The scenery has changed since Mark Dismore competed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but the feelings when driving through the main gate remain constant.
“I’m very happy to be here. The memories ...,” said Dismore, who made seven Indianapolis 500 starts through 2002.
He’s assisting rookie Josef Newgarden, driver of the No. 67 Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing car, unlock the intricacies of the 2.5-mile oval.
“The experience he has here in Firestone Indy Light definitely will help him,” said Dismore, who sold Newgarden his first go-kart in 2003. “He’s a good race driver. I’m not here to tell him how to drive. He already knows that.
“This place is just unique. There are little things that as I finally started to figure it out the last three years I was here and I’m trying to short cut his learning curve in building a good race car.”
Dismore had a best start of fourth and finish of 11th at the Speedway, and made 58 Indy Racing League starts overall. He won the 1999 race at Texas Motor Speedway. Dismore also competed briefly in CART and was the 1993 24 Hours of Daytona winner, co-driving with Rocky Moran and P.J. Jones.
Dismore, 55, owns and operates Comet Kart Sales in Greenfield, Ind., and New Castle (Ind.) Motorsports Park, where Newgarden has put in plenty of laps in a kart.
Reigning USAC National Drivers Championship title-holder Bryan Clauson also is making his Indy 500 (and IZOD IndyCar Series) debut in the second car for the team.
“The opportunity is there for him and he’s proven he’s a good race driver,” Dismore said. “He’s used to racing with the engine in front of him and now it’s behind him. I think Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing has the opportunity here to have good results.”
Stars and cars at Monument Circle
Vintage/classic automobiles and Indianapolis 500-winning drivers Johnny Rutherford and Arie Luyendyk will be at the Green Flag Celebration presented by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 11 (10 a.m.) at Monument Circle in Indianapolis.
The cars on display are part of the Celebration of Automobiles, which pays tribute to the rich heritage of automotive development at the track for more than 100 years, on May 12 at the Speedway.
Get a free GA ticket for Belle Isle qualifying, race
PNC Bank, sponsor of PNC Bank Free Prix Day for the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix on June 1, is offering a ticket voucher program at its southeast Michigan and some Ohio branch locations.
The voucher is for one free general admission ticket to all activities June 2 (a $25 value), including the Firestone Indy Lights race and IZOD IndyCar Series qualifications. Also, at the Meijer Family Fun Zone will be a concert by the B-52s.
To redeem the voucher, customers can call the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix ticket line at (866) 464-7749 or stop by the event box office at the Renaissance Center located at 300 Renaissance Center, Suite 2311 in Detroit, or the event box office on site at Belle Isle during race weekend. Vouchers can also be redeemed online by visiting www.detroitgp.com/tickets and clicking on the “PNC Bank Redemption Link” to enter the voucher number.
Of note
Grammy Award winner Martina McBride will sing the national anthem during pre-race ceremonies for the Indy 500 on May 27. … Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing driver Graham Rahal will be the grand marshal of the “Kindy 500” at the Creekside Middle School (Carmel, Ind.) track, where about 100 students will participate in relay races in cardboard cars created at home.