Catchfence

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (February 11, 2011) – Tom Carnegie, the voice of the famed 500-mile race and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway passed away Friday at the age of 91. Growing up in Pennsylvania and Indiana, veteran Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400 driver John Andretti came to love that voice each May and again later in the summer when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series came to the track. Andretti comments on the passing of Carnegie and what he meant to motorsports and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“Tom Carnegie will always be remembered by not only myself, but my entire family. I remember going to the track as a kid with my father (Aldo), uncle (Mario) and cousin (Michael) in the month of May and hearing his voice and the phrase, ‘A new track record!’ That excitement he made you feel. He made the hairs on your neck stand. And the same when he said, ‘He’s on it!’ These are staples of racing history now because of Tom.

“Anything that ever happened at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Tom had that special way of making it feel even bigger, greater than anything else happening that day. The track will remain the same, but its voice will never be. Tom Carnegie will be forever a part of the history of the Speedway. My family and I send our condolences to his family and friends.” - John Andretti