George Mack understood he was going to generate more attention than the average rookie driver in 2002. But he also knew the color of his skin wouldn't be any more important than the color of his helmet when the green flag drops.

As INDYCAR celebrates Black History Month in February, we are honored to revisit some of the great moments of the sport. In 2002, an upstart karting champion with more than 200 wins to his credit across two continents was presented the opportunity of a lifetime - a top-level drive in the Indy Racing League, even if it was with a new team that might have been considered underfunded against the top teams. George Mack stepped out of the karts, and proved he was more than worthy of his spot on the grid, making his series debut at the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway. Our Classic Rewind this week returns us to that race - the 2002 Grand Prix of Miami.