Club Notes

Congratulations to Scott Dixon on winning the 2003 Indy Racing League championship. Also, congratulations to Helio Castroneves (Gateway & Nazareth), Sam Hornish (Kentucky, Joliet & Fontana) and Gil de Ferran (Texas) on their recent Indy Racing League victories.
Best wishes for future success go to Gil de Ferran on his retirement from IRL competition.
Also, best wishes to Kenny Brack for a rapid recovery from injuries received in an accident during the recent race at Texas Motor Speedway and to Al Unser Jr. who was injured in an all-terrain vehicle accident on October 19 in Chama, New Mexico.
I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season.

Racing Fraternity Deaths

IRL IndyCar Series driver Tony Renna was injured fatally in a crash during Firestone tire testing on October 22 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Renna, 26, from DeLand, Florida, lost control and crashed in Turn 3. He had been clocked at 227 mph just prior to the accident.
Renna was making his debut with Chip Ganassi Racing during the test. Prior to that Renna had driven for Kelley Racing since May 2002. He competed in seven IndyCar Series races with Kelley Racing, scoring five top 10 finishes, including a career best fourth place at Michigan in 2002.
He started eighth and finished seventh as a rookie in the 2003 Indianapolis 500.

Cards and letters of sympathy may be sent to:
Target Chip Ganassi Racing
7777 Woodland Drive
Indianapolis, IN 46278

Memorial Fund contributions can be sent to:
Tony Renna Memorial Fund
c/o The Prappas Company
9201 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 204
Beverly Hills, CA 90201
For further information, call 310-278-1160, ext.108

Former driver Johnny Boyd passed away on October 26 at his home in Fresno, CA after a long illness. He was 77 years old. Johnny drove in the Indianapolis 500 every year from 1955 through 1966. He had five top ten finishes at Indiananpolis, including a third place in 1958, fifth in 1964, sixth in '57 and '59 and tenth in '62. He retired from racing in 1967.
Johnny was elected to the Fresno Hall of Fame in 1966, was the first inductee into the Bay Cities Racing Association Hall of Fame and a member of the Kongs Speedway and Motor Sports Press Association Halls of Fame. He was awarded the prestigious 500 Oldtimers Club Louie Meyer Award for service to racing at the 2003 annual 500 Oldtimers /Hall of Fame banquet.
The family requests that remembrances be sent to the 500 Oldtimers Club, c/o Jack Martin, 45 Woodview Drive, Pittsboro, IN 46167-9503.

Hall of Fame Adds Five

NASCAR chairman Bill France, Jr., heads a diverse list of five people selected for induction into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in Talladega, Alabama.

France replaced his father at NASCAR’s helm in 1972 and steered it from a regional into a national sport. He turned over control to his son, Brian France, this year.

Joining him in the class of 2004 are 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, drag racing champion Shirley Muldowney, NASCAR great Red Farmer and Unlimited Hydroplane record-setter Bill Muncey.

Rahal won three CART titles and 24 races before retiring in 1998. He remains active as a team owner. Muldowney, a three-time NHRA Top Fuel champion, makes what she says will be her final start the weekend of November 8-9 at Pomona. Farmer is a member of the famed “Alabama Gang” who won four NASCAR touring titles and remains active as a dirt track racer at age 75. Muncey won 62 races and seven championships before being killed in a race crash in 1982 at age 52.

Formal induction ceremonies are April 22. The five newcomers bring the Hall of Fame membership to 106.