Speedway Played Big Role In Career Of Retiring Indy News Legend
By Dick Mittman
indy500.com
Tuesday, November 30, 2004

Mike Ahern never has forgotten the first race driver he ever met.

"Eddie Sachs," he said. "I remember him very well."

That was 40 years ago. Ahern since became a television news anchor icon at WISH-TV (Channel 8) in Indianapolis. He retires Dec. 1, carrying with him not only fond memories of reporting nearly a half-century of major news stories but also an involvement with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as both a member of the IMS Radio Network and as a newsman.

"The Speedway, as you know, for so many years defined the image of the city before we branched out in other areas - amateur sports, the explosion of downtown Indianapolis and professional sports, as well," he said.

"But the Speedway still was what the city was known for, even today, I think. No matter where I go, the first thing people want to know is about the Speedway. Even today, that is our identity."

Ahern was born and reared in Indianapolis, attended Cathedral High School, then the University of Notre Dame. He returned to his hometown with degree in hand and started work at radio station WIRE. That meant spending much time in May reporting happenings at the Speedway to his listeners.

He quickly became acquainted with Sachs, the loveable Clown Prince of Racing.

"Eddie Sachs had that way of making you feel like you were the only guy he was talking to," Ahern said. "He must have told 10 people the same damn thing, but he always made you feel like you were getting the scoop - 'I want to tell you something about my Red Ball Spl.,' and stuff.

"I ran back to the radio station and on the way back I'd hear the same thing (on other stations). I thought I had a scoop. I was so young and naïve. He knew that, and I think he made a special effort to be kind to me."

Ahern admits he was not an avid racing fan growing up. He attended his first race in 1955. So he was surprised when Sid Collins hired him to join the IMS Radio Network for the 1961 race.

He handled the Turn 2 reporting duties as A.J. Foyt won for the first time. Ahern said he was scared to death.

"Sid did say something at the time," Ahern said. "He said, 'I want to hire more reporters than sportscasters.' He said, 'I want to hire people who can report on what they're seeing.' And toward the end, he hired several news people with news credentials, Lou Palmer, for example, Ron Carroll and me.

"That's what he wanted. He wanted people who could report succinctly back to the tower on what was going on in the turns."

In 1967, Ahern moved from radio to television. It was a time of turmoil in the country, with the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy happening soon thereafter.

Ahern also continued his role with the radio network until 1973. He moved to Turn 3 and eventually to Turn 1.

After the tragedy-marred 1973 Indianapolis 500, Ahern decided to retire from the IMS Radio Network and said Collins understood. As the 1980s approached, Ahern's television work was directed more and more at overall news coverage. At the same time, television sports staffs began to expand.

But the Speedway still had its news attraction.

"Yeah, it was a big story," he said. "We did a lot of news stories concerning the track - improvements toward it, new regulations. I did a lot of features out there.

"I did features on caps people wore in the garage area. I did a story about the difference between the Snake Pit and the suites. One comment I had was, 'The people in the Snake Pit cheer for A.J. Foyt, and the people in the suites cheer for Emerson Fittipaldi.' It was kind of a contrast, you know."

But his time his appearances at the track diminished as his anchor job expanded.

"We did broadcast the first NASCAR race," Ahern said. "Debby (Knox, co-anchor) and I on the morning of the race we were on the air live."

Ahern jokes that his wife had "a lot of crap" for him to do in retirement. But first they are going to California for a few weeks to visit with son Chris, who is in the music business. Then he hopes to assemble into book form many of his columns that he wrote for the Business Journal on growing up in Indianapolis.

"I think I've done all I can here," he said.

And he's done a lot. The city of Indianapolis and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway can say thank you for a job well done. He'll be missed. ***

IMS tickets: To purchase tickets, camping or parking for either the Indianapolis 500, United States Grand Prix or Brickyard 400, contact the IMS ticket office at (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area, (317) 492-6700 locally or log on to www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com.


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