Fantastico! Magnifico! Eccezionale! (Help, I’ve run out of Italian adjectives!) The highlight of the recent 2008 Indy 500 Media Tour was a 150mph+ thrill ride around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in a brand-new 2008 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car driven by Italian driver Max Papis. As always, my camera and my recorder went along for the ride.   read more »

I thought I’d start off my 2008 Indy 500 Media Tour postings with a fun photo. From left are 1998 Indy 500 Champion Eddie Cheever, two-time Indy 500 participant Max Papis, and 1989 & 1993 Indy 500 Champion Emerson Fittipaldi standing with the Borg-Warner Trophy. Eddie will be part of the ABC/ESPN broadcast team during the month of May, Max will attempt to make his third start in the Indy 500 in a car entered by Rubicon Racing, and Emerson will drive the Pace Car to start the 92nd running of the race. Max last participated in the Indy 500 in 2006 in a car owned by Eddie, and Emerson also happens to be his father-in-law.   read more »

2006 MotoGP Champion Nicky Hayden turned the first laps by a motorcycle on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s recently reconfigured road course, riding a restored 1909 Indian motorcycle that competed in the Speedway’s first race on August 14, 1909. After the historic first lap on the Indian, Hayden made several laps on a Honda production bike before speaking to the media. The event was staged in preparation for the inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis GP, to be held September 14, 2008.   read more »

Bobby East is pushed out of pit lane to start the Premier Racing Association Banjo 100 at O’Reilly Raceway Park on September 14, 2007. East went on to dominate the event and take home the victory in what would be the final race run by the PRA.   read more »

The singing group “Something Good” from Canton, OH performed the US National Anthem on Opening Day for the 2007 Indianapolis 500 (includes audio).   read more »