Hoosier Hundred At Indiana State Fairgrounds Coming This Thursday

*Third Generation Drivers Make Mark in Hoosier Hundred at Indiana State
Fairgrounds*



By Jay Hardin Track Enterprises Staff



(May 18, 2016)-Indianapolis, IN-A historic racing venue in existence for
113 years and a historic motor race held on the same facility for the last
63 years are bound to produce competitors with family ties. Such is the
case for the Hoosier Hundred held at the Indiana State Fairgrounds as third
generation racing drivers are beginning to make names for themselves in a
series whose ancestry dates back to the very beginning of motor sports, the
USAC Silver Crown Series.



The long-wheelbase championship dirt cars of the Silver Crown Series have a
heritage that dates back to the earliest times of national championship
racing and the open cockpit, single seat front-engine cars once were the
featured attraction at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  Given a separate
series from the national championship in 1971 the cars quickly gained their
own identity with second generation drivers like Gary Bettenhausen and
Pancho Carter becoming champions in the Silver Crown machines.



Looking at the record books it appears that the first third-generation
driver (whose grandfather made at least one championship start) to appear
in a Hoosier Hundred was the grandson of two-time Indy 500 winner Bill
Vukovich.  Young Billy III, whose dad Bill Jr. was a series regular, made
the September 100-miler and finished 27th driving for legendary chief
wrench A.J. Watson.  Ironically nearly four months prior Billy had become
the first third-generation driver to start in the Indianapolis 500.
However, grandfather Bill never made a championship start on the Indiana
State Fair mile prior to his 1955 Indy 500 accident.



So, who was the first third generation driver to make a Hoosier Hundred
lineup whose grandfather also started the historic event?  Well, on
September 28, 2001 the grandson of six-time Hoosier Hundred winner A.J.
Foyt, A.J. IV started the night 19th in his grandpa’s famous number 14 and
finished the race in 28th.



May of 2002 saw the second grandson of a Hoosier Hundred starter, Dane
Carter, grandson of Duane Carter (10th in 1953) and son of Pancho Carter
(1977 winner) started 30th and finished 20th.  Brother Cole would follow
suit in 2006.



2014 saw two famous name third generation pilots on the entry list, Jarrett
Andretti joined dad John as Hoosier Hundred starters, while uncle Mario won
the race twice grandpa Aldo never made the starting field.  Joe Ligouri’s
grandpa Ralph is perhaps best remembered for a second place run behind Al
Unser in 1970.  Last year Austin Nemire joined grandpa Jerry and
grandfather-grandson starters in the legendary Hoosier Hundred.



Nemire and Ligouri are expected to return along with 30 other pilots in the
2016 Hoosier Hundred set for May 26 on the “Track of Champions�?? at the
Indiana State Fairgrounds.