Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti unveiled the artwork for the 2013 Indianapolis 500 ticket during a 500 Festival Corporate Members event Feb. 25 in downtown Indianapolis.
Every 2013 Indianapolis 500 reserved seat ticket will show a smiling Franchitti wearing the traditional winner’s wreath after his victory in 2012 and the 2013 Indianapolis 500 event logo. Indianapolis 500 tickets traditionally honor and feature the previous year’s champion.
But the sample ticket on display at the ceremony at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick History Center also featured the seat location of longtime fan George “Butch” Welsch, who has been attending the Indianapolis 500 for more than 60 years. Welsch, from St. Louis, won an Indianapolis Motor Speedway contest that determined which Indianapolis 500 seat location would appear on the ticket unveiled by Franchitti.
Fans were encouraged to shoot video of themselves explaining why they should be the lucky fan to have their seat featured.
Welsch is the only person to sit in Paddock Penthouse, Box 12, Row A, Seat 1 for the Indianapolis 500 since that seat was first available in 1961. The 97th Indianapolis 500, scheduled for Sunday, May 26, will mark the 53rd time that Welsch has watched the world’s most famous and prestigious auto race in that seat.
“When I saw information about this contest, I thought I could enter and that there weren’t going to probably be many people who would have a better story to tell than I did,” Welsch said. “This is a really neat thing for the Speedway to do, and not just because it’s mine, but because there’s so many family traditions at the Speedway.”
Franchitti’s thrilling victory in 2012 in a Target Chip Ganassi Racing machine placed him in elite company as one of only 10 drivers to win the Indianapolis 500 at least three times. He also won in 2007 and 2010. Franchitti and fellow three-time winner Helio Castroneves will attempt to become just the fourth four-time winner this May.
“I’m very proud to have won the 2012 Indianapolis 500,” Franchitti said. “A one-two finish with my teammate Scott Dixon was a fantastic result for all of us at Team Target. Winning my third Indianapolis 500 was very special and coming back to Indianapolis to unveil this year’s ticket is always fun.”
Source: Indianapolis Motor Speedway • Photo by: Chris Jones
despite the fact that each year’s ticket is of little difference from the previous year’s, only the driver, usually, and the number of fingers held up. Be it Bill Holland or Jimmy Clark or Dario, they are the same but no, no they are not really the same. Each holds its own uniqueness of the year before and that year’s winner. Be it Dario this year, or Dan Wheldon last year, each is totally different despite the similarities. One is tragically gone, while the other, Dario, is luckily, still with us and ready to add a 4th to his list of Indy wins. Both Hall of Fame drivers. Both among the all time greats on anyone’s list or risk presenting a totally invalid list. But each year the Indianapolis Motor Speedway can turn out a new ticket with so little change from the previous year’s as to defy finding it and yet it maintains its class, style, unique individuality distinctive of IMS just as Yankee Stadium is too baseball or Fenway Park, or perhaps some other venues that I have yet to attend and I’m afraid time has ran out on the opportunity to do so. But the colorful ticket, bright, dignified, distinguished and well wrapped for its protection and designed to be that way as a collectors piece of history. For its protection the fan is not expected to produce the ticket 10 times a day risking damage to it each time it is handled. The Yellow Shirts, what we call the grounds workers who may need some sort of proof for some reason or other, respect that and alternatives are built in. And don’t even try faking one in to watch the race. Been there, done that before and Gray Lady at 16th and Georgetown wins every time or enough to not matter for the few who may get a wink, a nod, in goes a few 10 year olds in 1958 or 2010. And as far as counterfeit for goes, every 10-15 years someone tries that investing about $4-6 million in some scam. Take a hard look at those photos and art work. If you could hold it in your hands you’d see some things that would make it nearly impossible to replicate and inside it are other trinkets that do make it impossible. The last big one I recall was 1978. They lost. It was amazing all the frauds they were hit with. Bank, post office, counterfeiting, off shore banking with false accounts, it was amazing and the so were the sentences. So, yes, it is a beautiful item but the history behind it is more amazing. But I’ll take the cash please. And you, Dario?