four time IndyCar Series champion, a winner of the Indianapolis 500 as well as a winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona. Franchitti started his career in his native United Kingdom in the early 1990s, competing in Formula Vauxhall and Formula Three and was also the winner of the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award in 1992. After Franchitti did not secure a drive in 1995, he was contracted by the AMG team to compete in touring cars in the DTM. Despite 2 seasons with relative success, the series folded at the end of the 1996 season, Mercedes placed Franchitti in CART in 1997 with the Hogan Racing team. Team Green moved to the IndyCar Series for the 2003 campaign, Franchittis first season for IndyCar was disrupted by an injury, but won his first races the following season. His breakout year came in 2007, when he won the rain-shortened Indianapolis 500 as one of 4 victories in his route to a first career title in a final-race title decider with Scott Dixon. At the end of the season, Franchitti was named as BBC Scotlands Sports Personality of the Year, after an ill-fated move to NASCAR in 2008 Franchitti returned to IndyCar in 2009, driving for Chip Ganassi Racing. Franchitti won on his 2nd start back in the series, and eventually took 5 wins as he won a 2nd championship, again in a race championship decider against Dixon. A new car was introduced for the 2012 season, in which Franchitti only scored 1 victory – in the Indianapolis 500 – to become the 10th driver to win at least 3 Indianapolis 500s during a career. On 6 October 2013, Franchitti was involved in a crash in the Grand Prix of Houston. Franchitti suffered 2 fractured vertebrae, an ankle, and a concussion in the crash. Later he would learn that he had some of his past. Franchitti was born in Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland, while attending Stewarts Melville College in Edinburgh, he became interested in karting. Allan McNish credited a large part of the given to himself, Franchitti. Franchitti won the Karting Scottish Junior Championship in 1984, the British Junior Championships in 1985 and 1986 and he progressed to Formula Vauxhall Junior where he won the championship with four victories in 1991. He moved up to Formula Vauxhall Lotus in 1992, where he joined Paul Stewart Racing, in his first year, he finished fourth in the overall championship, and was named the McLaren/Autosport Young Driver of the Year. Staying with the team for the season, he won the championship in 1993
21.
Mark Cuban
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Mark Cuban is an American businessman, investor, author, television personality, and philanthropist. He is the owner of the NBAs Dallas Mavericks, co-owner of 2929 Entertainment and he is also one of the main shark investors on the ABC reality television series, Shark Tank. In 2011, Cuban wrote an e-book, How to Win at the Sport of Business, in which he chronicles his experiences in business. Mark Cuban was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and his father, Norton Cuban, was an automobile upholsterer, while Cuban has described his mother, Shirley, as someone with a different job or different career goal every other week. He grew up in the suburb of Mount Lebanon, in a Jewish working-class family and his paternal grandfather changed the family name from Chabenisky to Cuban after his family emigrated from Russia through Ellis Island. His maternal grandparents, who were also Jewish, came from Romania, Cubans first step into the business world occurred at age 12, when he sold garbage bags to pay for a pair of expensive basketball shoes. At age 16, Cuban took advantage of a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette strike by running newspapers from Cleveland to Pittsburgh, instead of attending high school for his senior year, he enrolled as a full-time student at the University of Pittsburgh where he joined the Pi Lambda Phi International fraternity. While attending the University of Pittsburgh, he held a variety of including a bartender, disco dancing instructor. He chose Indianas Kelley School of Business without even visiting the campus because it had the least expensive tuition of all the schools on the top 10 list. During college he had business ventures, including a bar, disco lessons. In 1982, Cuban moved to Dallas, Texas, where he first found work as a bartender and he was fired less than a year later, after meeting with a client to procure new business instead of opening the store. Cuban started his own company, MicroSolutions, with support from his previous customers from Your Business Software, MicroSolutions was initially a system integrator and software reseller. The company was a proponent of technologies such as Carbon Copy, Lotus Notes. One of the companys largest clients was Perot Systems, in 1990, Cuban sold MicroSolutions to CompuServe—then a subsidiary of H&R Block—for $6 million. He made approximately $2 million after taxes on the deal, in 1995, Chris Jaeb and fellow Indiana University alumnus Todd Wagner started Audionet, combining their mutual interest in Indiana Hoosier college basketball and webcasting. With a single server and an ISDN line, Audionet became Broadcast. com in 1998, by 1999, Broadcast. com had grown to 330 employees and $13.5 million in revenue for the second quarter. In 1999, Broadcast. com helped launch the first live-streamed Victorias Secret Fashion Show and that year, during the dot com boom, Broadcast. com was acquired by Yahoo. for $5.7 billion in Yahoo. stock. After the sale of Broadcast. com, Cuban diversified his wealth to avoid exposure to a market crash, in 2011, Cuban was No.211 on Forbes list of Worlds Richest People, with a net worth of $2.6 billion
22.
Television network
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Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small number of broadcast networks. Many early television networks evolved from earlier radio networks, such networks are commonly referred to by terms such as specialty channels in Canada or cable networks in the U. S. A network may or may not produce all of its own programming, if not, production companies can distribute their content to the various networks, and it is common that a certain production firm may have programs that air on two or more rival networks. Similarly, some networks may import television programs from other countries, some stations have the capability to interrupt the network through the local insertion of television commercials, station identifications and emergency alerts. Others completely break away from the network for their own programming and this is common where small networks are members of larger networks. The majority of television stations are self-owned, even though a variety of these instances are the property of an owned-and-operated television network. The commercial television stations can also be linked with an educational broadcasting agency. It is also important to note that some countries have launched national television networks, on the other hand, television networks also undergo the impending experience of major changes related to cultural varieties. The emergence of television has made available in major media markets. Such a diverse captive audience presents an occasion for the networks and this is explained by author Tim P. Vos notes that policymakers did not expressly intend to create a broadcast order dominated by commercial networks. In fact, legislative attempts were made to limit the networks preferred position, as to individual stations, modern network operations centers usually use broadcast automation to handle most tasks. A major international network is the British Broadcasting Corporation, which is perhaps most well known for its news agency BBC News. Owned by the Crown, the BBC operates primarily in the United Kingdom and it is funded by the television licence paid by British residents that watch terrestrial television and as a result, no commercial advertising appears on its networks. Outside of the UK, advertising is broadcast because the licence fee applies to the BBCs British operations. 23,000 people worldwide are employed by the BBC and its subsidiary, other networks are dedicated to specialized programming, such as religious content or programs presented in languages other than English, particularly Spanish. The largest television network in the United States, however, is the Public Broadcasting Service, some public television outlets, such as PBS, carry separate digital subchannel networks through their member stations. This works as each network sends its signal to many local affiliated stations across the country. These local stations then carry the feed, which can be viewed by millions of households across the country
23.
ESPN on ABC
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ESPN on ABC is the brand used for sports event and documentary programming televised on the American Broadcasting Company in the United States. ABC broadcasts use ESPNs production and announcing staff, and incorporate elements such as ESPN-branded on-screen graphics, SportsCenter in-game updates, the broadcast networks sports event coverage carried the ABC Sports brand prior to September 2,2006. When ABC acquired a controlling interest in ESPN in 1984, it operated the cable network separately from its sports division. The integration of ABC Sports with ESPN began after The Walt Disney Company bought ABC in 1996, the branding change to ESPN on ABC was made to better orient ESPN viewers with event telecasts on ABC and provide consistent branding for all sports broadcasts on Disney-owned channels. Like its longtime competitors CBS Sports and NBC Sports, ABC Sports was originally part of the division of the ABC network. When Roone Arledge came to ABC Sports as a producer of NCAA football games in 1960, the International Olympic Committee even wanted a bank to guarantee ABCs contract to broadcast the 1960 Olympics. At the time, Edward Scherick served as the de facto head of ABC Sports, Scherick had joined the fledgling ABC television network when he persuaded it to purchase Sports Programs, Inc. in exchange for the network acquiring shares in the company. Scherick had formed the company after he left CBS, when the network would not make him the head of its sports programming unit. Before ABC Sports even became a division of the network, Scherick. While Scherick was not interested in For Men Only, he recognized the talent that Arledge had, Arledge realized ABC was the organization he was looking to become part of. The lack of an organization would offer him the opportunity to claim real power when the network matured. With this, he signed on with Scherick as an assistant producer, network broadcasts of sporting events had previously consisted of simple set-ups and focused on the game itself. In his memo, Arledge not only offered another way to broadcast the game to the sports fan, in addition, he had the forethought to realize that the broadcasts needed to attract, and hold the attention of female viewers, as well as males. Despite the production values he brought to NCAA college football, Scherick wanted low-budget sports programming that could attract and he hit upon the idea of broadcasting track and field events sponsored by the Amateur Athletic Union. While Americans were not exactly fans of track and field events, in January 1961, Scherick called Arledge into his office, and asked him to attend the annual AAU board of governors meeting. While he was shaking hands, Scherick said, if the mood seemed right, might he cut a deal to broadcast AAU events on ABC and it seemed like a tall assignment, however as Scherick said years later, Roone was a gentile and I was not. Arledge came back with a deal for ABC to broadcast all AAU events for $50,000 per year, next, Scherick and Arledge divided up their NCAA college football sponsor list. They then telephoned their sponsors and said in so many words, Advertise on our new sports show coming up in April, or forget about buying commercials on NCAA college football this fall
24.
Scott Goodyear
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Scott Goodyear is a Canadian former race car driver. He ran the IRL IndyCar Series and Champ Car series during his career from 1987 and he is also notable for almost winning the Indianapolis 500 on three different occasions. Goodyear qualified for eleven runnings of the Indy 500 races from 1990 to 2001, after starting last in the 1992 race, he finished 2nd to Al Unser, Jr. by 0.043 seconds. His main sponsor was Mackenzie Financial Corporation at the time, Goodyear could have won the 1995 race but after leading 42 laps, he mistakenly passed the pace car on a late restart and was penalized to fourteenth place after ignoring the black flags. Goodyear again finished 2nd in the 1997 race after being passed by Arie Luyendyk on the backstraightaway at lap 194 and he might have won if not for a controversial restart on the last lap, when the green and white flag waved despite the on-track lights still signaling yellow. Goodyear, who had expected the race to finish under caution, was weaving his car to keep his tires warm at the time of the restart, meanwhile, eventual winner Luyendyk had already begun accelerating away from the field. He drove in a couple of CART races for Walker Racing in 1996 before an accident at the Emerson Fittipaldi Speedway in Rio de Janeiro. In 1988, he was crowned champion of the Rothmans Porsche Turbo Cup series driving the Pop 84 / Pfaff 944 Turbo race car and he also co-drove the second of the factory entered Porsche GT1 machines in the 199624 Hours of Le Mans with Yannick Dalmas and Karl Wendlinger. They finished 3rd behind the other GT1 and the winning WSC-95 of Joest racing, Goodyear was inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2014. 1 The 1999 VisionAire 500K at Charlotte was cancelled after 79 laps due to spectator fatalities, Goodyear qualified 3rd and was running 2nd when it was red-flagged. 3 wins,0 championships List of Canadians in Champ Car Scott Goodyear ESPN Bio 1992 video of Indy 500 finish
25.
Eddie Cheever
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Edward McKay Eddie Cheever Jr. is an American former racing driver who raced for almost 30 years in Formula One, sports cars, CART, and the Indy Racing League. Cheever participated in 143 Formula One World Championship races and started 132, more than any other American, in 1997, he formed his own IRL team and won the 1998 Indianapolis 500 as both owner and driver. The team now competes in sports cars, Cheever lived in Rome, Italy as a child and was introduced to motorsports at age eight when his father took him to a sports car race in Monza, Italy. He soon began racing go karts and won both Italian and European Karting championships at age 15 and he worked his way up through the levels of European Formula racing, teaming with American Danny Sullivan in Formula Three and driving for Ron Dennis in Formula Two. He made his Formula One debut at age 20 in 1978, after failing to qualify in Argentina, he made the grid at Kyalami for the South African Grand Prix in a Hesketh-Ford. An engine problem forced him to retire after just eight laps, Two seasons later, he became a regular driver for the Osella team, but finished only once in ten races. The 1983 season proved to be Cheevers high point in Formula One and he signed with the factory Equipe Renault team alongside Frenchman Alain Prost, both of whom were among the years Championship favorites. Cheever earned four podiums and 22 Championship points driving the Renault RE30C for the first two races before driving its much better replacement, the RE40, for the remainder of the season. But the teams disappointment after losing both the Drivers and Constructors titles late in the season brought about the replacement of both Cheever and Prost, in six more seasons, he never drove another truly competitive F1 car. After leaving Renault, Cheever had two seasons with Alfa Romeo as team mate to Italian Riccardo Patrese. Patrese though scored the only finish for the team in those two years when he finished third in the 1984 Italian Grand Prix. Cheever had been 3rd with 6 laps remaining but his Alfa ran out of fuel, while racing in the World Sportscar Championship for Tom Walkinshaw Racings Jaguar team, Cheever raced in only one F1 Grand Prix in 1986. This was for the American owned and sponsored Haas Lola team at Detroit, Cheever actually qualified the unfamiliar Lola THL2 with its turbocharged Ford V6 engine in 10th position. Regular team driver,1980 World Champion Alan Jones, could only qualify his car 21st, both Lolas retired with steering damage in the race, Jones on lap 33, Cheever 4 laps later. Ironically, Cheever was only the choice to replace Tambay for the race. Team owner Carl Haas had originally asked the driver in his CART team,1978 World Champion Mario Andretti to drive. Mario declined however, but recommended his son Michael as a replacement, however, when Michael was unable to obtain a FIA Superlicence for the race, Haas turned to the experienced Cheever, who quickly agreed to an F1 comeback. For 1987, he was signed by Arrows team boss Jackie Oliver to partner British driver Derek Warwick, Cheever and Warwick were evenly matched and would have many on-track battles throughout 1987 and 1988
26.
2013 Indianapolis 500
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The 97th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday May 26,2013. It was the event of the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series season. Tony Kanaan, a native of Brazil, was victorious on a record-setting day, the track opened for practice on Saturday, May 11. Time trials were held May 18–19, and the final practice, a support race, the Freedom 100 for the Indy Lights series was also held on Carb Day. In time trials, owner/driver Ed Carpenter of Indianapolis won the position, the first American-born pole-sitter since 2006. For the first time since 1987, two drivers in the field entered the race attempting to win a fourth Indianapolis 500. Three-time winners Hélio Castroneves and Dario Franchitti attempted to tie A. J. Foyt, Al Unser Sr. after eleven previous attempts, Tony Kanaan, racing for KV Racing Technology, won the race. On a restart with three remaining, Kanaan overtook leader Ryan Hunter-Reay in the first turn. Three-time champion Dario Franchitti got loose and crashed into the wall bringing out the final caution of the race. Kanaan led Rookie of the Year Carlos Muñoz and Hunter-Reay across the line, the average speed of the race –187.433 mph – was the fastest Indianapolis 500, breaking the record set in 1990 by Arie Luyendyk. The 68 lead changes, and 14 different leaders, set during the race are also new records. Other records set include most cars running at the finish, fewest caution laps, most laps completed by the field, Chevrolet swept the top four finishing positions, and took its first Indianapolis 500 win since 2002, breaking Hondas streak of nine consecutive Indy 500 wins. Chassis manufacturer Dallara won its 8th straight Indy 500, and 13th overall since joining the series in 1997, for the first time since 1989, the Indy 500 will be part of an Indy car triple crown along with Pocono and Fontana. A $1 million bonus prize will be offered for any driver to win all three races in the same season, the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray served as the official pace car. Lotus, who fielded underpowered and uncompetitive engines in 2012, was released from its contract, on December 21,2012, Firestone signed a five-year contract extension to be the exclusive official tire supplier through 2018. Following its popular success during the festivities surrounding Super Bowl XLVI, after missing the 2012 race due to an illness, Jim Nabors returned once again to perform Back Home Again in Indiana during the pre-race ceremonies. It was his 33rd year performing the song in-person, and 35th overall, cars will be allowed 130 kPa of turbocharger boost during practice, Carb Day, and race day. Cars will be allowed 140 kPa of boost for Fast Friday practice, all entries will be allowed a total of 33 sets of tires for practice, time trials and race day
27.
2015 Indianapolis 500
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The 99th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday May 24,2015. It was the event of the 2015 season of the Verizon IndyCar Series. Juan Pablo Montoya won his second Indianapolis 500, followed in the finish by Will Power, Charlie Kimball, polesitter Scott Dixon, for the second year in a row, the month of May activities opened with the Grand Prix of Indianapolis over May 7–9. Practice opened on May 11, and time trials were held on May 16–17, rain interrupted and eventually washed out time trials on May 16, and all qualifications were held on Sunday May 17. The 2015 race saw the debut of unique aero kits from Chevrolet and Honda, respectively, as part of the ICONIC project, aero kits were originally planned for 2012, but a series of delays due to cost issues put off their homologation and implementation until 2015. During practice, three Chevrolet entries suffered major crashes that resulted in flip-overs, during a practice session on May 18, IndyCars Holmatro Safety Team was lauded for a life-saving effort in their rescue of driver James Hinchcliffe. During the run, Hinchcliffe was involved in a major crash, the rapid response by the medical crews was credited with likely saving his life, and nine days later he was released from Methodist Hospital, expected to make a full recovery. For further information, see Team and driver list 1996 winner Buddy Lazier stated his intention to return in 2015 with his family-owned Lazier Partners Racing, on November 3,2014, a third standalone entry was announced, with Jay Howard running #97 for Bryan Herta Autosport. However, funding for this car fell through, and BHA only ran their full season #98 for Gabby Chaves, on April 2,2015, it was announced Simona de Silvestro would be making an attempt at the race driving the #29 Honda for Andretti Autosport. Each entry were allowed 36 sets of tires total, for practice, time trials and this is up from 33 sets previously. The special compound red tires are not used for oval events, entries participating in the promoters open test on May 3 received four additional sets for use on that day only. Entries taking part in a rookie test or a refresher test received a set specifically to use for the respective test. Engines were permitted 130 kPa of turbocharger boost during the open test on May 3. Cars were allowed 140 kPa of boost on Fast Friday practice, the boost level reverted to 130 kPa for Carb day and race day. Note, Increased boost for time trials was rescinded by officials after crashes during practice, the a cappella group Straight No Chaser performed Back Home Again in Indiana during the pre-race ceremonies. The group replaced Jim Nabors, who sang for the time in 2014. On May 19, it was announced that recording artist Jordin Sparks will perform the National Anthem Four-time Indy 500 winner Al Unser Sr. was honored during Legends Day festivities, track activities began on Sunday May 3, with Opening Day, featuring the debut of oval aero kits. A full-field open test and rookie orientation took place on the oval from 9,30 a. m. to 5 p. m, during the week, the track was reconfigured to the road course configuration
28.
Speedway, Indiana
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Speedway is a town in Wayne Township, Marion County, Indiana, United States. The population was 11,812 at the 2010 census, Speedway is home of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it is an enclave of Indianapolis. Speedway was laid out in 1912 as a residential suburb and it took its name from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is an example of a residential community planned for the industrial plants located nearby. Carl G. Fisher, James A. Allison, Frank Wheeler, Fisher and Allison owned plants nearby that needed workers, the Prest-O-Lite factory and Allison Engine Company. The investors goal was to create a city without horses, where residents would drive automobiles, the Speedway Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. Speedway is located at 39°47′31″N 86°15′0″W, according to the 2010 census, Speedway has a total area of 4.768 square miles, of which 4.76 square miles is land and 0.008 square miles is water. The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers, according to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Speedway has a humid subtropical climate, Cfa on climate maps. With a January daily mean of −2 °C however, Speedway is very close to the continental type. As of the census of 2010,11,812 people,5,550 households, the population density was 2,481.5 inhabitants per square mile. The 6,709 housing units averaged 1,409.5 per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 74. 2% White,16. 7% African American,0. 3% Native American,2. 0% Asian,4. 4% from other races, hispanics or Latinos of any race were 7. 6% of the population. About 39. 9% of all households were made up of individuals, the average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.84. The median age in the town was 37.8 years. About 21. 7% of residents were under the age of 18,10. 8% were between the ages of 18 and 24,26. 7% were from 25 to 44,25. 8% were from 45 to 64, and 14. 8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48. 3% male and 51. 7% female, as of the census of 2000,12,882 people,6,151 households, and 3,278 families resided in the town. The 6,151 households had 24. 5% with children under the age of 18 living with them,36. 6% married couples living together,12. 5% female householders with no husband present, and 46. 7% not families. In the town, the population was out with 20. 9% under the age of 18,10. 1% from 18 to 24,31. 5% from 25 to 44,20. 2% from 45 to 64
29.
IndyCar Series
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The IndyCar Series is the premier level of open wheel racing in North America. Its parent company began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League which was created by then Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, in 2008, the IndyCar Series merged with the Champ Car World Series. The series is sanctioned by INDYCAR, due to the legal settlement with CART, the Indy Racing League was unable to utilize the name IndyCar until the beginning of the 2003 season. For 1996–1997, the series was referred to as the Indy Racing League. For 1998–1999, the series garnered its first title sponsor, and was advertised as the Pep Boys Indy Racing League, the contract was not renewed after the second year. In 2000, the series sold its rights to Internet search engine Northern Light for five seasons. After only two seasons, however, the agreement ended when Northern Light reevaluated its business plan. The league reverted to the Indy Racing League name for the 2002 season, the IndyCar Series name was officially adopted beginning in 2003, as the series was now legally entitled to use it. Simmons also co-authored the new IndyCar theme song, I Am Indy, izod was announced as the series title sponsor beginning on November 5,2009. Exact financial terms were not disclosed but the deal is worth at least $10 million per year, izod ended its sponsorship after the 2013 season. On March 14,2014, Verizon Wireless was announced as the title sponsor. Since the series inception, IndyCar Series events have been broadcast in the United States on several networks, including ABC, CBS, ESPN, Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox Sports Networks, and Spike. Beginning in 2009, NBCSN began a 10-year deal to broadcast 13 IndyCar races per season, whereas the remaining races, including the Indianapolis 500, would remain on ABC through 2018. As of the 2016 season, ABC airs 5 races per season, in the United Kingdom, since the launch of BT Sport in August 2013 races are shown on one of the BT branded channels or ESPN. Previous to August 2013, the IndyCar Series races were broadcasts on the Sky Sports family of networks, the IndyCar Series also had highlights of all the races on the channel Five British terrestrial channel and Five USA, but has since been discontinued since the 2009 season. In Portugal, all of the IndyCar Series are broadcast on Sport TV, in February 2013, Sportsnet announced that it would become the official Canadian broadcaster of the IndyCar Series beginning in the 2013 season in a five-year deal with the series. The new contract will include broadcasts on the Sportsnet regional networks, Sportsnet One, additionally, Sportsnet would also originate coverage from the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Indianapolis 500, and Honda Indy Toronto with Bill Adam, Todd Lewis, and Rob Faulds. Canadian driver Paul Tracy also joined Sportsnet as an analyst, rede Bandeirantes serves as the Brazilian broadcast partner in that country since 1989
30.
Tony Kanaan
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Antoine Rizkallah Kanaan Filho, more commonly known as Tony Kanaan, is a Brazilian racing driver. Kanaan won the 2013 Indianapolis 500 and the 2004 Verizon IndyCar Series championship and that season, he completed 3,305 laps, making him the first IndyCar Series driver to complete every possible lap in a season. He also led 889 laps in 13 separate races to establish an IndyCar Series record and he is also the only driver to lead the Indianapolis 500 in each of his first seven starts, and won his first race on his 12th attempt. Kanaan has a total of 17 career race wins and 15 pole-positions in the Verizon IndyCar Series, Kanaan also won the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2015, driving for Chip Ganassi Racing. Kanaan was originally contracted to drive the #8 NTT Data/TNT Energy Drink-sponsored Dallara DW12-Ilmor Engineering|Ilmor-Chevrolet Indy V6 for Chip Ganassi Racing, Kanaan began driving for NTT Data Chip Ganassi Racing in the #10 NTT Data-sponsored IndyCar in 2015. Kanaan would begin to compete in Formula Europa Boxer for the 1994 season, Kanaan would drive for Cram Competition in a Tatuus-Alfa Romeo. Kanaan would win the championship on the strength of 5 wins. Kanaan competed in Italian Formula Three in 1995 for Tatuus in a Dallara 395-Opel, Kanaan would win a race and get 9 podiums to finish 5th in points with 111 points. Kanaan began to compete in the PPG/Firestone Indy Lights Championship Powered By Buick in 1996 for Tasman Motorsports in the #37 Marlboro Lola T96/20-Buick V6, at the season-opening race at Homestead Motorsports Complex Kanaan started 9th and finished 10th. At the second race of the season on the Streets of Long Beach Kanaan would start 3rd, Kanaan moved from 10th to 3rd in points following the race. Kanaans results in the three races were 12th, 17th and 7th at Nazareth Speedway, Michigan International Speedway and the Milwaukee Mile. In those races Kanaan started 14th, 4th and 11th, at Michigan Kanaan led for 8 laps before retiring due to a mechanical problem. At the race at Belle Isle State Park Kanaan started 5th, at the next race at Portland International Raceway Kanaan qualified on the pole position and finished 5th after leading for 3 laps. Kanaan would get a pair of 2nd-place finishes at the races at Circuit Trois-Rivières, in the latter Kanaan led for a race high 22 of 44 laps. At the next and season-ending race at Laguna Seca Raceway Kanaan qualified on the pole position, Kanaan would finish 2nd in points with 113 points. In 1997 Kanaan returned with Tasman Motorsports to drive the #7 Marlboro/Davene/Brahma Lola T97/20-Buick V6, at the season-opening race at Homestead Motorsports Complex Kanaan started 10th and finished 6th. Kanaan would then get consecutive 5th-place finishes at the two races, on the Streets of Long Beach and at Nazareth Speedway. Kanaan would then finish 23rd and 10th at the Hutchinson Island Road Race Course, at the next race at Belle Isle State Park Kanaan qualified on the pole position and led all 36 laps of the race to win the race
31.
Americans
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Americans are citizens of the United States of America. The country is home to people of different national origins. As a result, Americans do not equate their nationality with ethnicity, although citizens make up the majority of Americans, non-citizen residents, dual citizens, and expatriates may also claim an American identity. See Names for United States citizens. S, virgin Islands and Northern Mariana Islands in the 20th century. It also includes influences of African-American culture, westward expansion integrated the Creoles and Cajuns of Louisiana and the Hispanos of the Southwest and brought close contact with the culture of Mexico. Large-scale immigration in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from Southern and Eastern Europe introduced a variety of elements, immigration from Asia, Africa, and Latin America has also had impact. A cultural melting pot, or pluralistic salad bowl, describes the way in which generations of Americans have celebrated and exchanged distinctive cultural characteristics, in addition to the United States, Americans and people of American descent can be found internationally. As many as seven million Americans are estimated to be living abroad, the United States of America is a diverse country, racially, and ethnically. Some other race is also an option in the census and other surveys, people of European descent, or White Americans, constitute the majority of the 308 million people living in the United States, with 72. 4% of the population in the 2010 United States Census. They are considered people who trace their ancestry to the peoples of Europe, the Middle East. Of those reporting to be White American,7,487,133 reported to be Multiracial, with largest combination being white, additionally, there are 29,184,290 White Hispanics or Latinos. Non-Hispanic Whites are the majority in 46 states, there are four minority-majority states, California, Texas, New Mexico, and Hawaii. In addition, the District of Columbia has a non-white majority, the state with the highest percentage of non-Hispanic White Americans is Maine. The largest continental ancestral group of Americans are that of Europeans who have origins in any of the peoples of Europe. This includes people via African, North American, Caribbean, Central American or South American and Oceanian nations that have a large European diaspora, the Spanish were the first Europeans to establish a continuous presence in what is now the United States. Martín de Argüelles born 1566, San Agustín, La Florida, was the first person of European descent born in what is now the United States. Twenty-one years later, Virginia Dare born 1587 Roanoke Island in present-day North Carolina, was the first child born in the Thirteen Colonies to English parents. 8% of the total population, Hispanic or Latino Americans constitute the largest ethnic minority in the United States. They form the second largest group after non-Hispanic Whites in the United States, hispanic/Latino Americans are very racially diverse, and as a result form an ethnic category, rather than a race
32.
Sam Hornish Jr.
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Samuel Jon Sam Hornish Jr. is an American professional stock car racing driver. He currently competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No.18 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing and he began his top-tier racing career in the IndyCar Series, making his driving debut during the 2000 season for PDM Racing. Hornish began driving for Panther Racing the following season, winning eleven races, during the 2004 season Hornish began driving for Team Penske, winning eight more races and the 2006 series championship during his time with the team. When he left the series after the 2007 season, he held the record for most career wins in the series, Hornish moved to Penskes NASCAR program part-time in the Xfinity Series during the 2006 season, and began driving part-time in the Sprint Cup Series in 2007. He raced full-time in the Sprint Cup Series the following year, struggling at first, Hornish returned part-time to the Xfinity Series in 2011, winning one race. He drove full-time in the series the year, finishing fourth in points. In 2012 Hornish replaced A. J. Allmendinger in Penskes No.22 car midway through the season, the following year he returned to the Nationwide Series, winning one race and earning 16 top-five and 24 top-ten finishes to place second in points. Hornish drove part-time for Joe Gibbs Racing in an eight-race 2014 season, with one win and he returned to the Cup Series in 2015 with Richard Petty Motorsports, scoring three top-tens and finishing 26th in points. He returned part-time to the Xfinity Series in 2016, winning a race for JGR, Hornish began racing go-karts at age 11, winning the World Karting Association U. S. Grand National championship in less than four years, from 1996 to 1998, he made 32 starts in the U. S. F2000 National Championship. In Hornishs final season in the series, he had a career-best second-place finish at Pikes Peak International Raceway and he finished seventh in points in 1998, and was inducted into the series Hall of Fame in 2012 as a 1998 graduate. Their car, starting in place, finished 42nd after retiring on lap 400 with a gearbox failure. In 2007, Hornish returned to compete in the season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona for Michael Shank Racing with Mark Patterson, Oswaldo Negri Jr. and their car started 22nd, in its class and overall. It finished ninth in its class and overall, completing 628 laps, Hornish began driving in the IndyCar Series in 2000 for PDM Racing in the No.18 G-Force GF05-Oldsmobile Aurora L47 V8. He debuted at the race at Walt Disney World Speedway, starting in 19th place. In the seasons third race, the Vegas Indy 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and he qualified for his first Indianapolis 500 in 14th place, after his team replaced the G-Force with a Dallara IR00. In mid-race, Hornish was involved in an accident which relegated him to 24th place, starting 20th at Kentucky Speedway, he led for a series career-high 38 laps and finished ninth. Hornish ended his season with a 27th- place finish at Texas Motor Speedway, before the 2001 Indy Racing League season, Hornish moved to Panther Racing to drive the No.4 Dallara IR01-Oldsmobile Aurora L47 V8
33.
2006 Indianapolis 500
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The 90th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday May 28,2006. Sam Hornish, Jr. won the race by passing rookie Marco Andretti on the final lap and it was the first time a driver made a pass for the lead on the final lap for victory in the history of the event. The margin of victory was 0.0635 seconds, which was the second-closest finish in Indy history at the time, Hornish had earned the pole in qualifying with a four-lap average of 228.985 mph. Defending champion Dan Wheldon dominated much of the race, leading 148 laps, however, a punctured tire forced him to make a final pit stop earlier than planned, dropping him to fourth at the finish. The race was sanctioned by the Indy Racing League and was part of the 2006 IndyCar Series season, with a high temperature of 89 °F, it was one of the hottest runnings of the Indy 500 on record. Chevrolet and Toyota withdrew from the series, leaving Honda as the sole provider for all teams for 2006 until 2011. Three races proceeded the Indy 500, and Hélio Castroneves, with two wins and one place, held a large points lead going into the month of May. The 2006 race was the first that required all-entries to utilize a 10% Ethanol / 90% Methanol fuel blend, several drivers shuffles occurred during the offseason. Defending Indy 500 winner and 2005 IndyCar champion Dan Wheldon switched from Andretti Green Racing to Ganassi, Wheldon started off the season with a victory at the season opener at Homestead. However, the race was marred by the death of Paul Dana during the practice session. Marco Andretti moved up from the Indy Lights series and took over the spot at Andretti Green Racing. In December, team owner Michael Andretti announced he would out of retirement to race at Indy. Similarly, owner/driver Eddie Cheever announced he would get back into the car, participating in four races, Tomas Scheckter moved from Panther to Vision Racing. Vitor Meira took over the vacant spot at Panther, leaving the Rahal team, Paul Dana was signed as the third car for RLR, but was replaced by Jeff Simmons after his tragic fatal crash. Rahal maintained the services of Buddy Rice and Danica Patrick, after a brief retirement, Al Unser, Jr. who missed the 2005 race, signed with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. Unser would race alongside teammate Buddy Lazier, who signed on for a partial season ride at DRR, Hemelgarn Racing signed P. J. Chesson with financial backing from NBA basketball player Carmelo Anthony. An aggressive marketing campaign nicknamed the entry Car Melo, and also acquired the services of Jeff Bucknum for a two-car effort, however, by months end, a disastrous result saw the two cars crash out together on lap 2, placing 32nd-33rd respectively. Hemelgarn subsequently closed its doors for the remainder of the season, opening day featured rookie orientation and refresher tests
34.
Marco Andretti
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Marco Michael Andretti is an American auto racing driver who drives the No.27 car for Andretti Autosport in the IndyCar Series. He is the generation of the famous Andretti racing family. Marco was born to Sandra and eventual IndyCar champion Michael Andretti, other Andretti family members also have had success in various categories of racing. Andretti won eight races in the 2003 Barber Formula Dodge Eastern Championship, still barely out of high school, he raced in the Star Mazda series in 2005 and also made six starts in the Indy Pro Series. He won three times – at St. Petersburg, the Liberty Challenge, and Sonoma – and finished 10th in points despite only starting half the races. Andretti finished second to Sam Hornish, Jr. in the second closest finish in Indianapolis 500 history at a margin of 0.0635 seconds. He held the record until April 2008, when Graham Rahal won the 2008 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg aged 74 days younger, Andrettis win established him as the 2006 Bombardier Rookie of the Year. The 2007 season was not as successful for Andretti and he failed to finish ten times and only completed 7 races. The team struggled to balance on 1. 5-mile ovals, with accidents eliminating him from the races in Japan, Indianapolis, Milwaukee. After finishing second at Michigan, Andretti finished eleventh overall with 350 points. Andretti ran his first night race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the first race of the 2008 season and he also led the most laps of the race – leading 85 – and received an additional three points. At St. Petersburg, Andretti snapped a half-shaft on his car trying to leave the pits, in the third race of the season at Motegi, Japan, Andretti spun out on the first lap of the race. At the 2008 Indianapolis 500, Andretti finished third, after leading several laps, during the race, he passed teammate, Tony Kanaan, who then crashed into the wall, blaming Andretti. His car slipped up the track, collecting Ed Carpenter, which in turn caused Vítor Meira to go airborne as he drove over Andrettis tire, the eventual winner, Ryan Briscoe just missed the wreckage, as Andretti finished 21st. At Texas Motor Speedway, Andretti had one of the best cars and was able to drive the line all night. Andretti finished fifth at Watkins Glen, before mechanical failure caused his car to crash out at Nashville and he also raced earlier the same day in the American Le Mans Series race at Lime Rock Park. At Mid-Ohio, Andretti got caught up in a wreck on a restart on lap 42 which ended his race. At Kentucky, Andretti took the lead from Scott Dixon, but as the race neared its end, all drivers had to pit for fuel and Dixon took the win
35.
Juan Pablo Montoya
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Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán is a Colombian racing driver. He currently competes in the Verizon IndyCar Series driving for Team Penske, Montoya is one of two drivers to have won the CART title in his rookie year, the first being Formula One World Champion Nigel Mansell in 1993. He is the active driver who has won two legs of the Triple Crown of Motorsport in its original definition. In October 2009, Montoya was ranked 30th on Times Onlines list of the Top 50 Formula One drivers of all time. Montoya was born in Bogotá, Colombia, where he was taught the techniques of karting from an age by his father Pablo. Montoya moved to the Colombian Formula Renault Series in 1992, while racing there he won four of eight races and had five poles, the same year he also participated in the U. S. Skip Barber driving school, and was hailed by driving instructors as being one of the best pupils to come through their school. 1993 saw Montoya switch to the Swift GTI Championship, a series he dominated by winning seven of eight races, in 1994, Montoya raced in three separate series, The Sudam 125 Karting, Barber Saab Pro Series, and Formula N in Mexico. He graduated from the Colegio San Tarsicio in Bogotá in the same year, Montoya developed into a strong qualifier, in some cases taking 80% of a seasons pole positions. For the next three years Montoya raced in various divisions, continually progressing upward and he raced in the 1995 British Formula Vauxhall Championship, winning three races and finishing third in the championship. Montoya got the opportunity to advance in his racing career when he was hired by the RSM Marko. In the ten races during the season, Montoya had three wins and three pole positions and he finished his rookie season second in the championship points standings, just 1.5 points shy of taking the overall season title. During this time, Williams noticed his potential and invited him to test with the team at Jerez, Montoya was the fastest of them all and he and Max Wilson were signed by WilliamsF1 to be test drivers for the following season. Alongside his Formula One testing duties for Williams, he competed again in F3000, during the 1998 F3000 season, Montoya opened the season up with a record four straight pole positions. He also achieved another record that year by being the first driver to lap the entire grid, Montoya won the 1998 F3000 season with four wins, seven pole positions, and nine podium finishes in twelve races. Renault, Williamss engine supplier for most of the 1990s, left Formula One at the end of the 1997 season, with no major engine suppliers available, Williams were forced to sign a contract to run customer engines for the 1998 and 1999 seasons. In 1998 the team failed to win a race for the first time in a decade, while Zanardi had a miserable year in Formula One, Montoya, with Honda power and a great Reynard chassis at his disposal, took the American motorsport scene by storm. He took the 1999 title in his year, something accomplished six years earlier by former Formula One Champion Nigel Mansell
36.
IndyCar Grand Prix
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The IndyCar Grand Prix is an IndyCar Series race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. The race takes place in early May on the road course at the Speedway. The inaugural running occurred in 2014, the race is run on a newer, modified layout of the circuit previously used for the Formula One United States Grand Prix, and later the Moto GP motorcycle event. The Grand Prix serves as a lead-in to the Indianapolis 500, support races are held, including Indy Lights, Pro Mazda and U. S. F2000. From 2014 to 2016, the race was known as the Grand Prix of Indianapolis, for 2017, the Angies List title sponsorship was dropped, and the race name was changed to the IndyCar Grand Prix. In 2012, Hulman & Co. the parent company of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in their report, one of their suggestions was to explore the possibility of hosting an IndyCar Series race on the road course at Indy. The road course layout had opened in 2000, and was utilized initially for the United States Grand Prix from 2000–2007, later, it was used for Moto GP, and Grand Am. Indy cars had never raced on the course layout, sticking only to the oval circuit for the Indianapolis 500, but their support series. Occasionally Indy cars used the Indianapolis road course as a test facility, dan Wheldon notably tested the DW12 chassis at the course in September 2011. In September 2013, an IndyCar feasibility test was conducted on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, speculation immediately began to grow about a possible race for 2014, either as a May doubleheader event with the Indy 500, or a stand-alone race in the fall. The inaugural race was announced on October 1,2013, and was scheduled for early May, the decision was made to utilize the course in a clockwise layout, and to re-work certain parts of the track. In October 2013, a project began to reconfigure the road course layout in order to the make the circuit more competitive, better for fans. The entire road course portion was repaved, while several segments were modified, the road course turn one was changed to a 90-degree turn with a raised curb on the inside. The road course portion inside oval turn four was revised to two slow turns, and effectively lengthened the Hulman Boulevard backstretch. At the end of the Hulman Blvd. backstretch, a new 90-degree left turn leads to a new series of faster turns behind the Museum, rather than follow original turn 13 like the U. S. Grand Prix did, the IndyCar circuit mimics the motorcycle course, two of the, tighter, sharper, corners were bypassed and replaced with a single 90-degree right turn. The new course distance measures 2.439 miles, since its inception, the IndyCar Grand Prix has been scheduled for the Saturday two weeks before the Indianapolis 500. The race effectively serves as a weekend for the month of May activities at the Speedway
37.
Simon Pagenaud
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Simon Pagenaud is a French professional racing driver. He currently races in the IndyCar Series with Team Penske and he is the current 2016 IndyCar champion. Born in Poitiers, Pagenaud first worked at age 14 in the familys supermarket, after he attended business school, he returned to the supermarket. His family established a school that provided the funds for Pagenaud to begin his racing career. Pagenaud competed in 2002 and 2003 in French Formula Renault and in 2002 and 2004 competed in Formula Renault Eurocup and he then moved up to the Formula Renault 3.5 Series in 2005 where he finished 16th. In 2006 he went to the United States and won the Champ Car Atlantic with Team Australia in his season by just a few points over Graham Rahal. With his Atlantic championship, Pagenaud won US$2 million to apply towards a ride in Champ Car in 2007, on 13 February 2007 Pagenaud and Team Australia confirmed that he would be staying with the team, moving up to the Champ Car program. Pagenaud finished 8th in points in what was a very consistent debut season, after the demise of the Champ Car World Series, Pagenaud in 2008 moved to the American Le Mans Series co-driving the De Ferran Motorsports Acura ARX-01b LMP2 with former CART champion Gil de Ferran. He finished 14th in the drivers standings, the duo of Pagenaud and de Ferran drove the ARX-01 to 5 wins in 10 total races and 3 pole positions, turning the fastest lap of the ALMS weekend 6 times. Also during 2009, Pagenaud drove in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans in LMP1 for the privateer Pescarolo Sport team in the Peugeot FAP908, the team did not finish the race, completing 210 laps. The race was won by David Brabham, driving in the factory Peugeot Sport Total No.9 FAP908 along with former Formula One drivers Alexander Wurz and Marc Gené. Through four rounds in the 2010 ALMS series, the team of Pagenaud, while the No.3 Peugeot started from pole, it retired early before nightfall after a mere 38 laps when a suspension mount sheared from the cars tub. The same fate befell the no. During the race, Pagenaud found himself competing against his Highcroft Racing team which travelled to Le Mans for the first time in its history and he won the inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis on 10 May. This was the first time his dad was watching him race at the venue, Pagenaud moved from Schmidt Peterson Motorsports to Team Penske in 2015. Pagenaud nearly won the 2015 Indianapolis 500, leading with less than 30 laps to go, Pagenaud ended up being over-taken by the field and went on to finish 10th, while teammate Juan Pablo Montoya won the race. Pagenaud didnt win a race in 2015, but renewed his deal with TEAM Penske in 2016, Pagenaud got off to the best start of his IndyCar career with five consecutive podiums, including three wins in a row. As the season progressed, Pagenaud and his teammate Will Power became the primary contenders for the championship, with a strong run at the end of the season, Pagenaud took his first IndyCar Series championship victory, giving Team Penske another championship victory in its 50th year of racing
38.
Indy Lights
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Indy Lights is an American developmental automobile racing series sanctioned by IndyCar, currently known as Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires for sponsorship reasons. Indy Lights is the highest step on the Road to Indy, the Indy Lights series has been promoted by Anderson Promotions since 2014, which also manages the Road to Indy programme. A similar series named Indy Lights filled the role for the CART series. The Indy Lights champion is awarded a $1M scholarship toward the IndyCar Series, during the early 1960s, open wheel cars were front engined roadsters. The primary ladder series included sprints and midgets, by the end of the decade, and into the 1970s, the cars evolved into rear-engine formula-style machines. Likewise, the series began to follow the same mold. When USAC became the sanctioning body for top-level Indy car racing. The SCCA Super Vee and Formula Atlantic series were among the first formula-based ladder series, however, neither had any direct tie to USAC. In 1977, USAC started the Mini-Indy series, using Super Vee machines, the series ended after 1980 when USAC stopped sanctioning Indy car races outside of Indianapolis. The original Indy Lights series was formed as a racing series that acted as a developmental circuit for CART from 1986 to 2001. It was founded in 1986 as the American Racing Series, the series was renamed Indy Lights in 1991. The CART-sanctioned series became popular and secured the title sponsorship of Firestone. Later, Firestones subsidiary Dayton Tires took over as tire supplier, a spec-series, CART Indy Lights used March chassis from 1986 to 1992. Lola provided chassis from 1993 to 2001, buick V6 engines were used for its entire existence. The ARS/Indy Lights series championship winners included two CART champions, two IndyCar Series champions, seven CCWS race-winners and two Formula One drivers, the Indy Lights schedule closely followed that of the CART series, with the noteworthy exception of Indianapolis. The series typically had a gap of up to a month while the primary CART teams raced at the Indy 500, the races were usually held the morning of the CART series races, as an undercard, support event. In early years, the Indy Lights series skipped superspeedway races such as Michigan, by the late 1990s and early 2000s, CART was suffering from financial problems. Meanwhile, in 1996, the rival Indy Racing League was formed, CART canceled the minor league outright after the 2001 season
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Grand Prix of Indianapolis (Indy Lights)
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The Grand Prix of Indianapolis is a pair of twin races in the Cooper Tire Indy Lights Series, held on the road course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is held as a race to the Grand Prix of Indianapolis of the Verizon IndyCar Series. The race was known as the Liberty Challenge from 2005–2007. It originally was held as a race to the United States Grand Prix. For the first three years of its existence, the Indy Pro Series was contested on oval tracks only and this was also true of the parent IndyCar Series, at the time. All Indy Pro Series races were run as support to IndyCar Series events, road course and street course events were added to both series in 2005, and the series became known as Indy Lights in 2008. In 2005, the added the Liberty Challenge, as a support race to the Formula One United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis. This move allowed the Indy Pro Series drivers valuable exposure in front of the Formula One teams, some drivers, such as Graham Rahal, ran this race as a one-off, while running other series. The Liberty Challenge was the only Indy Pro Series race at the time which was not run as support to an IndyCar Series weekend. Also, the Indy Pro Series became the racing series to hold races on both the oval and road course tracks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Freedom 100 has been held on the oval since 2003, in 2007, a twin race format was introduced. After 2007, the U. S Grand Prix left Indianapolis, in addition, the Indy Lights began utilizing the newer road course layout used by the IndyCar Series. In the three years that race was contested,43 drivers participated, Indy Lights stats Champ Car Stats – Indy Pro Series
40.
Freedom 100
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The Mazda Freedom 100 presented by Cooper Tires is a Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires auto race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. It is currently held the Friday before the Indianapolis 500, a day which is nicknamed Carb Day and it is the biggest race for the Indy Lights series and often has higher participation than many of the series other races. The modern open wheel support series has its origins in USACs Mini Indy series, none of those support series ever raced at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Typically the support series would take the month of May off of the schedule while the top-level Indy cars were at the Indianapolis 500, in 1979, USACs Mini-Indy series scheduled a support race on the oval at nearby Indianapolis Raceway Park, but it was held only once. When the IRL started the Indy Pro Series in 2002, officials began exploring the possibility of holding a race at Indianapolis in the days leading up to the Indianapolis 500. It was an attempt to fill an otherwise slow part of the month, the race was added to the calendar for 2003. For the first two years, the race was held during the weekend of Indianapolis 500 time trials, scheduled for Saturday which was at the time. The date proved to be unpopular and drew small crowds, in 2005, Carb Day, the traditional final day of practice for the Indy 500, was moved from Thursday before the Indy 500 to Friday. Series officials moved the Freedom 100 to Carb Day, immediately following the final Indy 500 practice session, the move proved popular with fans and competitors. In 2008, in the wake of the merger between IRL and Champ Car, the series was renamed from Indy Pro Series to the Firestone Indy Lights Series, the new sponsorship extended to this race, renaming it the Firestone Freedom 100. In the first nine runnings, the race was won six times from the pole, therefore, the race had always been won from the front row until Esteban Guerrieri won in 2012 from the 18th starting position. In 2013, Peter Dempsey, who started third, won the Freedom 100 in what was then the closest finish in Speedway history in a finish over Gabby Chaves, Sage Karam. Dempsey went from fourth to first on the final straightaway, in 2016, the field lined up in order of points, as qualifying has been rained out. Pole sitter and series point leader, Carlins Ed Jones, traded the lead with Andretti Autosports Dean Stoneman until a caution on lap 36 slowed the field, the green flag flew with one lap to go and Stoneman pulled alongside Jones going into Turn Three. The pair held their positions through the North Short Chute and into Turn Four, as they crossed the line, Stoneman held the lead by the slimmest possible margin, winning by 0.0024 seconds - a new Indianapolis Motor Speedway Record. A In 2003 the race started on Saturday May 17, but was halted by rain and it was completed the following day. B The 2008 race was scheduled for Friday May 23 but postponed one day due to rain, C In 2012, Anders Krohn qualified for the race, but was unable to start due to mechanical problems. He was credited with the 19th-place finish, therefore, only 18 cars took the green flag
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Pro Mazda Championship
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The Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires debuted as a new series in 2013, replacing the Star Mazda Championship which ceased operation in 2012 after 22 years. The series is sanctioned by INDYCAR and owned and operated by Andersen Promotions and it is the second official step on the Mazda Road to Indy ladder system bridging the gap between the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda and Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires. The series champion is awarded a scholarship package from Mazda to advance to Indy Lights competition the following year, Cooper Tires Pro Mazda competes on all open-wheel disciplines, road courses, street courses, and ovals. The series primary sponsors are Mazda and Cooper Tire and the cars, a new chassis will be introduced in 2018. The PM-18 will use the USF-17 chassis - to be introduced in 2017 - as the car to help control the operational costs for teams who wish to move up. The USF-17 is a carbon monocoque chassis built to the latest FIA F3 test specifications with additional safety features to meet the specific needs of racing in the United States. Both chassis and bodyworks will be built by italian manufacturer Tatuus The series is the second rung of the Mazda Road to Indy and is sanction by IndyCar. In December 2012, series founder Gary Rodriguez announced that the series had sold to Dan Andersens Andersen Promotions. Andersen previously owned a multi-car Star Mazda team, Andersen Racing and its IndyCar sanctioning and place in the Road to Indy remain unchanged. In the past, the series had six divisions, each of which held their own championship. In the late 1990s a single national series emerged as the venue for the cars. In the mid-2000s the series formed a relationship with the Skip Barber National Championship and in 2010 Star Mazda became a part of the Mazda Road to Indy program, between USF2000 and Indy Lights. Through the Mazda Road to Indy program, the Pro Mazda champion receives funding to compete in Indy Lights the following year. The first single-seat, tube-frame prototype race car was built by Hayashi for use by the Jim Russell Racing School was shipped to the Riverside Raceway school in late 1983, the Mazda Pro Series made its competition debut at the Long Beach Grand Prix. In late 1984, The Jim Russell School was required to make the legal to race in SCCA sanctioned events. So, it was required that all the cars roll over bars to be cut off, shortly thereafter, the car became so popular that numerous regional/divisional series were established by the Russell Racing School. The SCCA reluctantly accepted the car into its amateur levels of racing, early competitors included, Johnny OConnell, Tommy Kendall, Mike Groff, Jeff Krosnoff, Norm Turley, Norm Breedlove, Ken Thwaits, Jon Beekhuis. First year the “Star Formula Mazda” was constructed by Valley Motor Center, Star Mazda Series created by Gary Rodrigues
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U.S. F2000 National Championship
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The Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda is an American racing series using the American variation of the Formula Ford formula, F2000, that resumed operation for the 2010 season. It is sanctioned by IndyCar, and is the first rung of the Mazda Road to Indy, the series was initially founded by Doug Powell in 1990, and regularly fielded over 60 entries per race. In the first seasons the series was based in the western part of the United States sanctioned by the United States Auto Club. For 1992 the series started a Western Division and an Eastern Division, in the 1992 season the race at Indianapolis Raceway Park and the race at Heartland Park Topeka counted towards both championships and attracted huge fields. It was a site at Indianapolis that drivers had to qualify on time to make the grid for the race. In the same year the Sports Car Club of America founded the American Continental Championship, all three classes utilized the same set of rules, based on the SCCA Formula Continental regulations. In 1994 both USAC series were merged into one national championship, for 1995 the SCCA series merged with the USAC series. Creating one national championship co-sanctioned between the SCCA and USAC, the series ran on the same tracks as high ranking series such as the Indy Racing League, NASCAR Cup Series and Trans-Am Series. Many drivers graduated into the series such as Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon. In June 2001 the series promotor, Formula Motorsports, Inc. was sold to Primus Racing, jon Baytos introduced a number of controversial rule changes that brought the series out of alignment with similar Sports Car Club of America classes. The two liter Ford NEA engine was replaced by a two-liter Ford Zetec engine which produced ten horsepower more, the shock package was also upgraded. The series also ran under Grand-Am Road Racing sanctioning, the number of competitors dwindled and the series folded at the end of the 2006 season. For 2004 until the folding in 2006 SCCA Pro Racing was the sanctioning body for the series. For 2010, the U. S. F2000 National Championship returned under the leadership of Dan Andersen, the intent was to return F2000 to its status as a stepping stone to higher calibers of professional open wheel racing in the United States. The car rule package includes two sub-classes, the Championship class requires a Van Diemen chassis with a league mandated aerodynamics package, in 2017, a new chassis will be introduced. The Tatuus USF-17 is a significant technology leap over the current Van Diemen USF2000 chassis, the USF2000 champion will receive a scholarship package from Mazda to advance to the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires in 2017. The series is part of the Mazda Motorsports Development program which assists young drivers in advancing from the Skip Barber Racing School to USF2000. Dakota Dickerson is the latest winner of the Skip Barber Shootout, throughout the years the USF2000 series featured a number of sub-championships competitors could be eligible for
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Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis
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Lucas Oil Raceway is a drag racing track. The complex in Brownsburg, Indiana, also has a 0. 686-mile oval,2. 5-mile road course, the 4, 400-foot drag strip is among the main drag racing venues in the world. Constructed with assistance from the NHRA, the strip was the first to be completed. The facility was called Indianapolis Raceway Park, a year later, a 0. 686-mile paved oval was completed to finish off the track capabilities of the facility. The oval track was used as-is until a track renovation was completed in 1988 in order to increase speed on the track. The premier feature of the facility is a 4, 400-foot long dragstrip, the one NHRA event held at Raceway Park is the oldest and most prestigious race in the NHRA. The NHRA U. S. Nationals, held every year during the Labor Day weekend, is the event on the NHRA schedule with final eliminations scheduled on a Monday. An all-star style race, called the Traxxas Nitro Shootout, is held for the two nitro divisions, the winners in each division win $100,000 US, while the race itself has the largest purse of any NHRA sanctioned event at over $250,000 US. The drag strip has held the event every year since 1961, USAC Silver Crown, Sprint Car and Midget Car races are held on the oval, along with other events suited to a shorter track. The event is held the night before the Indianapolis 500 event at IMS, similarly, the NASCAR Kroger 200 was given a Night before the 400 status. The 2. 5-mile, 15-turn road course, is used by the Indianapolis area Sports Car Club of America road racing events, the initial Indianapolis Raceway Park road race was an SCCA event held in 1961. Notably, in the 1969 movie Winning, Paul Newmans character, Frank Capua and this effectively means closing the road course for competition purposes as well, as there is no other area on the current track layout suitable to relocate a viable pit lane. With the announcement of the Super Weekend at the Brickyard came the announcement that the track will no longer hold NASCAR events after the 2011 season, the ARCA Racing Series now runs during Brickyard Weekend starting in 2012
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Speed Energy Formula Off-Road
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The Speed Energy Formula Off-Road Presented By Traxxas is an American off-road racing series. The series was formed by former IndyCar and NASCAR driver Robby Gordon in 2013, the Trucks formerly competed primarily in American football stadiums, but began racing mostly on street circuits starting in 2014. By 2011, there was speculation that after his NASCAR career was over, the Stadium Super Trucks held an exhibition race at Crandon International Off-Road Raceway after the conclusion of the World Championship races on September 2,2012. The Stadium Super Trucks began with a season in 2013. The series held their first official race at the University of Phoenix Stadium on April 6,2013, the race was won by Rob MacCachren, Justin Matney finished second, and Gordon passed the flipped-over truck of P. J. Jones on the final lap for third. Gordon and MacCachren battled throughout the 2013 season, and Gordon won the championship by seven points, as support events, the series scheduled monster trucks, quad bikes and Side by Side UTVs. On December 11,2013, Gordon announced that the series will be among the events held at the X Games Austin in 2014, on March 4,2014, the series was rebranded as the Speed Energy Formula Off-Road Presented By Traxxas. The series X Games final was held at Circuit of the Americas on June 8, apdaly Lopez won the gold medal, Sheldon Creed and Gordon earned silver and bronze, respectively. On September 23,2014, sponsorship marketing company Elevation Group purchased a 40 percent stake in the series, the 2013 season also featured drivers from other disciplines, like Arie Luyendyk Jr. and Paul Tracy, Nick Baumgartner and Traxxas owner Mike Jenkins. Other off-road drivers who have competed in the series included Moto X biker Jeremy Stenberg, like Gordon, other NASCAR drivers have competed in the series. P. J. Jones also made starts for Gordons Robby Gordon Motorsports team in NASCAR, in 2016, Sara Price became the first female driver in series history when she made her debut at Toronto. Eventually, the series focused almost exclusively on street courses, before you know it, were doing 10 street races instead of stadiums and dirt races, which brings it to a completely different fan audience, Gordon stated. On the street courses, aluminum ramps are placed on the track, the ramps are 17 feet,6 inches long and 28 high, in late 2014 and into 2015, the series expanded outside the United States and Canada, starting with the Race of Champions in Barbados. On October 16, Gordon announced the series would race at the Adelaide Street Circuit in Australia for 2015 as an event for the Adelaide 500. On May 13, the series was invited to the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England, the 2016 schedule featureds four races in the United States, one in Canada, four in Australia, one in New Zealand, and one to be confirmed. In 2017, the series will make its debut on a track at the Texas Motor Speedway. Powered by a 600-hp Chevrolet LS V8 engine, the trucks weigh 2,900 pounds and are built with a steel-tube frame, the trucks are 135 long and 52 high, feature a three-speed transmission and can reach speeds as high as 140 mph. A portion of the frame protects the driver from rolls, the trucks high center of mass and soft suspension makes the vehicle prone to rolling
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Oval track racing
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Oval track racing is a form of closed-circuit automobile racing that is contested on an oval-shaped track. An oval track differs from a course in that the layout resembles an oval with turns in only one direction. Oval tracks are dedicated motorsport circuits, used predominantly in North America and they often have banked turns and some, despite the name, are not precisely oval, and can have unique variances in shape. Oval track racing is the predominant form of racing in the United States. Major forms of track racing include stock car racing, open-wheel racing, sprint car racing, modified car racing, midget car racing. Among the most famous tracks in North America are the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Oval tracks are classified based upon their size, surface, and their size can range from only a few hundred feet to over two and a half miles. Track surfaces can be dirt, concrete, asphalt, or a combination of concrete, some ovals in the early twentieth century had wood surfaces. The definitions used to differentiate track sizes have changed over the years, while some tracks use terms such as speedway or superspeedway in their name, they may not meet the specific definitions used in this article. A typical oval track consists of two parallel straights, connected by two 180° turns, although most ovals generally have only two radii curves, they are usually advertised and labeled as four 90° turns. A short track is a track less than one mile long. Drivers seeking careers in track racing generally serve their apprenticeship on short tracks before moving up to series which compete on larger tracks. Due to their length and fast action, these tracks are often nicknamed bullrings. Professional-level NASCAR races on short tracks usually utilize a 500-lap or 400-lap distance, short tracks in many cases have lights installed and routinely host night races. Synonymous with the name, a 1-mile oval is a popular, the exact measurements, however, can vary by as much as a tenth of a mile and still fall into that category. Most mile ovals are relatively flat-banked, with Dover being a notable exception, also referred to with the general term of speedway, these courses are 1 to 2 miles in length, but the term is particularly reserved for 1. 5-mile tracks. Since their size allows them to high speeds with sightlines. During the race track construction boom of the 1990s, these began to be labeled with the rather derogatory term cookie cutter tracks
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Hawaii
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Hawaii is the 50th and most recent state to have joined the United States of America, having received statehood on August 21,1959. Hawaii is the only U. S. state located in Oceania and it is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean. Hawaii is the only U. S. state not located in the Americas, the state encompasses nearly the entire volcanic Hawaiian archipelago, which comprises hundreds of islands spread over 1,500 miles. At the southeastern end of the archipelago, the eight main islands are—in order from northwest to southeast, Niʻihau, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Kahoʻolawe, Maui, and the Island of Hawaiʻi. The last is the largest island in the group, it is called the Big Island or Hawaiʻi Island to avoid confusion with the state or archipelago. The archipelago is physiographically and ethnologically part of the Polynesian subregion of Oceania, Hawaii has over a million permanent residents, along with many visitors and U. S. military personnel. Its capital is Honolulu on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaii is the 8th-smallest and the 11th-least populous, but the 13th-most densely populated of the fifty U. S. states. It is the state with an Asian plurality. The states coastline is about 750 miles long, the fourth longest in the U. S. after the coastlines of Alaska, Florida, the state of Hawaii derives its name from the name of its largest island, Hawaiʻi. A common Hawaiian explanation of the name of Hawaiʻi is that was named for Hawaiʻiloa and he is said to have discovered the islands when they were first settled. The Hawaiian language word Hawaiʻi is very similar to Proto-Polynesian *Sawaiki, cognates of Hawaiʻi are found in other Polynesian languages, including Māori, Rarotongan and Samoan. According to linguists Pukui and Elbert, lsewhere in Polynesia, Hawaiʻi or a cognate is the name of the underworld or of the home, but in Hawaii. A somewhat divisive political issue arose in 1978 when the Constitution of the State of Hawaii added Hawaiian as an official state language. The title of the constitution is The Constitution of the State of Hawaii. Article XV, Section 1 of the Constitution uses The State of Hawaii, diacritics were not used because the document, drafted in 1949, predates the use of the okina and the kahakō in modern Hawaiian orthography. The exact spelling of the name in the Hawaiian language is Hawaiʻi. In the Hawaii Admission Act that granted Hawaiian statehood, the government recognized Hawaii as the official state name. Official government publications, department and office titles, and the Seal of Hawaii use the spelling with no symbols for glottal stops or vowel length
Ryan Hunter-Reay.jpg)
Jacques Villeneuve
Mikhail Aleshin (R)
Will Power
Juan Pablo Montoya
Hélio Castroneves
E. J. Viso
Simon Pagenaud
Scott Dixon
Jack Hawksworth (R)
Takuma Sato
Oriol Servià
