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Hulman-George Era Reaches All-Time High
Indianapolis, Indiana - Monday, November 14, 2005

By: TRP
Staff

What is undisputedly the “Greatest Race-Course in the World,” the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, recently celebrated a major worldwide milestone.
Monday, November 14, 2005, marked the sixtieth anniversary of the purchase of IMS, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, by Anton “Tony” Hulman from World War I flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker. The sale to Hulman in 1945 made him just the third owner of IMS.

Anton "Tony\" Hulman Jr., who started the Hulman-George era at the Speedway when he purchased the track from World War I flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker on November 14, 1945

On November 14, 1945, Terre Haute, Indiana, businessman, Anton “Tony” Hulman purchased the famed but rundown two and one-half-mile racetrack, located three miles from downtown Indianapolis at the urging of driver Wilbur Shaw, who won three of the last five 500-Mile Races held there before the United States entered World War II.
The facilities were in deplorable condition after four years of deterioration during World War II, so a long-range program of improvements was launched immediately. The old wooden grandstands were replaced with steel and concrete structures as rapidly as possible in following years.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway was in a state of disrepair
when Tony Hulman purchased it in November 1945

    After sixty consecutive years, the Speedway remains under family, Hulman-George, control, with chairman of the Board, Mari Hulman George, Hulman's daughter, and Speedway President and CEO, Anton Hulman “Tony” George, his grandson.
    Anton “Tony” Hulman obtained control of IMS for $750,000, appointing Wilbur Shaw as President and General Manager. Shaw would later popularize the tradition of announcing, "Gentlemen, Start Your Engines" to start the Indy-500.
    History was made in Indianapolis with the first ever ‘live local’ television broadcast on WFBM-TV, Channel 6, when it aired a documentary about the race entitled "The Crucible of Speed" and then televised the entire Indianapolis 500 ‘live.’
    Many other improvements have occurred through the years at IMS including; a new Master Control Tower in 1956, and a new Terrace and Pit Area in 1957 before the Indy 500.
    Some other highlights of the sixty-year rein of the Hulman-George family include:
   A.J. Foyt Jr. won his first of four Indy 500 victories as a driver after he took the lead from Eddie Sachs on Lap 197. A.J. went on to become the first four-time Indy 500 winner with victories in 1961, 1964, 1967 and 1977.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Anton “Tony” Hulman, left, and A.J. Foyt ride in the Pace Car after Foyt earned his fourth Indianapolis 500 victory in 1977. This was Mr. Hulman's last 500, as he passed away in October 19777

    “They had an impact on the whole world of motorsports, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.” said A.J. “When I was sleeping in the back seat of cars early in my career, they gave me a place to sleep. It is hard to forget things like that, but that’s just the way the family is. Mr. Hulman, I just admired him for what he did through the years.”
    Two other drivers would accomplish this feat in the years to come: Al Unser Sr. also won in 1970, 1971, 1978, and 1987 while Rick Mears was victorious in 1979, 1984 1988, and 1991.
    Roger Penske, Chairman of Penske Racing, and owner of a record thirteen Indianapolis 500 victories said, “Anton “Tony” Hulman was someone I got to know during my early stages at the Speedway. He reached out for me and said how much he appreciated Penske Racing coming to the Speedway. One thing that stands out with Mr. Hulman is that he was genuinely interested in our success and, I believe, the success of all the competitors.”
   In October, the remaining bricks on the front straightaway were covered with asphalt. The entire track was resurfaced in 1976 with asphalt, marking the first complete repaving since paving bricks were laid in late 1909. A 36-inch strip of the original bricks, “Yard of Bricks” was kept intact at the start/finish line, where it remains today.
    On May 14, 1977, Tom Sneva turned the first official 200-mph laps at the Speedway during qualifications to claim the pole.
    `Janet Guthrie became the first female to qualify for the Indy 500. May 22, 1977.
    “Tony’s saving of the Speedway after World War II,” said Guthrie, “is widely known and was a key element in the development of American motorsports. The positioning of the Indianapolis 500 has made many people think of it as the only race. I was very privileged to have met Tony in 1976.
   Anton “Tony” Hulman passed away on October 27, 1977, after 32 years of presiding over the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His family took on the responsibility of preserving his vision and the heritage of the Speedway. Hulman's wife, Mary Fendrich Hulman, became Chairman of the Board.
    A new garage area complex was built in 1986, which includes 96 individual garages for race teams and new accessory rooms accommodating up to 25 participating companies.
    Bobby Rahal became the first driver to complete the Indy 500 in less than three hours in 1986. The Indy 500 was broadcast live on ABC for the first time that year. The first ever tape-delayed broadcast of the Indy 500 was televised nationally on ABC in 1965.
    Mary Fendrich Hulman was named Chairman of the Board Emeritus in 1988 with her daughter, Mari Hulman George, named Chairman of the Board.
    Anton Hulman "Tony" George, grandson of Anton Tony Hulman, was named President of the Speedway on Jan. 8, 1990.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway President and CEO Anton Hulman “Tony” George, who has brought NASCAR and Formula One to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and led a massive renovation project of the facility since he was named to his position in January 1990

    On May 24, 1992, Al Unser Jr. beat Scott Goodyear in the closest race in Indy 500 history. The margin of victory was 0.043 of a second.
    IMS President Anton Human “Tony” George and NASCAR President Bill France Jr. announced in a press conference on April 14, 1993, at the Hall of Fame Museum that the inaugural NASCAR Allstate 400 at the Brickyard would take place on August 6, 1994. The inaugural NASCAR Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, held on August 6, 1994, was won by Hoosier Jeff Gordon.
    Major renovations began at the speedway in 1994 as Victory Lane was transformed into a circular, rotating lift in the Tower Terrace horseshoe, and a new, 97-foot-tall scoring pylon with modern electronics replaced the pylon that marked the main straightaway since 1959. In addition to track renovations, the new Indianapolis Motor Speedway Administrative Office was completed to house most IMS offices.|
    On March 11, 1994, Anton Hulman “Tony” George, President of IMS, announced plans for a new racing series, titled the IRL, Indy Racing League, to begin competition in 1996. The Indy 500 to be its cornerstone event.
    Arie Luyendyk established the one-lap qualifying record of 237.498 mph and the four-lap record of 236.986 mph in 1996. Buddy Lazier went on to win the race and became the first driver to win the Indy 500 under the IRL flag.
    Plans were announced on September 7, 1997, to build a new Control Tower that would resemble the historic Pagoda structures that stood at the track from 1913-1956. The Bombardier Pagoda was completed in time for the 2000 Indianapolis 500.
    Mark Martin won the inaugural 40-lap "IROC at Indy" International Race of Champions event on July 31, 1998. Jeff Gordon won his second Allstate 400 at the Brickyard the next day.
    Plans were announced for IMS to host the United States Grand Prix Formula One on December 2, 1998, starting in 2000. Preparations began on the development of a 2.606-mile road course and 36 pit-side garages for the Formula One teams. Michael Schumacher won the inaugural United States Grand Prix Formula One race at Indianapolis, on September 24, before an estimated 225,000 race fans.
    “Certainly, what they’ve done over the years for motorsport, Indianapolis is a worldwide name people know exactly what it’s about. That’s the very reason we tried to do something with Tony in the first place. That’s what I’ve been happy about, is the effort they’ve made. Not only for us, but for everything that goes on there.” said Bernie Eccleston, CEO, Formula One Management Ltd: “The Hulman-George family are really, really dedicated to motorsport. It means that we have got a home in the USA.”
    Hoosier native, Tony Stewart, has many credentials to back-up his statements. Tony’s the owner of Eldora Speedway, he’s the 1996 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, 1997 IndyCar Series Champion, 2005 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard winner, 2002 NASCAR champion, and at this writing, close to winning second NASCAR Nextel Championship.
    “To see the history of auto racing and know the Hulman-George family’s name, you know how influential they’ve been in auto racing through years. Bringing NASCAR to a worldwide facility like Indy and bringing Formula One back to the United States and bringing them to a premier facility like Indy while still being able to keep the atmosphere of IMS and the history and the heritage of the Indy 500, that’s been a huge chore. Any time you can get a family like the Hulman-George’s that's been involved in racing for so long and be able to do the things that they've done, you really have to stop and take your hat off to them and recognize their accomplishments in what they've been able to do.”

Anton “Tony” Hulman (left) and his grandson, IMS President and CEO Anton Hulman “Tony” George
Anton Hulman “Tony” George refers to his grandfather as “pappa.”

My feeling for the Hulman-George family and the Speedway are well known. I’ve been going there for forty-four years and have had the great pleasure of knowing both Anton “Tony” Hulman and Anton Hulman “Tony” George.