*ANTON " TONY" HULMAN OWNER INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Anton " Tony" Hulman was a businessman from Terre Haute, Indiana and graduated from Yale University in 1924. His business, Hulman & Company, produces Clabber Girl Baking Powder, which Tony made popular through the use of clever advertising in the 1930s.

Born into one of Terre Haute's wealthiest families, young Tony was raised in one of the city's finest homes and seemed destined to enter the family business. He was educated at the Lawrenceville School in New Jersey and Worcester Academy in Massachusetts. A stellar athlete with a trim physique, Tony excelled in the high hurdles and the pole vault at Worcester.

Upon his graduation from Yale in 1924, the young Hulman returned to Terre Haute to take his place in the family business, a place he would have to earn. His father, Anton Hulman, Sr., instructed the people of Hulman & Co., "Don't give Tony a place in the business. Let him work for it."

By 1926, Tony was the company's sales manager, and by 1931, at the age of 30, management of the whole company passed from father to son.

Hulman is probably best known for buying the dilapidated Indianapolis Motor Speedway from a group led by World War I flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker immediately after World War II. Influenced by three-time Indy 500 winner Wilbur Shaw (who became the track's president in the early years of the Hulman regime), Hulman made numerous improvements to the track in time for the race to be held in 1946.

Following Shaw's death in a plane crash on October 30, 1954, Hulman stepped into his soon-to-be-familiar role as the "face" of the Speedway. Ever popular with drivers and fans alike, the normally shy Tony relished the job.

He is famous for starting the tradition of launching the Indianapolis 500 with the command, "Gentlemen, start your engines!" Into the 1970s, despite the fact he'd given the command so many times before, he would always practice it extensively beforehand, and on race day, he would invariably pull a card from the pocket of his suit as he stepped to the microphone. Over the years, many have wondered what was written on that card. On it were the words of the starting command written in the following manner: "GENNNNNTLEMENNNNN, STARRRRRT YOURRRRRR ENNNNNNNGINES!" Luke Walton, who was the Speedway's announcer during Hulman's early years at the helm, had previously been a radio announcer and worked extensively with Tony to make sure he got it "just right," thus the card with its "stretches" to ensure each word was delivered with the proper emphasis!

*WILLIAM " BILL " FRANCE SR. FOUNDER NASCAR

Bill was the co-founder of NASCAR, the sanctioning body of United States-based stock car racing.

France was familiar with Daytona Beach's land speed record history when he moved his family from Washington D.C. to Daytona in 1935 to escape the Great Depression. He had less than $100 (US) in his pocket when they left D.C.. He set up a car repair shop in Daytona.

On March 8, 1936, the first stock car race was held on the Daytona Beach Road Course, promoted by local racer Sig Haugdahl . The race was marred by controversial scoring and huge financial losses to the city. France finished fifth.

Haugdahl talked with France, and they talked the Daytona Beach Elks Club to host another event in 1937. The event was more successful, but still lost money. Haugdahl didn't promote any more events.

France took over the job of running the course in 1938. There were two events in 1938. Danny Murphy beat France in the July event. France beat Lloyd Moody and Pig Ridings to win the Labor Day weekend event.

There were three races in 1939. There were three races in 1940. France finished fourth in March, first in July, and sixth in September.

France was busy planning the 1942 event, until the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. France spent the World War II working at the Daytona Boat Works. Most racing stopped until after the war. Car racing returned to the track in 1946.

France knew that promoters needed to organize their efforts. Drivers were frequently victimized by unscrupulous promoters who would leave events with all the money before drivers were paid. On December 14, 1947 France began talks at the Ebony Bar at the Streamline Hotel at Daytona Beach, Florida that ended with the formation of NASCAR on February 21, 1948. He built the Occoneechee Speedway in 1947.

By 1953, France knew it was time for a permanent track to hold the large crowds that were gathering for races at Daytona and elsewhere. Hotels were popping up all along the beachfront. On April 4, 1953, France proposed a new superspeedway called Daytona International Speedway. France began building a new 2.5 mile superspeedway in 1956 to host what would become the new premiere event of the series – the Daytona 500. The event debuted in 1959, and has been the premiere event since.

He later built the Talladega Superspeedway which opened in 1969.

He served as Chairman and CEO of NASCAR. R.J. Reynolds became the title sponsor in 1970, a moved that changed the name of the series from "Grand National" to "Winston Cup". Reynolds convinced France to drop all dirt tracks and races under 100 miles from the NASCAR schedule in 1972, a move that defined the "modern era" of the sport. Big Bill then turned the reigns of NASCAR over to his son Bill France Jr. France kept an office at the headquarters until the late 1980s

RICHARD " THE KING" PETTY 7 TIME NASCAR CUP CHAMPION

Richard is a renowned former NASCAR  Winston Cup Series driver. He is most well-known for winning the NASCAR Championship seven times (Dale Earnhardt is the only other driver to accomplish this feat, but with 76 victories and a lone Daytona 500), winning a record 200 races during his career, winning the Daytona 500 a record seven times, and winning a record 27 races (ten of them consecutively) in the 1967 season alone. (A 1972 rule change eliminated races under 250 miles in length, reducing the schedule to 30 [now 36] races.) Petty is arguably the greatest NASCAR driver of all time. He also collected a record number of poles (127) and over 700 top-ten finishes in his 1,185 starts, including 513 consecutive starts from 1971-1989. He also won seven Daytona 500s and nine Most Popular Driver awards.

Petty is a second generation driver. His father, Lee Petty, won the first Daytona 500 in 1959 and was also a NASCAR champion. Richard's son, Kyle Petty, is also a well-known NASCAR driver. Tragically, Richard's grandson, Adam Petty, was killed in an accident at New Hampshire International Speedway on May 12, 2000. Meanwhile, Adam's brother Austin works on day-to-day operations of the Victory Junction Gang camp, a Hole in the Wall Gang camp established by the Pettys after Adam's death.

ANTHONY JOSEPH " A.J." FOYT FIRST 4 TIME INDIANAPOLIS 500 WINNER

A.J. is considered by many as the greatest American automobile racing driver of all time.

He joined USAC Championship Car series racing in 1957, and, in 1961, he became the first driver to successfully defend his points championship and win the Indianapolis 500 race. He raced in each season from 1957-1992, starting in 374 races and finishing in the top ten 201 times, with 67 victories.

Ford engines were widely expected to dominate the 1964 Indianapolis 500. Foyt hoped his Offenhauser engine would be able to keep up with the Fords. Foyt lapped the field to win the race. The race is known for a lap 2 crash that claimed the lives of Dave MacDonald and Eddie Sachs.

The track doctor at a 1965 Riverside International Raceway race pronounced Foyt dead at the scene of a severe crash, but fellow driver Parnelli Jones revived him after seeing movement. Foyt suffered severe chest injuries, a broken back, and a fractured ankle.

In the 1967 Indianapolis 500, Parnelli Jones' turbine car was expected to easily defeat the field of piston engines. Jones lapped the field, but his car expired with a few laps left in the race. Foyt had to weave through five wrecked cars down the final front stretch to win the race, a race that took two days to complete.

In the 1977 Indianapolis 500, Foyt ran out of fuel, and had to make up around 32 seconds on Gordon Johncock. Foyt made up 1.5 to 2 seconds per lap by turning up his boost, which risks blowing up the motor. Johncock's motor broke just as Foyt had caught him, and Foyt passed for the win.

He won at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway 4 times. In 1961, 1964, 1967, 1977

Foyt only needed 10 races to get his first NASCAR victory. Richard Petty dominated the 1964 Firecracker 400 until he went out with engine problems. Foyt swapped the lead with Bobby Isaac for the final 50 laps of the summer event at the Daytona International Speedway. Foyt passed Isaac on the final lap to win the race.

Foyt ran out of gas near the end of the 1971 Daytona 500, and Petty passed him for the win. Foyt again had the car to beat in the 1972 Daytona 500, but this time he succeeded. Only three drivers led during the race.

Foyt won the 1971 and 1972 races at the Ontario Motor Speedway for Wood Brothers Racing. The track was shaped like the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The 1972 race was his last NASCAR win.

DAN GURNEY F-1 NASCAR AND INDY CAR DRIVER

Dan Gurney is one of the most important figures in the history of American auto racing. He was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but moved to California as a teenager. He has been a driver, a car manufacturer and a team owner at racing's highest levels since 1958. He is one of only four US-born drivers to win a Formula One Grand Prix other than the Indianapolis 500, and the only one to win in a car of his own manufacture. (The other three are Richie Ginther, Phil Hill and Peter Revson)

Gurney also won races in the Indy Car, NASCAR, Can-Am and Trans-Am Series. In 1967, after winning the 24 hours of Le Mans together with A.J. Foyt, he spontaneously sprayed champagne while celebrating on the podium. Apart from starting this tradition, he also was the first to put a simple extension on the upper end of the rear wing. This device, called Gurney flap (or wickerbill), increases downforce with minimal airflow disturbance.

After driving a Ferrari at Le Mans in 1958, Gurney was invited to take a test run in a works Ferrari, and his Formula One career began with the team in 1959. In just four races that first year, he earned two podium finishes, but the team's strict management style did not suit him. In 1960 he had six non-finishes in seven races behind the wheel of a privately-entered BRM.

After rules changes came in effect in 1961, he teamed with Jo Bonnier for the first full season of the factory Porsche team, scoring three second places. After Porsche introduced a better car in 1962 with an 8 cylinder engine, Gurney broke through at the French Grand Prix at Rouen-Les-Essarts with his first World Championship victory - the only GP win for Porsche as an F1 constructor. One week later, he repeated the success in a non-Championship F1 race in front of Porsche's home crowd at Stuttgart's Solitude race track. Due to the high costs of racing in F1, Porsche did not continue after the 1962 season, though. While with Porsche, Gurney met a team public relations executive named Evi Butz, and they married several years later.

Gurney was the first driver hired by Jack Brabham to drive with him for the Brabham Racing Organisation. While Brabham himself scored the maiden victory for his car at the 1963 Solitude race, it was Gurney again who took the team's first win in a championship race, in 1964, again at Rouen. In all, he earned two wins (in 1964) and ten podiums (including five consecutive in 1965) for Brabham before leaving to start his own team.

In 1962, Gurney and Carroll Shelby began dreaming of building an American racing car to compete with the best European makes. Shelby convinced Goodyear, who wanted to challenge Firestone's domination of American racing at the time, to sponsor the team, and Goodyear's president Victor Holt suggested the name, "All American Racers", and the team was formed in 1965. Gurney was not comfortable with the name at first, fearing it sounded somewhat jingoistic, but felt compelled to agree to his benefactor's suggestion.

Their initial focus was Indianapolis and Goodyear's battle with Firestone, but Gurney's first love was road racing, especially in Europe, and he wanted to win the Formula One World Championship while driving an American Grand Prix Eagle. Partnered with British engine maker Westlake, the Formula One effort was called "Anglo-American Racers." The Weslake V12 engine was not ready for the 1966 Grand Prix season, so the team used outdated four-cylinder 2.7-liter Coventry-Climax engines and made their first appearance in the second race of the year in Belgium. Gurney scored the team's first Championship points by finishing fifth in the French Grand Prix at Reims.

The next season, the team failed to finish any of the first three races, but on June 18, 1967, Gurney took a historic victory in the Belgian Grand Prix. Starting in the middle of the first row, Gurney initially followed Jim Clark's Lotus and the BRM of Jackie Stewart. Clark encountered problems on Lap 12 that dropped him down to ninth position. Having moved up to second spot, Gurney set the fastest lap of the race on Lap 19. Two laps later, he and his Eagle took the lead and came home over a minute ahead of Stewart.

This win came just a week after his surprise victory with A.J. Foyt at 24 hours of Le Mans, where Gurney spontaneously began the now-familiar winner's tradition of spraying champagne from the podium to celebrate the unexpected win against the other Ford GT40 teams.

Unfortunately, the victory in Belgium was the high point for AAR as engine problems continued to plague the Eagle. He led the 1967 German GP at the  Nurburging when a driveshaft failed two laps from the end with a 42-second lead in hand. After a third place finish in Canada that year, the car would finish only one more race. By the end of the 1968 season, Gurney was driving a McLaren -Ford. His last Formula One

*DALE EARNHARDT 7 TIME NASCAR CUP CHAMPION

Dale Earnhardt was  best known for his career driving stock cars in NASCAR's top division. He was born in Kannapolis, North Carolina, to Ralph Lee Earnhardt and Martha Coleman. Earnhardt had four children, Kelley King, Taylor, Kerry, and Dale Jr. His widow, Teresa Earnhardt (whom he married in 1982) is the owner of Dale Earnhardt, Inc., the race team and merchandising corporation Earnhardt founded with her in the 1990s.

Earnhardt is best known for his success in the Winston Cup Series. He won seventy-six races, and his seven championships are tied for most all-time with Richard Petty. His highly aggressive driving style made him a fan favorite and earned him the nickname "The Intimidator."

Earnhardt died in a last-lap crash during the 2001 Daytona 500, the fourth NASCAR driver to die in the nine months since Adam Petty's death in May 2000. Due in large part to overwhelming fan outcry, NASCAR began an intensive focus on safety that has seen the organization mandate the use of head-and-neck restraints (currently, only the HANS device is approved for competition), oversee the installation of SAFER barriers at all oval tracks, set rigorous new rules for seat-belt and seat inspection, develop a roof-hatch escape system, and develop a next-generation race car built with extra driver safety in mind, dubbed the Car of Tomorrow.

Dale Earnhardt began his Winston Cup career in 1975, making his first start at the Charlotte in the longest race on the Cup circuit, the World 600. Earnhardt drove an Ed Negre car and finished 22nd in the race. Earnhardt would compete in 8 more races until 1979, when he would join Rod Osterlund Racing, in a season that would see a rookie class of future stars - Earnhardt, Bill Elliott and Terry Labonte.

In his rookie season, Earnhardt would win four poles, one race (at Bristol), 11 Top 5 finishes, 17 Top 10 finish, and finish 7th in the points standings, in spite of missing four races because of a broken collarbone, winning Rookie of the Year honors.

In his sophomore season, Earnhardt, now with a 20-year old Doug Richert as his crew chief, would begin the season winning the Busch Clash. With wins at Atlanta, Bristol, Nashville, Martinsville, and Charlotte, Earnhardt easily won his first Winston Cup championship.

In 1981, after Osterlund sold his team to J. D. Stacy during the season, Earnhardt left for Richard Childress Racing, where he would finish 7th in the points standings, despite not winning. The following year, under Childress' suggestion, he joined car owner Bud Moore for the 1982 and 1983 seasons. During the 1982 season, Earnhardt would struggle; while winning Darlington, he failed to finish 15 races, finishing 12th in the points standings, which would tie a career worst finish. In 1983, Earnhardt would rebound, winning his first of 13 Twin 125 Daytona 500 qualifying races. Earnhardt would record wins at Nashville and at Talladega, finishing eighth in the points standings.

After the 1983 season, Earnhardt would return to Richard Childress Racing. During the 1984 and 1985 seasons, Earnhardt would visit victory lane six times, at Talladega, Atlanta, Richmond, Bristol (twice), and Martinsville, finishing fourth and eighth, respectively.

The 1986 season would see Earnhardt win his second career Winston Cup Championship and the first owner's championship for RCR, winning five races, ten Top 5 finishes, and sixteen Top 10 finishes. Earnhardt would successfully defend his championship the following year, visiting victory lane eleven times and winning the championship by 288 points over Bill Elliott. In the process, Earnhardt would set a NASCAR modern era record of four consecutive wins and won five of the first seven races. The 1987 season also would see Earnhardt earn his nickname "The Intimidator" after spinning out Elliott in the final segment of The Winston.

The 1988 season would see Earnhardt racing with a new sponsor, GM Goodwrench, replacing Wrangler. It would be during this season that Earnhardt would garner a second nickname, "The Man in Black", owing to the black paint scheme in which the #3 car was painted. He would win three times in 1988, finishing third in the points standings behind Bill Elliott and Rusty Wallace. The following year, Earnhardt would win five times, but a late spinout at North Wilkesboro arguably cost him the 1989 championship, as Rusty Wallace would edge Earnhardt for the championship.

The 1990 season started with another disappointing result in the Daytona 500. Speed Week started auspiciously with victories in the Busch Clash and his heat of the Gatorade Twin 125's. Near the end of the 500, he had a 4 second lead when the final caution flag came out with a handful of laps to go. When the green flag came out, Earnhardt was leading Derrike Cope. On the last lap, Earnhardt ran over a piece of metal at the final turn, cutting a tire. Cope, in an upset, won the race while Earnhardt finished 5th. The #3 Goodwrench Chevy team took the flat tire that cost them the win and hung it on the shop wall. Apparently, this strategy worked, because Earnhardt won nine races. He also won his 4th Winston Cup title, beating out Mark Martin by just 26 points.

The 1991 season saw Earnhardt win his 5th Winston Cup championship. He scored just 4 wins, but took the title by 195 points over Ricky Rudd. One of the biggest highlights of the season for Earnhardt was scoring the win at North Wilkesboro. Harry Gant, who had tied Earnhardt's mark of 4 consecutive wins and was going for a 5th, lost the brakes late in the race, giving Earnhardt the chance he needed to make the pass for the win.

After winning his second set of consecutive titles, Dale Earnhardt was determined to make it 3 in a row, but Ford's new engine and aerodynamic package for the Thunderbird dominated, winning 13 consecutive races from the end of the 1991 season into the first nine races of 1992. Earnhardt's only win in 1992 came at Charlotte, in the prestigious Coca-Cola 600, ending the 13-race win streak for the Ford teams. Earnhardt would finish a career-low 12th in the points for the 2nd time in his career, and the only time he had finished that low since going to RCR. At the end of the year, longtime crew chief Kirk Shelmerdine left to become a driver. Andy Petree took over as crew chief.

Hiring Petree turned out to be beneficial, as the #3 GM Goodwrench Chevy returned to the front in 1993. Earnhardt once again came close to a win at the Daytona 500, dominating throughout Speedweeks before finishing 2nd to Dale Jarrett on a last-lap pass. Earnhardt would score 6 wins en route to his 6th Winston Cup title, including wins in the Coca-Cola 600 and The Winston at Charlotte, and the Pepsi 400 at Daytona. Earnhardt beat Rusty Wallace for the championship by 80 points.

In 1994, Earnhardt achieved a feat that he himself had believed to be impossible - he scored his seventh Winston Cup championship, tying the legendary Richard Petty. Earnhardt was very consistent, scoring 4 wins, and winning the title by over 400 points over Mark Martin. Although Earnhardt would continue to dominate in the seasons ahead, this would prove to be the last Winston Cup title of his career.

Earnhardt started off the 1995 season by finishing second in the Daytona 500 to Sterling Marlin. He would win 5 races in 1995, including his first road course victory at Sears Point and the prestigious Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a win he called the biggest of his career in 1995. But in the end, Earnhardt lost the title to Jeff Gordon by just 34 points.

Earnhardt began 1996 with a repeat of 1993 - he dominated Speedweeks only to finish second in the Daytona 500 to Dale Jarrett for a 2nd time. Earnhardt won early in the year, scoring consecutive victories at Rockingham and Atlanta. In late July at Talladega, he was in the points lead and looking for his eighth title despite the departure of crew chief Andy Petree. Late in the race, Ernie Irvan lost control of his #28 Havoline Ford Thunderbird, igniting a frightening crash that saw Earnhardt's #3 Chevrolet hit the tri-oval wall head-on at nearly 200 miles per hour. After hitting the wall, Earnhardt's car flipped and slid across the track, in front of race-traffic. His car was hit in the roof and windshield, and the accident led NASCAR to mandate the "Earnhardt Bar", a metal brace located in the center of the windshield that reinforces the roof in case of a similar crash.

Rain-delays had cancelled the live telecast of the race and most fans first learned of the accident during the night's sports newscasts. Video of the crash showed what appeared to be a fatal incident, but once medical workers arrived at the car, Earnhardt climbed out and waved to the crowd, refusing the be loaded onto a stretcher despite a broken collarbone, sternum, and shoulderblade. Many thought the incident would end his season early, but Earnhardt refused to give up. The next week at Indianapolis, he started the race but exited the car on the first pit stop, allowing Mike Skinner to take the wheel. When asked, Earnhardt said that vacating the #3 car was the hardest thing he'd ever done. The following weekend at Watkins Glen, he drove the #3 Goodwrench Chevrolet to the fastest time in qualifying, earning the "True Grit" pole. T-shirts emblazoned with Earnhardt's face were quickly printed up, brandishing the caption, "It Hurt So Good." Earnhardt led most of the race and looked to have victory in hand, but fatigue finally took its toll and Earnhardt ending up 6th, behind race winner Geoff Bodine. Earnhardt would not win again in 1996, but he still finished 4th in the standings behind Terry Labonte, Jeff Gordon and Dale Jarrett. David Smith would leave as crew chief of the #3 team at the end of the year to become team manager of the new #31 Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse RCR entry of Mike Skinner (NASCAR) as a teammate to Earnhardt and Larry McReynolds would replace him.

In the 1997 season, Earnhardt went winless for only the 2nd time in his career. The only (non-points) win came during speedweeks at Daytona in the Twin 125-mile qualifying race, his record 8th straight win in the event. Once again in the hunt for the Daytona 500 with 10 laps to go, Earnhardt was taken out of the Daytona 500 by a late crash which sent his car upside down the backstretch. Earnhardt would hit the low point of his year when he would black out early in the Mountain Dew Southern 500 in Darlington, causing him to hit the wall. He would go to the hospital and be cleared to race, but had no idea what caused it. Despite no wins (all of Chevrolet's wins were by Hendrick Motorsports -- Ford won all other races in 1997, Pontiac won once) the RCR team finished the season 5th in the final standings, with no DNF's.

After 20 years of disappointment in the Daytona 500 Earnhardt finally won the race in 1998. He started Speedweeks by winning his Twin 125-mile qualifier race for the ninth straight year. On race day, Dale showed himself to be a contender early. But at halfway, it seemed that Jeff Gordon had the upper hand. But by lap 138, Earnhardt had taken the lead, and thanks to a push by teammate Mike Skinner, he would not lose it. Earnhardt beat Bobby Labonte to the checkered flag in the race. Afterwards, there was a large show of respect for Earnhardt, in which every crew member of every team lined pit road to shake his hand as he made his way to Victory Lane. Earnhardt then drove his #3 into the infield grass, starting a trend of post-race celebrations. He spun the car twice, throwing grass and leaving tire tracks in the shape of a #3 in the grass. Earnhardt then spoke about the victory, saying "I have had a lot of great fans and people behind me all through the years and I just can't thank them enough. The Daytona 500 is over. And we won it! We won it!" Unfortunately, the rest of the season would not go as well. He slipped to 12th in the standings halfway in the season, and Richard Childress decided to make a crew chief change, taking Mike Skinner's crew chief Kevin Hamlin and putting him with Earnhardt while giving Skinner Larry McReynolds. Earnhardt was able to climb back to 8th in the final standings.

Before the 1999 season, fans had started talking about Earnhardt's age and thinking that with his son Dale Jr. getting into racing that Earnhardt might be contemplating retirement. Earnhardt swept both races for the year at Talladega, leading most observers to conclude that Earnhardt's talent was limited to the restrictor plate tracks, which requires a unique skill set and an exceptionally powerful car to win. But half-way through the year, Earnhardt began to show some of the old spark. In the August race at Michigan International Speedway, Earnhardt led laps late in the race and nearly pulled off his first win on a non-restrictor plate track since 1996.

One week later, he provided the sport with one of its most controversial moments.

At the August Bristol race, Earnhardt found himself in contention to win his first short track race since Martinsville in 1995. When a caution came out with 15 laps to go, leader Terry Labonte got hit from behind by the lapped car of Darrell Waltrip. His spin put Earnhardt in the lead with 5 cars between he and Labonte with 5 laps to go. Labonte had four fresh tires and Earnhardt was driving on old tires, which made Earnhardt's car considerably slower. Labonte caught Earnhardt and passed him coming to the white flag, but Earnhardt drove hard into turn two, bumping Labonte and spinning him around. Dale went on to collect the win while spectators booed and made obscene gestures. "I didn't try to turn him around, I just wanted to rattle his cage", Earnhardt said of the incident. Earnhardt would finish 7th in the standings that year, and looked like a contender again.

In the 2000 season, Earnhardt had a resurgence, which some attributed to neck surgury he underwent to correct a lingering injury from his 1996 Talladega crash. He scored what many considered the 2 most exciting wins of the year - winning by .006 seconds over Bobby Labonte at Atlanta, then gaining seventeen positions in four laps to win at Talladega, claiming his first No Bull 5 million dollar bonus. Earnhardt also enjoyed strong second-place runs at Richmond and Martinsville, tracks where he'd struggled at through the late '90s. On the strength of these performances, Earnhardt took the No. 3 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet Monte Carlo to 2nd in the standings. However, poor performances at the road course of Watkins Glen, where he wrecked coming out of the innerloop, and mid-pack runs at intermediate tracks like Lowe's and Dover denied Earnhardt of the coveted eighth championship title.

Always a media favorite, in the weeks before the 2001 Daytona 500, Earnhardt stirred up controversy by skipping the annual fan and media preview event, drawing ire from fellow driver Jimmy Spencer. Two weeks before the Daytona 500, Earnhardt kicked off the annual Speedweeks at Daytona by competing with his son, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., in the Rolex 24, a twenty-four hour sports car race which utilizes the Daytona International Speedway's infield roadcourse. The father-son duo were part of a four-man driving team, each taking turns driving the #3 Chevrolet Corvette in two-hour shifts. Earnhardt seemed to enjoy this new style of racing immensely, and the involvement of the Earnhardts brought a surge of publicity to the event and to American sports car racing in general.

Despite the early start, Speedweeks would be a disappointment for Earnhardt, who had a long-running tradition of winning at least one race during the two-week season kick-off. Earnhardt finished second to Tony Stewart in the Budweiser Shootout, a seventy-lap exhibition race for drivers and teams who won a pole position during the previous year, and also for any previous winner of the Shootout. Earnhardt was also denied victory in the Gatorade Twin 125 qualifying race in which he participated; the finishing order of the Twin 125s determine the starting order for the Daytona 500. Earnhardt had won every Twin 125 event he competed in during the 1990s, and was leading on the final lap in 2001 when Sterling Marlin pulled off a slingshot pass going down the backstretch, denying Earnhardt victory. In the IROC event held prior to the Daytona 500, Earnhardt was leading late in the race when he was accidentally spun out. He managed to control the IROC car in spectacular fashion, driving through the track's infield grass at speeds well over 150 miles per hour, but victory was again stolen from the 49 year old Earnhardt.

Taking it in stride, Earnhardt appeared relaxed and confident in television interviews on the morning of the 2001 Daytona 500.

When the Daytona 500 started, Earnhardt showed early promise, leading the race and running up front for most of the event. During a pit stop, Earnhardt made contact with the #36 car of Ken Schrader. Though the incident didn't cause any damage, it would later prove ironic.

A multicar wreck late in the race eliminated several cars in spectacular fashion. Tony Stewart, who had beaten Earnhardt in the Budweiser Shootout, found his car tumbling wildly down the backstretch. As it tumbled, Earnhardt managed to weave his way through wrecked cars and come out unscathed. The race was stalled to facilitate cleanup of the track, and when the race resumed, it was Earnhardt and DEI drivers Earnhardt, Jr. and Michael Waltrip who were running up front. As the laps wound down, Waltrip was leading Junior and Earnhardt.

Going into the final turn during the last lap, Earnhardt's car seemed to slow. There was contact between the back bumper of Earnhardt's car and the nose of Sterling Marlin's. Earnhardt’s car spun off the track's steep banking, onto the flat apron, and then turned sharply up the track, toward the outside retaining wall. For a moment, it looked like Earnhardt would hang onto the car and drive to a top-five finish, but another car - the #36 Pontiac driven by Ken Schrader - rammed Earnhardt's Chevrolet in the passenger door and spun the car nose-first into the wall. Earnhardt's #3 hit at a critical angle at nearly 150 miles per hour. The left-rear wheel assembly broke off the car on impact. The hood pins severed and the hood flapped open, slamming against the windshield as the car slid slowly down the track. To most observers, the crash looked minor, and certainly not as dramatic as his famous 1996 wreck at Talladega, when Earnhardt's car was pelted several times in the roof and windshield as it rolled across the track.

While Michael Waltrip raced toward the checkered flag to claim his first victory, with Junior, close behind, the cars of Earnhardt and Schrader slid off the track's asphalt banking toward in the infield grass just inside of turn four. After climbing from the wreck of his car, Schrader was the first person to approach Earnhardt's car post-crash. As medical crews converged upon the crash scene, a Fox reporter asked Schrader about Earnhardt's condition. "I'm not a doctor," Schrader said solemnly. Hours later, at a NASCAR press conference, it was announced to the world what millions already feared from Schrader's somber reply - Dale Earnhardt was dead.

MEL KENYON  " KING OF THE MIDGETS "

Mel began his racing career in 1954 racing Chevy Coupes. Then, in 1958, Mel began his historic career in the midgets that continues today (as of June 2006).

In that span, he has raced to unprecedented accompishments in the series, which includes: seven USAC Midget Championships standings, eight runner ups in the USAC Midget season points standings, 111 USAC Midget Feature wins, three NAMARS midget championships, and over 380 midget feature wins in all.

Mel's first career race came in a USAC Champ Car race in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. The engine in Mel's car blew up, and sent oil all over his car and his firesuit. After losing control of the car, Mel hit the wall, and was knocked unconscious while two cars slid in the oil and ran straight into Mel's fuel tank.

As a result of the accident, Mel lost all of his fingers on his left hand. Along with his brother and father, Mel designed a special glove that would fit on to his hand and hook on to the steering wheel.

In addition to his midget racing exploits, Mel captured four top-5 finishes in his eight career starts in the Indianapolis 500. Kenyon finished 5th in 1966, 3rd in 1968, 4th in 1969, and 4th in 1973.

*WILBUR SHAW 1ST 3 TIME INDIANAPOLIS 500 SAVED INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Wilbur Shaw won the Indianapolis 500 race three times, in 1937, 1939 and 1940. In the 1941 race, Shaw was injured when his car crashed; it was later discovered that a defective wheel had been placed on his car.

During World War II, Shaw was hired by the tire manufacturer Firestone to test a synthetic rubber automobile tire at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which had been closed due to the war. He was dismayed at the dilapidated condition of the already-historic racetrack. Then-owner Eddie Rickenbacker, the famed World War I flying ace and president of Eastern Air Lines, was not exactly sentimental about the track, of course. When the United States entered World War II, ending racing at Indianapolis and elsewhere for the duration, Rickenbacker essentially padlocked the gates and let the great race course slowly begin to disintegrate.

During a meeting soon after the tire test, Rickenbacker informed Shaw that what was left of the track would be demolished and the land turned into a housing subdivision ... unless Shaw could find someone else who might have other ideas. Little did Rickenbacker know that he had presented a challenge to a man who relished challenges.

Shaw immediately began looking for a "savior" for his beloved Speedway, and in short order was introduced to a man who lived not too far from Indianapolis; a man who had the resources to do virtually anything. In Terre Haute, Indiana, Tony Hulman had inherited his family's business, Hulman & Company, a wholesale grocer and producer of coffee and baking powder, and he made a fortune by raising the country's level of consciousness about the company's mainstay baking powder -- Clabber Girl.

A lifelong fan of automobile racing in general and the "500" in particular, Hulman listened with great interest to what Shaw had to say. Despite what Hulman saw amongst the weeds and deterioration when Shaw took him to Indianapolis, he purchased the Speedway from Rickenbacker in November 1945 for the sum of $750,000.

As a reward for his efforts to revive the Speedway, Shaw was anointed as its president, where he would have complete day-to-day control over the track. To this job, Shaw brought his extensive knowledge of the business of auto racing, something Hulman would admit that he himself didn't have, and Shaw's hard work only cemented the reputation of the "500" as the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing."

It seemed as though Shaw and Hulman had a "Midas touch" at the Speedway. Hulman poured money into improvements, and Shaw delivered the world's greatest automobile race to enthusiastic crowds, which grew in number by the year. The Indianapolis "500" of the late Forties and early Fifties was a very special event through the work of Hulman and Shaw, although Hulman was always sure to point out that it was Wilbur putting it all together.

Sadly, at the height of his power in the racing world, Shaw was killed in an airplane crash near Decatur, Indiana on October 30, 1954, one day before his fifty-second birthday. The pilot, Ray Grimes, and artist Ernest Roose were also killed.

BOB GLIDDEN ALL TIME NHRA WINNIEST DRIVER

Bob Glidden won the National Hot Rod Association's Pro Stock championship in ten seasons, and won 85 NHRA national events. In 2001, a panel ranked him fourth in the National Hot Rod Association Top 50 Drivers, 1951-2000.

He is most closely associated with Ford cars, but also won the 1979 championship with a Plymouth.

ROGER PENSKE 14 TIME INDIANAPOLIS 500 WINNING CAR OWNER

Roger is the owner of a very successful automobile racing team Penske Racing, the Penske Corporation, and other automotive related businesses.

He also is one of the corporate directors at General Electric and was chairman of Super Bowl XL in Detroit, Michigan. He is a 1959 graduate of Lehigh University in Pennsylvania.

Starting in 1958, Penske purchased, raced and sold race cars, and was very successful both financially and on the track.

By 1960, he was a well known race car driver (Sports Illustrated SCCA Driver of the Year), winning prestigious races until 1965, when he retired as a driver, to concentrate on the business of owning and running a successful race car team. Interestingly enough, although Penske competed in two Formula One Grand Prix, and won a NASCAR Pacific Coast Late Model race at Riverside in 1963, he never ran the Indy 500.

His team first competed in the Indianapolis 500 in 1969, winning that event 14 times between 1972 and 2006, and their first NASCAR win was in 1973. His teams have won many races in the subsequent years. He closed his European-based Formula One business in 1977. In 1982, he became the Chairman of the Penske Truck Leasing business.

Penske Racing now operates a NASCAR team comprising Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman, and his development driver Billy Wease. They also operate an Indy Racing League team composed of Helio Castroneves and Sam Hornish, Jr. Previously, they ran cars in the CART series that included some of the best drivers of the time, including Gary Bettenhausen, Tom Sneva, Mario Andretti, Bobby Unser, Al Unser, Al Unser, Jr., Emerson Fittipaldi, Rick Mears, Danny Sullivan, Paul Tracy and Gil de Ferran.

ANDY GRANATELLI STP FOUNDER DRIVER 

Andy  once a racecar driver himself, and eventually became very visible in the racing world as the entrepreneur of his oil and gasoline treatment products, appearing on television and radio as well as sponsoring racecar drivers. His cars were a significant presence at the Indianapolis 500. His most notable entry was that of his turbine powered cars in the late 1960's. He fielded cars in the Indy 500 until 1991.

RICK  MEARS  4 TIME INDIANAPOLIS 500 WINNER

Rick is the third of three men to have won the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race four times (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991), and the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six (1979, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991). Mears is also a 3-time Champcar  national champion (1979, 1981 and 1982).

Mears was raised in Bakersfield, California, and began his racing career in off-road racing. He switched to Champcar racing in the late 1970s, making his debut for the small Art Sugai team, driving an obsolete Eagle-Offenhauser. His speed attracted the attention of Roger Penske. Although at the time Penske Racing had the services of Tom Sneva and Mario Andretti, Andretti was also racing in Formula One with Lotus at the time and Penske wanted another young driver who would focus exclusively on American racing. For 1978 Mears was offered a drive in nine of the eighteen championship races, including the Indianapolis 500.

Mears qualified on the front row at Indy, but did not lead a lap and retired at half-distance with a blown engine. Two weeks later, at the Rex Mays 150 at Milwaukee, he bounced back to win his first race. He added another win another month later at Atlanta and rounded off the year with his first road course win at Brands Hatch as the USAC cars made their first, and last, visit to England.

In 1979 the National Championship sanction changed from the USAC to Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), and Mears emerged as the driver to beat. At Indianapolis he won his first "500" by virtue of staying at the front of the field and taking the lead as other drivers dropped out with mechanical problems. This intelligent and patient approach was to become Mears trademark style.

Three wins and four seconds in the eleven CART-eligible races was easily enough to wrap up his first championship. Mears worst finish in 1979 was fifth. 1980 the revolutionary ground effect Chaparral put every other team on the back foot and Mears had to be content with 4th place overall and only one win, scored at Mexico City.

1981 and 1982 saw Mears at the top of his game, both in terms of speed and consistency. Ten wins in two years were enough for another two championship titles. At the 1982 Indy 500 he came within .16 of a second of adding a second Indy win. In a rare mistake the team loaded too much fuel during Mears' final pit-stop and the delay put him behind Gordon Johncock. The photo-finish would stand for ten years as the closest finish to an Indy 500.

For 1983 the Penske team would acquire the famous yellow colours of Pennzoil but a recalcitrant chassis meant the team had to rely on consistency over speed. Although teammate Al Unser took the title, the team switched to the March chassis for 1984. This would prove a blessing and a curse as Mears scored his second Indy win that May but suffered severe leg injuries later in the year in a crash at Sanair. The March chassis, like most contemporary open-wheel racing cars, sat the driver far forward in the nose, with little protection for the legs and feet.

In 1980 Mears had tested a Formula One Brabham. However, as he was expected to bring money to the team, rather than receive a salary, he declined the offer. After 1984 his F1-level of speed on road-courses was blunted by the injuries to his right foot and the 1985, 1986 and 1987 years were relatively quiet seasons by Mears' standards, with only two wins, both scored at Pocono, a tri-oval track.

In 1988, after several years using the March chassis, the Penske team were ready to unleash their new car, the PC-17, and a potent new Chevrolet racing engine. The new car powered Mears into an exclusive club; the three-time Indy winners. Like his previous wins it was a triumph of speed and patience. Mears eventually won by a clear two laps as he was the only front-runner who hadn't run into problems. A year later he took a record-setting fifth pole position at Indy, but retired from the race with mechanical gremlins. Emerson Fittipaldi took the 500 and also beat Mears to the Championship in the last race at Laguna Seca, despite Mears winning that race.

Fittipaldi joined Mears at Penske for 1990, but the year belonged to Al Unser, Jr., who scored six wins. 1990 would be Mears' last in the Pennzoil livery as Marlboro stepped-up their sponsorship of the team.

Twenty laps from the end of the 1991 Indianapolis 500 it looked like Mears was set to be the runner-up behind Michael Andretti. However, when a subsequent yellow flag period erased Andretti's 15 second lead, Mears gained the lead as Andretti opted to pit for new tyres. It would be a short-lived lead as Andretti passed Mears around the outside into the first turn.

But Mears was not beaten. A lap later he returned the favour with his own breathtaking outside pass and shot back into the lead. Turning up his turbo-boost he then pulled away to win a fourth Indy 500, making him one of only three individuals to win the event four times. In August 1991 at Michigan he won his last race. At the 1992 Indy 500 Mears broke a wrist in a crash during practice and then crashed out of the race for the first time in his career. He raced only another four times in 1992 and announced his retirement from driving at the Penske team's Christmas party.

As of 2005 Rick Mears continues to work as a consultant to Penske racing, the team with which he won all of his Champcar races.

He is the brother of Roger Mears and the uncle of Casey Mears.

*JIMMY CLARK 2 TIME F-1 CHAMPION AND INDIANAPOLIS 500 WINNER

Jimmy was a Scottish Formula One (F1) racing driver. Twice World Champion, he was the dominant driver of his era.

He was born James Clark Jr. into a farming family at Kilmany House Farm, Fife, the youngest child of five, and the only boy. In 1942 the family moved to Edington Mains Farm near the town of Duns in Berwickshire in the Scottish Borders. He was educated at primary schools, first in Kilmany and then in Chirnside, and then following three years of preparatory schooling at Clifton Hall near Edinburgh he was sent to Loretto School in Musselburgh, near Edinburgh.

Although his parents were opposed to the idea, Clark started his racing career driving in local road rallies and hill climb events driving his own Sunbeam-Talbot, and proved to be a fearsome competitor right from the off. By 1958 Clark was racing for the local Border Reivers team, racing Jaguar D-Types and Porsches in national events, and winning 18 races.

Then on Boxing Day 1958, Clark met the man who would launch him to superstardom. Driving a Lotus Elite, he finished second to Colin Chapman. Chapman was sufficiently impressed to give Clark a run in one of his Formula Junior cars, and the rest, as they say is history.

After Aston Martin's F1 programme fell through, Clark was a free agent. Colin Chapman snapped him up for his F1 squad, and Clark made his debut in the 1960 Dutch Grand Prix. Throughout his F1 career from 1960 to 1968 Clark drove only for the Lotus team. He developed a near telepathic relationship with Chapman, which contributed to their outstanding success together. Chapman's innovative and nimble designs combined with Clark's skills at the wheel made for a nearly unbeatable force. 1962 saw Clark battling Graham Hill who drove for BRM for the World Championship in Chapman's brilliant Lotus 25, but in the final race an oil leak caused him to drop out just as victory seemed a formality.

His first Drivers' World Championship came driving the Lotus 25 in 1963, winning seven out of the ten races and Lotus its first Constructors' World Championship. That year he also competed in the Indianapolis 500 for the first time, and only the oil on the track from winner Parnelli Jones' car prevented him from winning, as he finished in second position and won Rookie of the Year honours. In 1964 Clark came within just a few laps of retaining his crown, but just as in 1962, an oil leak from the engine robbed him of the title, this time conceding to John Surtees. Tyre failure put paid to that year's attempt at the Indianapolis 500. He made amends and won the Championship again in 1965 and also the Indianapolis 500 in the Lotus 38. He had to miss the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix in order to compete at Indianapolis, but made history by driving the first mid-engined car to win at the fabled "Brickyard," as well as becoming the only driver to date to win both that race and the F1 title in the same year.

At the same time, Clark was competing in the Australbasia based Tasman series, run for older F1 cars, and was series champion in 1965, 1967 and 1968 driving for Lotus. He won 14 races in all, a record for the series.

The FIA decreed from 1966, new 3-litre engine regulations would come into force. Lotus were less competitive. Starting with a 2-litre Coventry-Climax engine in the Lotus 33, Clark did not score points until the British Grand Prix and a third-place at the following Dutch Grand Prix. From the Italian Grand Prix onward Lotus used the more complex BRM H16 engine in the Lotus 43 car, with which Clark won the United States Grand Prix. He also picked up another second-place finish at the Indianapolis 500, this time behind Graham Hill.

During 1967 Lotus and Clark used three completely different cars and engines. The Lotus 43 performed poorly at the opening South African Grand Prix, so Clark used an old Lotus 33 at the following Monaco Grand Prix, retiring with suspension failure. Lotus then began its fruitful association with Ford-Cosworth. Their first car, the Lotus 49 featuring the most successful F1 engine in history, the Ford-Cosworth DFV, won its first race at the Dutch Grand Prix, driven by Clark. He won with it again at the British, United States and Mexican Grands Prix; and, in January 1968, at the South African Grand Prix. He had established himself as the dominant driver in the dominant car, save for its reliability.

Jim Clark's 1967 Italian Grand Prix drive in Monza is regarded one of the greatest drives ever in F1. After starting from pole, he was leading in his Lotus 49 (chassis R2), when a tyre punctured. He lost an entire lap while having the wheel changed in the pits. After rejoining 16th, Clark then showed his genius by driving at his own limit, something which is not required when leading. He ripped back through the field, progressively lowered the lap record, eventually equalling his pole time of 1m 28.5s (233.9 km/h), to regain the lost lap and the lead. He was narrowly ahead of Brabham and Surtees starting the last lap, but his car had not been filled with enough fuel for such a performance - it faltered, and finally coasted across the finish line in third place. This performance is considered unmatched in the long history of F1.

Other examples for his skills are his drive in a Lotus 23 sportscar during the 1962 1000km Nürburgring race or the qualifying for the 1967 German Grand Prix, when he took pole position by nine seconds and more.

The 14.2-mile Nürburgring-Nordschleife circuit brought out the very best in Clark. In the 1962 1000km he drove the small Lotus 23, fitted with a 1500 cc Lotus-Ford twin-cam engine. On a patchily damp track, he outperformed the similar-powered Porsche 718 and the more powerful cars from Ferrari, with drivers like Phil Hill, Dan Gurney and Willy Mairesse at the wheel, and led with nearly 2 minutes outright until, affected by fumes from a broken exhaust, he went off course into the bushes.

Jim Clark also raced at Crimond in the North East of Scotland on 16th June 1956 in his very first car race he was behind the wheel of a DKW "sonderklasse".

Amazingly though, despite his mercurial talent, Clark never won at Monaco. He came close once in 1963 only to be stopped with 22 laps to go with a broken gearbox.

On 7 April 1968, however, Jim Clark's life and driving career was brought to a premature and tragic end. He was originally slated to drive in the BOAC 1000km sportscar race at Brands Hatch but instead chose to drive in a minor Formula 2 race for Lotus at the Hockenheimring in Germany, mostly due to contractual obligations with Firestone. On the fifth lap, his Lotus 48 veered off the track and crashed into the trees, killing him instantly. The cause of the crash was never definitively identified, but investigators concluded it was most likely due to a deflating rear tire. Colin Chapman was devastated and publicly stated that he had lost his best friend. As a sign of respect, Chapman ordered the traditional green and yellow badge found on the nose of all Lotus road cars to be replaced with a black badge for a month following Clark's death. The 1968 F1 Drivers' Championship was subsequently won by his Lotus team-mate Graham Hill, who pulled the heartbroken team together and held off Jackie Stewart for the crown, which he later dedicated to Clark.

Clark achieved 33 pole positions and won 25 races from his 72 Grands Prix starts in championship races. He is remembered for his ability to drive and win in all types of cars and series, including a Lotus-Cortina, with which he won the 1964 British Touring Car Championship, IndyCar, NASCAR, driving a Ford Galaxie for the Holman Moody team, Rallying, where he took part in the 1966 RAC Rally of Great Britain in a Lotus Cortina, and nearly won the event before crashing, and sports cars. He competed in the Le Mans 24 Hour race in 1959, 1960 and 1961, finishing 2nd in class in 1959 driving a Lotus Elite, and finishing 3rd overall in 1960, driving an Aston Martin DBR1.

He was also able to master difficult Lotus sportscar prototypes such as the Lotus 30 and 40. Clark had an uncanny ability to adapt to whichever car he was driving. Whilst other drivers would struggle to find a good car setup, Clark would usually set competitive lap times with whatever setup was provided and ask for the car to be left as it was.

He apparently had difficulty understanding why other drivers were not as quick as himself. After his death, Clark's father told Dan Gurney that he was the only driver his son ever feared. When Clark died, fellow driver Chris Amon was quoted as saying, "If it could happen to him, what chance do the rest of us have?"

Jim Clark is buried in the village of Chirnside in Berwickshire. A memorial stone can be found at the Hockenheimring circuit, moved from the site of his crash to a location closer to the current track.

*GASTON CHEVROLET DRIVER INVENTOR

Gaston was a French-born racecar champion driver and automobile manufacturer.

Born near Beaune, in the Côte-d'Or département of France where his Swiss parents had emigrated to a few years earlier, he was the younger brother of Louis (1878-1941) and Arthur Chevrolet (1884-1946). After brother Louis emigrated to the United States and earned enough money, he sent for Gaston and Arthur to join him. Once there, Gaston worked as an automotive mechanic and joined his brother in auto racing.

In 1916, Gaston Chevrolet became a partner with his brothers in the Frontenac Motor Corporation. Driving a Frontenac race car, he competed in the 1919 Indianapolis 500, finishing in tenth place while brother Louis finished seventh. The following year, Gaston Chevrolet broke the European dominance at the Indianapolis Speedway, winning the race in a redesigned Monroe-Frontenac. In the process, he became the first driver in the history of the 500 mile race to go the distance without making a tire change. Following his victory at Indianapolis, he competed in several more events, winning a 100-mile match race against Tommy Milton and Ralph Mulford. With winter, racing moved to the West Coast and at the Los Angeles Speedway board track in Beverly Hills, California Gaston Chevrolet was killed when his racecar crashed on lap 146.

Gaston Chevrolet is interred next to his brothers in the Roman Catholic Holy Cross and Saint Joseph Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana.

KENNY BERNSTEIN NHRA CHAMPION

Bernstein won two NHRA top fuel championship and was NHRA funny car champion four times. He was the first driver to win the NHRA championship in both divisions. In 1992 he was the first drag racer to exceed 300 mph in competition. He was an innovator of corporate sponsorship in drag racing, and his team's deal with Budweiser, which earned his cars the name of 'Budweiser King', is the longest running sponsorship deal in motorsports history.

He retired in 2002 and currently runs a car for his son Brandon Bernstein. However, he has announced that he will return to racing in the Monster Energy Dodge Charger funny car in 2007.

Bernstein owned King Racing, a NASCAR team in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He is also the only owner to record victories in NASCAR, the NHRA, and Indy Car racing.

*RODGER WARD 2 TIME INDIANAPOLIS 500 WINNER

Rodger won the 1959 and 1962 Indianapolis 500. He also was the 1959 and 1962 USAC Championship Car champion.

Born in Beloit, Kansas, Ward died in Anaheim, California. He drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1950-1966 seasons with over 150 starts, including the 1951-1964 and 1966 Indianapolis 500 races. He finished in the top ten in more than half his starts, with 26 victories.

Ward was the oldest living winner of the Indy 500, and, at the time of his retirement, was the only driver to be in the top 10 of all Indianapolis 500 statistics.

Before Indy racing, Ward drove midget cars for the Edelbrock dirt track racing team. He was also the 1951 AAA Stock Car champion.

Ward raced in the 1959 United States Grand Prix and the 1963 United States Grand Prix and, as the Indy 500 was a Formula One race from 1950-1960, is credited with participating in 12 grands prix with 1 victory, 2 podiums and 14 championship points.

MARIO ANDRETTI  F-1 DAYTONA 500 AND INDIANAPOLIS 500 WINNER

Mario was born in Montona d'Istria, Italy (now Motovun, Croatia) is an Italian American racing driver, and one of the most successful Americans in the history of auto racing.

During his career, Andretti won four Champ Car titles, the 1978 Formula One World Championship, and the 1979 IROC championship. To date, he remains the only driver ever to win the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500, and the Formula One World Championship.

In the USA, the name Mario Andretti has become synonymous with speed, similar to Stirling Moss in the UK and Barney Oldfield in the early twentieth century in the United States.

Andretti began racing cars in 1959, just after his family had moved to the United States, on dirt oval tracks near Nazareth, Pennsylvania, in an old Hudson. His twin brother, Aldo Andretti, raced on the same tracks in the same car (at different times), but quit after an accident. Andretti placed 3rd in the Indianapolis 500 in his first year.

Mario made his debut in the U SAC series in 1964, and won the championship the very next season. He took part in many different categories of racing including drag racing, and by 1969, he had won the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500 and the 12 Hours of Sebring.

Andretti also started driving in Formula One, taking the pole for his first race at Watkins Glen in 1968, and winning his first race in 1971 for Ferrari. By the mid-1970s, Andretti started to focus on Formula One, driving for Parnelli Jones's fledgling Parnelli Formula One team and Colin Chapman's famous Lotus outfit. In 1977, at Long Beach, he became the only American to win the United States Grand Prix West, in the Lotus 78 "wing car". With the revolutionary "ground effect" Lotus 79 of 1978, Andretti won six races in 1978, and took the title—a bitter-sweet victory in the light of the death of his teammate Ronnie Peterson, whom Andretti had grown to regard as a close friend. However, Andretti would find little success after 1978 in Formula One, failing to win another race in that series. In the following year, 1979, he was summarily outclassed by his Argentinian teammate Carlos Reutemann. In 1980, he was paired with Italian ace Elio de Angelis. Again, Mario was usually beaten by his team-mate. Nearly two years later, hired by Ferrari to enter the final two races of the 1982 season, he took an impressive pole position at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza (the Italian-born Andretti's success causing what Nigel Roebuck said was the loudest roar the famous circuit had ever seen), just as he did at Watkins Glen in his debut race in 1968.

He returned to Champ Cars in the 1980's, and won his fourth title in 1984, the first series title for Champ Car owner, sports car driver, and actor Paul Newman. His last victory in that class came in 1993. Andretti kept racing to try to win the only important missing award—the 24 hours of Le Mans, but failed to do so. His best finish is 2nd in 1995, and 3rd in 1983 (Porsche 956), both with his son Michael.

Mario ran only a few NASCAR races, but he captured the crown jewel in the series by winning the 1967 Daytona 500 for legendary car owners Holman-Moody.

Andretti also made the saying "Mario is slowing down!" famous at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. While no one doubts his credentials as one of the greatest drivers in the history of motorsports, Andretti's futility at Indy is also, unfortunately, legendary.

In the 1985 Indianapolis 500, he was passed by Danny Sullivan who then spun in front of him, pitted on his own caution, and then passed Mario again to go on for the win. His frustration came to a head in the 1987 Indianapolis 500 when he dominated the month of May and led most of the race but was taken out by an electrical problem.

Mario finished all 500 miles just five times with the 1969 Indianapolis 500 victory included. Andretti suffered broken ankles in the 1992 Indianapolis 500 crashing hard in turn four during the race. His last race at Indy was the 1994 Indianapolis 500.

While shaking down a car for his son in tire testing at Indianapolis before the month of May in 2003, Andretti survived a horrifying accident. His car hit a piece of debris left on the track by another car and went flying end over end between turns one and two. The crash was captured by a local television station helicopter. Luckily, the car landed right side up and Andretti walked away from the crash with very minor injuries.

For all his greatness and legendary skill, Andretti, and, by extension, the Andretti family, will long be associated with what many consider to be simply bad luck at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indianapolis 500.

Both of Mario Andretti's sons, Michael and Jeff, are also involved in auto racing, and Michael has won the Champ Car title as well. As of 2003, he was Champ Cars' winningest driver. Mario's nephew, John, has had success in both Champ Cars and NASCAR, winning races in both series. His grandson, Marco, won a championship in Champ Cars' "Stars of Tomorrow" kart racing series, before moving into the Star Mazda single-seater series. Marco is currently running his first full season in the Indy Racing League (IRL), driving for his father Michael's Andretti-Green Racing Team, and upon finishing second in the 2006 Indianapolis 500, became the first third-generation-recipient of the race's Rookie of the Year Award, following in the footsteps of both his father and grandfather.

Mario Andretti and son Michael Andretti both reside today in their respective close sitting mansions overlooking the town of Nazareth, Pennsylvania, from the north side of the town, home to Mario Andretti and his family since the 1950's. Andretti continues day-to-day work as a spokesman for Texaco and Firestone (his longtime sponsors). He is also something of a spokesman for CART, although he has been spotted at IndyCar races recently as he watches over his grandson Marco.

*JOHNNIE PARSONS SR AAA NATIONAL CHAMPION AND INDIANAPOLIS 500 WINNER

Johnnie won the Indianapolis 500 in 1950.

As the Indianapolis 500 was included in the Formula One World Championship from 1950 to 1960, he is credited with participation in 9 grands prix, debuting on May 30, 1950, with 1 race victory, 1 podium, and a total of 12 championship points.

Parsons had the dubious distinction of being the only Indianapolis 500 winner to have his name misspelled on the Borg-Warner Trophy. Silversmiths carved "Johnny" instead of "Johnnie." The error was corrected posthumously when the trophy was restored in 1991. Ironically, he had a son named Johnny who competed at Indy a dozen times.

*RAY HARROUN 1ST WINNER INDIANAPOLIS 500

Ray was born in Spartansburg, Pennsylvania , he was the AAA season champion in 1910. At the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911, his use of what would now be called a rear-view mirror, rather than the riding mechanic specified in the rules, created controversy, but was ultimately allowed. Harroun went on to win, which created another controversy; to this day, some say a scorer's error cheated Ralph Mulford of his rightful victory. Harroun, who came out of retirement to race in the first 500, would never race again.

DAVID " THE SILVER FOX" PEARSON 3 TIME NEXTEL CUP CHAMPION

David  was Known as the "Silver Fox", he debuted on the Grand National racing circuit in 1960 and earned Rookie of the Year honors that same season. He went on to win the NASCAR Championship in 1966, 1968 and 1969. Pearson ranks as one of the greatest of all NASCAR drivers and his duels with Richard Petty are legendary. Between August 8, 1963 and June 12, 1977, they finished one/two on sixty-three occasions, with Pearson coming out on top with thirty-three victories. Their most famous encounter came at the 1976 Daytona 500 when the two were running bumper-to-bumper on the final lap. They slammed hard against each other's front fender and both hit the wall. Petty's damaged car spun off the track just twenty-five yards from the finish line and the engine quit running and he could not get it to restart. All Petty could do was sit in his famous #43 and watch as Pearson's wrecked #21 limped across the finish line to claim victory.

Pearson won the "Most Popular Driver" award in 1979 and 1980. After twenty-six seasons in racing, he retired in 1986. He finished his career in second place behind Richard Petty on NASCAR's all-time win list with 105, and second in all-time pole positions.

Pearson is one of eight drivers in NASCAR history to win a Career Grand Slam, by winning the sport's four majors; Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Buddy Baker are the other six to have accomplished the feat.

*MARK DONOHUE SPORTS CAR DRIVER

Mark was an  racecar driver known for his ability to set up his own race car and drive it consistently on the absolute limit. Donohue is probably best-known as the driver of the 1000+ bhp “Can-Am Killer” Porsche 917-30.

Donohue met an experienced race driver named Walt Hansgen while running in SCCA events around the country. Hansgen quickly realized that Donohue had unbelievable talent as a driver, but more importantly, had an incredible working knowledge of vehicle mechanics and dynamics thanks to his engineering background. Hansgen befriended Donohue, and even provided an MGB for Donohue to race at the 1964 Bridgehampton 500-mile SCCA endurance event, which Donohue won. In 1965, Hansgen invited him to co-drive a Ferrari 275 at the 12 Hours of Sebring endurance race. This would be Donohue's big break into international sports car racing. Hansgen and Donohue combined to finish 11th in that race.

Mark paricipated in The Indianapolis 500 for several years and  won the 1972 Indianapolis 500 driving for Roger Penske

Midway through the 1975 F1 season, Penske abandoned the troublesome PC1 and started using the March 751. Donohue had recently arrived in Austria for the Austrian Grand Prix following the successful closed-course speed record attempt in Alabama just a few days earlier. During a practice session for the race, Donohue lost control of his March after a tire failed sending him careening into the catch fencing. A track marshal was killed by debris from the accident, but Donohue didn't appear to be injured significantly. However, a resulting headache worsened and after going to the hospital of  Graz the next day, Donohue lapsed into a coma from a brain hemorrhage and died.

DON " BIG DADDY" GARLITS NHRA CHAMPION

Don is considered the father of drag racing. He is known as "Big Daddy" to drag racing fans around the world. A pioneer, with the help of T.C. Lemmons, and after he lost a portion of his foot in a drag racing accident, he perfected the design rear-engine "top fuel" dragster (notable because it put the most explosive parts of the dragster behind the driver) and was an early endorser of a full-body, fire-resistant suit. He was the first drag racer to officially surpass 170, 180, 200, 240, 250, 260, and 270 miles per hour; he was also the first to top 200 in the 1/8 mile.

Drag Racing was a California-based sport. Don Garlits, being from Florida, was the outsider who came in and beat them at their own game. He was sometimes referred to as the Floridian, before permanently adopting the nickname, "Swamp Rat," which also became the theme for each generation of his innovative dragster designs. Such is his uniqueness.

Garlits was the first driver to win three National Hot Rod Association national titles and three world championships, the last coming at the age of 54. He won a total of 144 national events. On October 20, 1987, His home-built Top Fuel dragster, Swamp Rat XXX, the sport's only successful streamlined car, was enshrined in The Smithsonian museum in Washington, D.C., which also houses The Spirit of St. Louis and NASA's first manned space capsule.

"Big Daddy" was compelled to retire due to separated retina, a product of the 4g deceleration produced by a Top Fuel Dragster's chutes.

AL UNSER SR. DIRT TRACK MASTER 4 TIME INDIANAPOLIS 500 WINNER 

Al  is a former American automobile racing driver, the younger brother of Bobby Unser and father of Al Unser, Jr.. He is the second of three men to have won the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race four times, the fourth of five to have won the race in consecutive years, and is the only person to have both a sibling (Bobby) and child (Al Jr.) as fellow winners. Al's brother Jerry and nephews Johnny and Robby have also competed in the 500.

His father Jerry Unser and two uncles, Louis and Joe, were also drivers. Beginning in 1926 they competed in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, an annual road race held in Colorado.

Joe Unser became the first member of the Unser clan to lose his life to the sport, killed while test-driving a FWD Coleman Special on the Denver highway in 1929.

Al's oldest brother Jerry became the first Unser to drive at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, qualifying 23rd and finishing 31st in the 1958 Indianapolis 500. However, tragedy struck the next year when he was killed from injuries sustained in a fiery crash during a practice session.

Middle brother Bobby drove in his first Indianapolis 500 in 1963, becoming in 1968 the first member of the family to win, and in 1983 son Al Unser Jr. drove in his first.

While driving the Johnny Lightning Special and winning the Indianapolis 500 in 1970 and 1971 for Vel's Parnelli Racing, a team owned by Vel Melatich and Parnelli Jones, he had Mario Andretti and Joe Leonard as his team mates.

He began racing in 1957, at age 18, initially competing primarily in modified roadsters, sprint cars and midgets. In 1965 he raced in the Indianapolis 500 for the first time and finished ninth.

He won the Indy 500 in 1970, two years after his brother, Bobby. During the race, he led for all but 10 of the 200 laps and averaged 155.749 miles per hour. His quick pit stops were a factor in the victory. That season he won a record 10 times on oval, road and dirt tracks to capture the United States Auto Club national championship.

In 1971 he won the Indy 500 again, starting from the fifth position with an average speed of 157.735 mph.

Unser's bid to become the first three-time consecutive Indy 500 champion was thwarted when he finished second to Mark Donohue in the 1972 Indianapolis 500.

Starting 1978 Indianapolis 500 from 5th position in an FNCTC Chaparral Lola, he was considered a long shot. He took the lead on lap 75 and won following the fortuitous engine failure of challenger Danny Ongais, averaging 161.363 mph.

*BILL VUKOVICH SR. 2 INDIANAPOLIS 500 WINNER

Bill was of Serbian descent, known variously as "Vuky", "The Silent Serb" and "The Mad Russian" for his intense driving style, and called by several of his generation the greatest driver ever encountered

Before he began Indy racing, Vukovich drove midget cars for the Edelbrock  dirt track racing team. In 1952, his sophomore year in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's 500-Mile Race, he quickly moved up from his starting position in the middle of the third row to take the lead, and led 150 laps in dominant fashion before suffering steering failure on the 192nd of the 200 laps. He returned to win the race in consecutive years, 1953 and 1954, but was killed in a chain-reaction crash while holding a 17-second lead on the 57th lap of the 1955 event.

Vukovich was exiting the second turn, trailing three slower cars — driven by Rodger Ward, Al Keller, and Johnny Boyd — when Ward's car swerved as the result of a strong gust of wind. Keller, swerving into the infield to avoid Ward, lost control and slid back onto the track, striking Boyd's car and pushing it into Vukovich's oncoming path. Vukovich's car struck Boyd's, became airborne, and landed upside down after going over the outside backstretch retaining wall, killing him. Vukovich was the second of two not only former winners but also defending champions of the race to have died in competition, following Floyd Roberts in 1939, and the only former winner to have been killed while leading. Coincidently, Robert's car was also hurdled over the backstretch fence during his fatal accident.

As the Indianapolis 500 counted as a round of the Formula One World championship from 1950 to 1960, his career is credited with participation in 5 grands prix, with 2 wins, 19 championship points and 1 pole position scored. However, it should be noted that Indianapolis' inclusion in the championship was largely symbolic and the Indy drivers rarely entered any other Formula One races. Because of this Indy winners are often not listed in totals of Grand Prix winners and especially in statistics tables. As an example, Vukovich has an F1 winning percentage of 40%, which puts him just behind the 5-time champion Juan Manuel Fangio (47%). In percentage of lap-leader statistics in the history of Indianapolis, Vukovich holds for multiple-500-mile-race competitors a decisive record 485 laps led out of a possible 685 (70.8%).

His son, Bill Vukovich II, and his grandson, Bill Vukovich III, also competed in the Indianapolis 500, with Vukovich II taking second in 1973, and Vukovich III being named Rookie of the Year in 1988.

 *LEE PETTY LEGENDARY NASCAR DRIVER

Lee Petty  was one of the pioneers of  NASCAR  and one of its first superstars.

Lee Petty was thirty-five years old before he began racing. He began his NASCAR career at NASCAR's first race at Charlotte Speedway (not Charlotte Motor Speedway). He finished in the Top 5 in season points for NASCAR's first eleven seasons. He won the NASCAR Championship on three occasions and the inaugural Daytona 500 in 1959.

In that inaugural Daytona 500 race, Petty locked horns with Johnny Beaucamp during the final laps of the race. The finish was so close that evne though Johnny was declared the unofficial winner, it took 3 days to decide the winner. In the end, with the help of the national newsreel, Petty was officially declared the winner and cemented his place as one of stock-car racing's all time greats.

BOBBY UNSER  3 TIME INDIANAPOLIS 500 WINNER

Bobby is the brother of Al Unser and Jerry Unser, the father of Robby Unser, and the uncle of Al Unser, Jr. and Johnny Unser. Often under-rated, he was an astute and occasionally very rapid exponent of the subtle art of oval racing. He is one of seven drivers to win the Indy 500 three times and one of only two to have won the 500 in three different decades (1968, 75, 81).

Bobby was apart of one of the most controversial finishes in Indy 500 history. In lap 149, during a caution period, Bobby and Mario Andretti made their pit stop and headed back to the race, the problem was Bobby passed 8 cars during the caution, while Mario passed 2 cars himself, a subject that was heatily debated on ESPN Classic's Big Ticket episode in 2000. Unser won the race, but was stripped the next morning to the 2nd place finisher Mario Andretti, but Unser got his win back in October 1981.

Bobby was the 1975 IROC champion.

Bobby Unser won the USAC Indy car championships in 1968 and 1974. He also competed in the 1968 United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen International, driving for the BRM team.

He also drove in 3  NASCAR Grand National races from 1969 to 1973 with a best finish of fourth.

*JIMMY BRYAN  USAC NATIONAL CHAMPION

Jimmy was born in Phoenix, Arizona, Bryan died in Langhorne, Pennsylvania as a result of injuries sustained in a champ car race. He drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1952-1960 seasons with 72 starts, including each year's Indianapolis 500 race. He finished in the top ten 54 times, with 23 victories.

Bryan won the 1958 Indianapolis 500 and the 1954(AAA), 1956 and 1957(USAC) National Championship.

As the Indianapolis 500 counted as a round of the Formula One World championship from 1950 to 1960 his career is credited with participation in 9 grands prix, with 1 win, 3 podiums and 18 championship points scored. (Note that drivers who won the Indy 500 only are often not listed in totals of Grand Prix winners, as the race's inclusion in the World Championship was largely symbolic, with very few F1 drivers taking part.)

He died after a crash in a Champ car race at Langhorne Speedway in 1960, on the same day that two drivers were killed in the Belgian Grand Prix, making the day one of the most tragic in racing history.

*EDDIE SACHS SPRINT MIDGET DRIVER

Eddie Sachs was a United States Auto Club driver who was known as the "Caped Crusader of Auto Racing" and "Clown Prince of Auto Racing" for his personality at the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race.

His career included eight USAC Championship Trail wins, 25 top-five finishes in 65 career AAA and USAC starts, including the 1958 USAC Midwest Sprint Car Championship, in a career which included consecutive pole positions (1960-1961) in the Indianapolis 500, coming closest to winning the race in 1961 but falling short by one position.

Sachs and sports car driver and Indy rookie Dave MacDonald were killed on the second lap of the 1964 Indianapolis 500 in a fiery crash involving seven cars, which resulted in the USAC ban on gasoline and the switch to methanol-alcohol fuel.

*TONY BETTENHAUSEN AAA NATIONAL CHAMPION

Tony  won the National Championship in 1951 and 1958. He is a member of numerous Halls of Fame.

He was born in Tinley Park, Illinois. He was nicknamed the "Tinley Park Express" in honor of his hometown.He was nicknamed "Tunney" after heavyweight boxing champion Gene Tunney. "Tunney" later became "Tony." 

Bettenhausen was part of the "Chicago Gang" with Duke Nalon. They toured tracks in the Midwest and East Coast of the United States.

He drove in the AAA and USCAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1941 and 1946-1961 seasons with 121 starts, including 14 in the Indianapolis 500. He finished in the top ten 74 times, with 21 victories.

He won the track championship at the Milwaukee Mile in 1942, 1946, and 1947. He was the Chicago Raceway Park champion in 1941, 1942, and 1947.

He won the 1959 Turkey Night Classic, and the Hut Hundred in 1955 and 1956.

He won the National Championship in 1951 after recording eight victories and two second place finishes in fourteen events. He announced his retirement from all racing but the Indianapolis 500 after the season. He decided to return full-time for the 1954 season. He was involved in a midget car wreck in Chicago. He suffered head injuries after striking a concrete wall. He was in critical condition for several days. 

In 1958 he became the only driver to win the national championship without a win. He was assured the title with a second place finish at Phoenix. He finished second in the national championship to Rodger Ward in 1959.

Bettenhausen was killed in 1961 in a crash at Indianapolis while testing a car for Paul Russo.

As the Indianapolis 500 counted as a round of the Formula One World championship from 1950 to 1960 his career is credited with participation in 11 grands prix, with 1 podium and 10 championship points scored.

*MAURI ROSE 3 TIME INDIANAPOLIS 500 WINNER

Mauri was born in Columbus, Ohio.

He started from the pole position driving a  Maserati in the 1941 Indianapolis 500, but spark plug problems put him out of the race after sixty laps. He then took over the Wetteroth/Offenhauser car being driven by Floyd Davis that had started in 17th place and won the race. In 1947 and 1948, Rose captured back-to-back Indy 500's driving a Deidt/Offenhauser

Mauri Rose made his fifteenth and final Indianapolis 500 start in the 1951 race which that year was part of the Formula One circuit. Knocked out from an accident after 126 laps, the forty-five-year-old Rose retired to a home in California. For the 1967 race, officials of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway invited him to drive the Chevrolet Camaro Pace Car.

While his career in racing was filled with success, Rose considered his most important accomplishment to be his invention of a device that made it possible for amputees to drive an automobile.

CHRIS ECONOMAKI SPEED SPORT NEWS FOUNDER AND PUBLISHER

CHRIS ECONOMAKI is a legendary American motorsports commentator, pit road reporter, and journalist. Chris Economaki has been given the title "The Dean of American Motorsports.

Economaki was born in Brooklyn, New York. Economaki’s father was a Greek immigrant and his mother a great-niece of Robert E. Lee. He saw his first race at age 9 at the board track in Atlantic City. He was immediately hooked on the sport. He once attempted driving a midget car at a cinder track in Pennsylvania. "It wasn’t for me," says Economaki. "It was a really frightening experience. That was the first and last time I drove in competition

He started his career at age 13 selling copies of National Speed Sport News newspapers. He wrote his first column at age 14 for the National Auto Racing News. Economaki became the editor of the National Speed Sport News in 1950. He began writing a column called "The Editor’s Notebook", which he continues to write over fifty years later. He eventually became owner, publisher, and editor of the National Speed Sport News. His daughter Corinne Economaki is the current publisher. The newspaper is considered "America’s Weekly Motorsports Authority".

He has co-written an autobiography called Let 'Em All Go: The Story of Auto Racing by the Man who was there.

SHIRLEY MULDOWNEY NHRA LEGEND 1ST WOMAN TO WIN MAJOR EVENT

SHIRLEY MULDOWNEY the "First Lady of Drag Racing" was the first woman to receive a licence to drive a top fuel dragster by the NHRA. She won the NHRA Top Fuel championship in 1977 in 1980 and 1982. After a crash in 1984 she was sidelined for a long period but returned to the circuit in the late 1980s. She continued to race, mostly without major sponsorship, throughout the 1990s in IHRA competition as well as match-racing events. She returned to the NHRA towards the end of her career, running select events until her retirement at the end of 2003.

Muldowney's success came in the face of enormous opposition from those who felt drag racing was no place for women. Don Garlits, the "Big Daddy" of drag racing, has said about her:

Muldowney was described by longtime drag racer Fred Farndon as the "best 'natural' driver (top fuel or funny car), no question".

She was nicknamed "Cha-Cha" - a name chosen by car owner and then boyfriend Connie Kalitta. She later dropped the moniker, stating: "There is no room for  bimbosim in drag racing."

Shirley Muldowney is married to Rahn Tobler, who was her crew chief. After Muldowney's retirement, Tobler became crew chief for the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster of Doug Kalitta Connie Kalitta's nephew.

DON PRUDHOMME NHRA DRIVER

Don 'Snake' Prudhomme is an American dragster racer, who won the NHRA funny car championship four times in a thirty-five-year career. He was the first funny car driver to exceed 250 mph. He retired in 1994 to manage his own racing team. With driver Larry Dixon, Prudhomme's team won the top fuel championship in 2002 and 2003. Known for his yellow 1970 Plymouth Barracuda in which he raced rival driver Tom " Mongoose" McEwen in his red 1970 Plymouth Duster, later both drivers gained more attention from the Hot Wheels versions that were released in 1970. Hot Wheel celebrated their 35th anniversery in 2003 with a two day event.

STEVE KINSER 17 TIME WoO CHAMPION " KING OF THE SPRINTS"

Steve is a professional sprint car racer. He has won 20 championships in the World of Outlaws (WoO) series, and currently drives the #11 Quaker State car. Kinser left the World of Outlaws in 2006 to compete with the new National Sprint Tour series.

Steve also finished 14th in the 1997 Indianapolis 500. He has been a perennial competitor in IROC winning a race at Talladega Superspeedway in 1994. He also finished a career best 6th in IROC points in 1994.

He began the 1995 season as a full-time NASCAR Winston Cup driver for Kenny Bernstein, but he was released after only five starts after a best finish of 27th and average finish of 35th.

GEORGE BIGNOTTI 7 TIME INDIANAPOLIS 500 WINNER CHIEF MECHANIC

A. J. Foyt won 27 races in cars prepared by Bignotti while other drivers who scored wins for him included Al Unser, Gordon Johncock, Tom Sneva, Joe Leonard, Wally Dallenbach, Rodger Ward, Graham Hill and Jud Larson.

George also holds the record for most victories for a chief mechanic in the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race - seven! His cars won in 1961, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1971, 1973, and 1983 driven by Foyt, Hill, Unser, Johncock and Sneva.

He started as a race car owner in the San Francisco area and in 1954 made his debut as a crew member at Indianapolis.

In 1956, teaming with co-car owner Bob Bowes, he scored his first Indy Car win in the 100-miler at the Arizona State Fairgrounds in Phoenix. I he driver was Jud Larson.

A. J. Foyt joined the team in 1960 and USAC National Championships ensued, both in 1960 and 1961. A. J. also grabbed the Indianapolis 500 in 1961, but in the summer of 1962 they decided to part company. Reforming as a team before the end of the year, they immediately stormed back to the winners circle and ended up second in the point standings. Piling up 27 victories in just five seasons, they again claimed the USA National Championshi