INDIANAPOLIS — Dick Vitale thinks his new temporary gig is just awesome, baby.
The ESPN college basketball analyst and Basketball Hall of Famer was announced Tuesday as this year’s Indy 500 Festival Parade grand marshal.
Vitale calls the Indy 500 one of the greatest sporting weekends and says that being grand marshal is “an incredible treat.”
The parade will be held in downtown Indianapolis on May 23 — the day before the race.
Auto Racing
May 4, 2009
Vitale made grand marshal of Indy 500 parade
- Auto Racing
-
-
Ken de la Bastide: Barrichello might move to IndyCar
Although the IZOD IndyCar Series lost its most identifiable driver with the move of Danica Patrick to NASCAR, possible changes could raise the level of competition to new heights. The IZOD IndyCar season starts on March 25 and there is a chance a veteran Formula One driver could be in the mix.
-
Ken de la Bastide: Stewart could aid Danica
With the Daytona 500 less than a month away, one of the big unknowns is will Danica Patrick have to race her way into the starting field or will car owner Tony Stewart buy her way in?
-
Danica ditches Indy
Danica Patrick became a worldwide sensation as a rookie at the Indianapolis 500, challenging for victory and becoming the first woman to lead laps in the showcase race.
Those Indy days are fading fast.
Patrick’s shift to stock cars is long under way, and her ties to IndyCar were cut even further Monday — she said she won’t run in this year’s Indy 500. -
Ken de la Bastide: Changes looming in July
The race schedule around the Brickyard 400 this coming July will look different than in years past, but there will still be plenty of short track racing action.
-
Ken de la Bastide: IndyCar back to the Mile?
Last week I received several comments regarding the lack of oval races on the 2012 IZOD IndyCar schedule.
One reader noted, correctly, that a factor for scheduling races on oval tracks has been a lack of attendance. Another reader also correctly stated that the oval races need to be promoted better to attract fans, and of course sponsorship dollars are a necessity. -
Kirby opens 2012 with Street Stock win
Tight racing through the first half of the EDCO Welding Street Stock feature gave way to leaders mixing it up in Turn 2, with Jimmy Kirby emerging as the leader.
Above normal temperatures and sunny skies on Saturday brought out more than 80 race teams and a healthy crowd of fans for the Aqua System New Year’s Bash presented by EDCO Welding. -
Ken de la Bastide: Indy 500 is top race of 2011
There should be little doubt that the 100th anniversary race of the Indianapolis 500 was the best event of 2011. One could almost make the case that the race has vaulted the “500” back to the top of all motorsports.
-
‘Limitless’ racing factor in fatal Vegas wreck
Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s “limitless” racing surface was singled out Thursday as a significant factor in a “perfect storm” of conditions that led to the death of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon.
-
Ken de la Bastide: Schmidt receives well-deserved honor
It was heartening to see last week that IZOD IndyCar team owner Sam Schmidt was presented with the 2011 Achievement Award at the International Motorsports Industry Show.
Schmidt was paralyzed in 2000 during testing at the Walt Disney World Speedway and the next year formed Sam Schmidt Motorsports.
The team has found success in Indy Car racing, having won five Indy Lights championships with 46 race wins, and also has fielded cars in the IZOD IndyCar series for the past nine years. -
Ken de la Bastide: Give fans of racing a nice gift
It’s that time of the year for people to scramble to find that perfect Christmas gift for everyone on their shopping list.
- More Auto Racing Headlines
-
