Five-time NTT IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon and his wife, Emma Davies-Dixon, have been named official honorary co-chairs of the 2019 IndyHumane Mutt Strut fundraiser that takes place Saturday, April 27 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The 16th annual Mutt Strut offers the opportunity for some 4,000 people and their dogs to walk the iconic 2.5-mile IMS oval, kiss the yard of bricks at the start/finish line and enjoy a fun day of activities to raise funds that support IndyHumane. The event runs from 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. ET on April 27. Registration is open now at www.indymuttstrut.org.
“We’re just excited to support IndyHumane and the important work they do for animals in this area,” said Dixon. “I’ve been in Indy almost 20 years now and it’s important that our family supports the local community. We are all huge animal lovers – we have two dogs, George and Arthur, and we bring them everywhere. My wife, Emma, and the girls (daughters Poppy and Tilly) also have a horse (Otis) that they take care of nearly every single day.
On top of that, this is the ‘Greatest Spectacle in Dog Walking,’ right? How could you say no to that!”
PNC Bank, which sponsors the No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda that Dixon drives in NTT IndyCar Series competition, will also join Mutt Strut as a sponsor.
The Mutt Strut is the region’s largest pet walk and IndyHumane’s largest fundraiser. The goal is for each participant to raise $100, which helps the organization take in animals, provide medical care and find cats and dogs their forever home.
Wheldon, Jenkins elected to IMS Hall of Fame
Two beloved figures in Indianapolis Motor Speedway history have been elected to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame: two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon and longtime motorsports radio and television personality Bob Jenkins.
The two were chosen from a ballot of 14 nominees by a distinguished panel of more than 140 auto racing journalists, participants and historians. Wheldon and Jenkins will be formally inducted into the elite group Thursday, May 23 at the 2019 IMS Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Indianapolis 500 Oldtimers Dinner, presented by Firestone, at the Indianapolis Downtown Marriott.
Wheldon was a favorite with fans and in the paddock, and he was equally successful on the track. The Englishman earned 16 wins in 128 career NTT IndyCar Series starts, including the 2005 and 2011 Indianapolis 500s. He also earned the 2005 NTT IndyCar Series championship. Wheldon tragically lost his life in a crash during the season-ending race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Oct. 16, 2011.
Jenkins, who was born in Richmond, Indiana, and grew up in nearby Liberty, has been a familiar face and voice on national motorsports coverage since 1979, when he was one of the first on-air employees of a new cable sports network, ESPN. He was the anchor for ESPN’s weekly “Thunder” series national broadcasts of USAC Sprint and Midget races all over the Midwest. Jenkins also anchored hundreds of NASCAR broadcasts, forming a popular team with former drivers Benny Parsons and Ned Jarrett, on ESPN and ABC from 1979 until 2000.
After several years as a reporter for the IMS Radio Network, Jenkins was the “Voice of the 500,” serving as chief announcer for the global broadcast of the race, from 1990-98. Jenkins later anchored NTT IndyCar Series broadcasts and retired as an anchor in 2012. He continues to lend his voice to the IMS public address system during events.
“We’re extremely pleased that the IMS Hall of Fame voting panel have chosen Dan and Bob to be enshrined with so many legends of motorsport,” said Tony George, president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation, which operates the IMS Museum. “Both of these men have never been shy about their love for IMS. Dan was more than a great father, husband, son and friend – we celebrate the man he was and his enthusiasm for life.
“Bob has brought to life some of the most memorable moments in IMS history – the closest 500 finish in 1992 and Jeff Gordon’s victory at the inaugural Brickyard 400 immediately come to mind. His contributions to the speedway are many.”
Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix unveils commemorative poster winner
The official commemorative poster of the 2019 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear was selected from five designs created by the talented students at Detroit’s College for Creative Studies. The entry created by student Allie Fedak was chosen as the winning poster design following a comprehensive judging process on the CCS campus. The design will be featured during the upcoming Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, which includes the only doubleheader race weekend on the NTT IndyCar Series schedule, May 31-June 2 on Belle Isle.
The 2019 design competition marked the seventh consecutive year that the grand prix has worked with CCS and its students to create the official poster.
“The beauty of what these students at CCS create every year in this competition is amazing,” said Bud Denker, chairman of the grand prix. “We had five great designs we saw today and it was hard to choose one of them, but Allie is our winner and she is going to be a great ambassador with her excitement and enthusiasm. She brings that with her poster design as well, which is all about celebration and the spirit of the grand prix.”
Fedak is a junior at CCS who is from Canton, Mich. Her design features an amalgamation of the various cars that have raced at the grand prix over the years in front of the iconic Scott Fountain on Belle Isle.
“I wanted to create the most ideal celebration of the grand prix possible with the car crossing the finish line,” she said, “and also in the winner’s circle with everyone holding up their trophies triumphantly with the historic Scott Fountain restored and shooting out water and looking absolutely beautiful.”
Tickets for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix are available at DetroitGP.com.