By Eric Powell
indianapolismotorspeedway.com
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway public address announcer Tom Carnegie was honored by the city of Indianapolis with "Tom Carnegie Day" on Friday, Aug. 4.
Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson dedicated the day to Carnegie for his incredible 61-year career as the lead public address announcer at the world-famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Carnegie called every Indianapolis 500-Mile Race from 1946 to 2006, plus the 12 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard events from 1994-2005 and the United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis from 2000-2005.
Carnegie was honored Aug. 4 with a special dinner program at the restaurant Dawson's on Main Street in Speedway, Ind., where fellow longtime IMS Public Address team member Kim Nicely read Peterson's official proclamation, along with a letter of congratulations from United States Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana.
Carnegie also was presented two mementos that are dear to him: a drawing of the wooden, pagoda-style IMS Control Tower that stood alongside the main straightaway from 1926-56, during Carnegie's formative years as lead public address announcer. Artist Bob Huey created the piece.
The border of the framed drawing contained signatures of the IMS Public Address team, along with the autograph of 2006 Indianapolis 500 winner Sam Hornish Jr., his Marlboro Team Penske teammate and two-time "500" winner Helio Castroneves, and their team owner, Roger Penske, who has won a record 14 Indianapolis 500s as a team owner.
Bruce Bartlett, of the audio hardware manufacturer Crown International, presented Carnegie with a plaque and Crown CM-310A microphone engraved with Carnegie's name. Carnegie used that model microphone to call every Indianapolis Motor Speedway event since 1988.
In addition to the IMS Public Address crew, Carnegie's wife of 63 years, D.J., joined the group for the celebration.
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IMS tickets: To purchase tickets, camping or parking for the Indianapolis 500 or Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, contact the IMS ticket office at (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area, (317) 492-6700 locally or log on to www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com.
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