Saturday, October 2, 2004
The Indy Racing League and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be official sponsors of the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association's 50th Anniversary Celebration. The Speedway will host the organization's presentation of its Newsmaker of the Half-Century award in May 2005 and provide $10,000 in prize money for the annual AARWBA journalism contest. Twelve finalists - from an initial list of 50 -- will be announced at the AARWBA All-America Team dinner Jan. 15 in Pomona, Calif. A vote of the organization's full membership will decide the Newsmaker of the Half-Century, who will be presented a commemorative commissioned painting. IRL IndyCar® Series team owners A.J. Foyt, Roger Penske and Michael Andretti are among the motorsports giants on the list. Others include the Hulman-George family, IRL Menards Infiniti Pro Series driver coach Rick Mears, IRL special projects director Johnny Rutherford and IRL driver coach and consultant Al Unser. "There can be no more appropriate place than the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the site of so much racing history reported on the AARWBA members, to announce and present the Newsmaker of the Half-Century award," president Dusty Brandel said at a news conference Oct. 2 at California Speedway. "This is important news for AARWBA, which was founded just one mile from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The journalist contest is very popular with our members, and this support from the Speedway will add to its prestige." The contest, which is independently judged, is open to members of the country's oldest and largest organization of motorsports media professionals. Results will be announced at AARWBA's annual breakfast meeting at the Speedway the day before the Indianapolis 500. Porsche Cars North America, NASCAR, Toyota Motorsports, Valvoline and Honda will join the IRL and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as official sponsors of the 50th anniversary celebration. "We are pleased to make this commitment to the future of AARWBA," IRL President and CEO and Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Tony George said. "During the last half-century, IMS and AARWBA share much in motorsports history. We are pleased to play a role in recognizing the best work of the men and women who cover our sport." The 50 AARWBA "Newsmaker of the Half-Century" nominees (in alphabetical order. All are drivers unless otherwise noted): Bobby Allison ; Mario Andretti; Michael Andretti; Kenny Bernstein; George Bignotti (Indianapolis 500-winning chief mechanic; car builder); Craig Breedlove; Richard Childress (NASCAR championship team owner); Mark Donohue; Dale Earnhardt; Bill Elliott; John Force. A.J. Foyt; the France family (NASCAR and International Speedway Corp.); Don Garlits; Jeff Gordon; Andy Granatelli (car owner; builder; promoter; sponsor); Dan Gurney ; Carl Haas (CART/SCCA championship team owner; sanctioning body executive; importer); Jim Hall (driver; CART/SCCA championship team owner; builder; innovator); Hurley Haywood; Rick Hendrick (NASCAR championship team owner); Phil Hill; Al Holbert. The Hulman-George family (the Indianapolis Motor Speedway); Jim Hurtubise; Ned Jarrett; Junior Johnson (driver; NASCAR championship team owner); Ted Johnson (World of Outlaws founder); Parnelli Jones; Steve Kinser; Rick Mears; Shirley Muldowney; Wally Parks (NHRA founder); David Pearson. Roger Penske (driver; winningest Indianapolis 500 team owner; track owner; executive; IRL IndyCar Series team owner); Richard Petty; Don Prudhomme; Fireball Roberts; Johnny Rutherford; Carroll Shelby (driver; sports car championship team owner; builder); Danny Sullivan; Mickey Thompson (driver; builder; promoter); Al Unser; Al Unser Jr.; Bobby Unser; Darrell Waltrip; Rodger Ward; the Wood Brothers (NASCAR team owners); Cale Yarborough; Smokey Yunick (chief mechanic; designer; builder).
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