Our Carb Day through Pictures

We saw Arie Luyendyk (winner of the Indy 500 in 1990 & 1997)signing autographs outside the car inspection tent.  We were going to get our photo taken with him, but then Josef walked past and we got sidetracked.

Alex is happy because we got to see Josef's car close up and take good pictures.  She was even happier when she got to see and talk to him (and get a hug) on Legends Day.

We saw Sam Schmidt's specially designed car
(he drives it using just his mouth and head motions)

Alex is three weeks too young to go into the garages,
so she stood outside the fence, longingly gazing in at the action.

We got to see a steering wheel in the car. 
I guess drivers have to memorize which buttons do what...



This tires used in this years Indy 500 had the names of the previous 99 Indy 500 winners all around it's edge.
Very cool.

Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation

 

Sam Schmidt was a race car driver that our mom and dad used to watch race at Indy in the late 1990's.

But he got paralyzed in a really bad crash practicing at Walt Disney World Speedway in 2000.

 

 

Since he couldn't race anymore he started a race team to help other drivers race.  

 

He now owns cars that race (and win alot) in the Indy Lights Series and in Indycar (where he got his first win with Simon Pagenaud in Detroit on Sunday). 

 

 

 

He also started a charity to help find a cure for paralysis.

 

 

 

Each year for the past 14 years before the Indy 500 there is a Racing to Recovery Gala and auction to benefit the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation. 

 

Many drivers attend the event and support the foundation.  This year included Tristan Vautier, Katherine Legge, Simon Pagenaud, Pippa Mann and Ed Carpenter.

 

 

Our dad is paralyzed too, just not as badly as Mr. Schmidt, so this is one of our favorite charities that was started by and is supported by drivers.

 

We hope they continue to raise lots of money to cure paralysis some day.

And THANK YOU to Sam Schmidt for starting his foundation, and to all the drivers who support it!