INDIANAPOLIS 500 (INDIANAPOLIS) - OPENING DAY FEATURES FOYT, FOOD, LEGENDS ON AND OFF TRACK

The name says it all: A.J. Foyt Opening Day presented by The Indianapolis Star, on Sunday, May 6 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, will honor Foyt – the first four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 and an American sports icon – for his 50th consecutive year of competition at IMS.

The honors and accolades on Opening Day will be reserved for Foyt, but fans are in store for numerous activities and entertainment opportunities also involving other legends of the Speedway.

Public gates open at 9 a.m. Tickets for A.J. Foyt Opening Day presented by The Indianapolis Star are just $5, and children ages 12 and younger are admitted free.

The “Flapjacks at the Track” free pancake breakfast, sponsored by Clabber Girl, will take place from 9-11 a.m. at Formula One garages No. 31 and 32, just south of the Bombardier Learjet Pagoda.

A free commemorative “A.J. Foyt: 50 Years at Indy” DVD will be given to everyone who signs up for The Wing & Wheel e-mail newsletter in the Pagoda Plaza from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., while supplies last.

Autograph seekers will want to line up early for the 10:30-11:30 a.m. Champions Autograph Session in the Pagoda Plaza featuring four-time “500” winner Rick Mears and three-time winner Johnny Rutherford.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is once again distributing limited-edition trading pins on various event days, and the A.J. Foyt Indianapolis Star Trading Pin will be available while supplies last, beginning at 11 a.m. at Formula One garage No. 34.

At noon, following the 2007 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible Pace Car presentation and national anthem, the “Foyt Family Lap” will take place as Foyt friends and family members take laps in Foyt’s Indy 500-winning cars on the 2.5-mile IMS oval.

A question-and-answer session with A.J. Foyt, Anthony Foyt, Larry Foyt, Darren Manning, Al Unser Jr. and George Snider will take place from 1-1:30 p.m., followed by an autograph session with them from 1:45-2:45 p.m. Both will take place in the Pagoda Plaza, and participants are subject to change.

Track activity for the IndyCar® Series, consisting of the Rookie Orientation Program and refresher laps for several veteran drivers, takes place from 12:10-5 p.m. Indianapolis 500 rookies Milka Duno and Phil Giebler will be joined by a list of veteran drivers, including Michael Andretti, Ryan Briscoe, Jaques Lazier and Jon Herb.

Live music on the Coca-Cola Stage in the Pagoda Plaza will take place at 2:30 p.m. with the band Asteria, and 4 p.m. with Just Surrender. The day’s activities conclude at 6 p.m.

Rookie Orientation and refresher laps continue from noon-5 p.m. Monday, and the full cadre of IndyCar Series regulars, including defending Indianapolis 500 winner Sam Hornish Jr., former winners Al Unser Jr., Buddy Lazier, Helio Castroneves and Dan Wheldon, and other stars such as Danica Patrick and Marco Andretti on track starting Tuesday.

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2007 Indianapolis 500 tickets: Tickets are on sale for the 91st Indianapolis 500, scheduled for Sunday, May 27.

Tickets can be purchased at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Web site, www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com, by phone or at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Ticket Office. The IMS Ticket Office can be contacted at (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area or (317) 492-6700 locally. Ticket Office hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Parking and camping permits for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” also can be purchased online, by phone or at the Ticket Office.