More Pro-Am Entries for SVRA Brickyard Invitational

“INDY LEGENDS” PRO-AM FIELD NEARLY FULL

Twenty-One Indianapolis 500 Veterans in Special Feature

Southlake, TX (May 13, 2014) – The field of Indianapolis 500 Mile Race veterans for the June 8 Sportscar Vintage Racing Association’s (SVRA) “Indy Legends Pro-Am” race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) has nearly reached its promised 24 entries with the addition of four more great names. Jaques Lazier, Robby McGehee, Scott Harrington and Jack Miller are all set to return to competition at IMS. They join an impressive field of previously announced Indianapolis 500 veterans in this special feature of the SVRA’s June 6 – 8 “Brickyard Invitational” vintage race weekend.

The SVRA, America’s premier vintage racing organization, is creating a return to competition for the famous drivers with a 40 minute race of American muscle cars on the Speedway’s 2.43-mile Grand Prix road course. The cars for the Pro-Am will be 1967 to 1972 vintage Corvettes, Camaros and Mustangs of “Group 6,” with an engine displacement limit of 355 cubic inches.  The Indianapolis 500 veterans will be paired with amateur drivers, each taking a 20-minute stint. Five minutes will be allotted for driver change.

The four latest entries join 17 others previously announced: Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr., 1992 Rookie-of-the-Year Lyn St. James, Willy T. Ribbs, Mark Dismore, Geoff Brabham, Alex Lloyd, Johnny Parsons Jr., Davey Hamilton, Robby Unser, Pete Halsmer, Rocky Moran, Eliseo Salazar, Dick Simon, Rick Treadway, Spike Gehlhausen, Billy Roe and John Hollansworth. Parnelli Jones, who won the 1963 Indianapolis 500, will pace the field as part of his duties as Brickyard Invitational Grand Marshal. Bobby Unser was recently announced as the leader of the Brickyard Invitational high-speed oval experience.

Jaques Lazier is a six-time starter of the Indianapolis 500 and holds the distinction of being the race’s most recent relief driver when he filled in for Robby Gordon who had to depart for Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte after rain delays in 2004. Lazier, the brother of 1996 Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Lazier, drove for a number of top teams during his Indy car career including Target-Chip Ganassi, A.J. Foyt Enterprises, Sam Schmidt Motorsports and Team Menard. He won the Chicagoland Speedway Indy car race in 2001 for Menard. 

McGehee, a five-time starter in the Indianapolis 500, won the race’s 1999 Rookie-of-the-Year trophy.  Harrington began his motorsports career on two wheels earning success in both AMA Motocross and Supercross. He transitioned to four wheels racing in Formula Atlantic and SCCA Can-Am, where he won the 1992 series championship. He earned a starting spot in the 1996 Indianapolis 500 and later won the Rookie-of-the-Year award for the series in 1999, his first year running the full season. Jack Miller, also known as the “Racing Dentist” because he is a practicing dentist, competed in three Indianapolis 500s from 1997 through 1999 as well as five seasons in the Indy Racing League and five more in Indy Lights.

“The interest in our Brickyard Invitational and our feature ‘Indy Legends’ Pro-Am is so rewarding,” said SVRA President and CEO Tony Parella. “While the Pro-Am continues to exceed expectations and we will have more announcements so look for news about the cars and drivers of the other road races and the oval experience as well. I think fans are going to be surprised and delighted.”

The “Brickyard Invitational” weekend promises to be the largest gathering of race cars that has ever been assembled for competition in America. The SVRA has 11 groups of cars spanning 100 years of vintage machines and all will be in action at IMS.  The exciting array of entries include exquisite examples of select pre-war machines, classic sports cars, Formula One and endurance prototypes as current as 2009. The storied 2.5-mile oval will be utilized as well with high-speed exhibition runs by a wide variety of cars including several of the crowd-favorite 1950’s-vintage Indianapolis 500 “roadsters.” Race fans can enjoy every minute of the action by taking advantage of overnight camping inside the Speedway.

The Pro-Am cars and drivers will also participate in a Fan Walk through the starting grid prior to the opening ceremonies allowing fans to see the cars up close, take photos and chat with the drivers. Driver pairings and starting positions will be determined by a lottery. Entries to this event will be limited and all entry fees will be donated to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum Foundation.  

 Brickyard Invitational ticket information: A three-day general admission pass including Friday, June 6 through Sunday, June 8 costs $40. Single day general admission tickets are $15 on Friday, June 6, $20 on Saturday, June 7 and $25 on Sunday, June 8. Children 12 and under are admitted free each day when accompanied by an adult. Existing ticket customers to any 2014 IMS event are eligible to receive discounted general admission three-day passes for $30 until May 1 (save $10). Tent camping passes in Turn 3 of the IMS infield are available beginning Thursday afternoon, June 5 for $30, with RV camping available in the Northwest gravel lot for $60.  Fans can order Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational tickets at www.ims.com/tickets, by calling 800-822-INDY or 317-492-6700 between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday through Friday or by visiting the IMS Ticket Office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday through Friday. Tickets for groups of 20 or more also are available. Contact the IMS Group Sales Department at (866) 221-8775 for more information.

 About SVRA - The Sportscar Vintage Racing Association is the premier and only national vintage racing organization in the United States. Founded in 1981 by Ford Heacock III the SVRA has 1,500 members. It sanctions a 14 event meet schedule at some of the finest racing venues in the United States, including: the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sebring, Road America, Watkins Glen International, California Speedway, Homestead Miami Speedway, Pocono Raceway and the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The rapidly growing organization hosted the first U.S. Vintage Racing National Championships at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas in 2013. Further information on SVRA, a complete schedule for the weekend, and an entry list can be found on the SVRA website, http://www.svra.com. Also be sure to check our Facebook page and YouTube channel, SVRA.com, which currently boasts a library of over 50 action packed vintage racing videos and driver profiles.

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