The life of the longtime voice of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Tom Carnegie will be celebrated Tuesday afternoon. Carnegie, who died February 11th at age 91, was the Speedway’s public address announcer for 61 consecutive years from 1946 to 2006.
Monday, Carnegie’s immediate family and closest friends gathered in a private ceremony to remember the man who meant so much to many people. The public celebration will take place Tuesday at the Hall of Fame Museum beginning 4:30 p.m. and is expected to last about a half hour.
Carnegie in many respects, help make the Indianapolis 500 what is it today. I remember visiting with “the voice” multiple times last summer. While interning at WISH-TV, I was up-close and behind the scenes at the Speedway throughout the month of May. He was very friendly, talkative, and still had his booming baritone voice that sent vibrations through the room.
He dedicated himself to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for more than 60 years. And it’s believed by many that he worked for free for nearly 20 years.
Carnegie was most known for covering the race like no one else. He was safe and reliable voice that many looked to in time of the unexpected crashes or dangerous weather. His key phrases were, “Heeeeeee’s on it!” and “It’s a new…track…record!”
The loud, thundering voice heard at the Speedway for many decades has been silenced just before the race’s 100th anniversary. Tom Carnegie worked WRTV-6 for many years and served as the PA announced for the Indiana High School Basketball championships. Unknown to many, he also made a quick appearance in the most famous sports movie of all time, Hoosiers as the PA announcer at Butler Fieldhouse.
At the public ceremony Tuesday, many of Carnegie’s colleagues will share their memories and special moments from their time with him. Fans will be able to leave cards and notes in a designated area for the next couple of weeks at the Hall of Fame Museum.
A live stream is available at http://www.livestream.com/indianapolismotorspeedway.
Enjoy the following tributes to Tom Carnegie (September 25, 1919 – February 11, 2011):