By Kate Boomer
indianapolismotorspeedway.com
Wednesday, August 4, 2004
Beth Ann Morgenthau dreamed of someday competing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
That dream came one step closer to reality in 1999 when her husband, Tony, purchased the Tabasco ARCA team for Morgenthau's birthday, and BAM Racing was born.
Four and a half years after the creation of BAM Racing, Morgenthau is now preparing for her third trip of 2004 to IMS. BAM fields the No. 49 Schwan's Home Service Dodge that veteran Ken Schrader will attempt to qualify for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Brickyard 400 on Aug. 8.
"This is one of, if not the biggest race of the year for Beth Ann," Schrader said. "Even before she had ever seen a stock car or heard of NASCAR, she used to come to Indy. She's passionate about racing and about Indy."
Morgenthau entered into the racing scene early in life. She grew up in Miami and made frequent trips to the Hialeah Speedway to watch drivers like Bobby and Davey Allison. Her racing heroes included A.J. Foyt, Jackie Stewart and Phil Hill. Morgenthau got behind the wheel and did a little racing herself.
"I've always been into fast engines," Morgenthau said. "I used to race boats at the Miami Marine Stadium when I was a young girl."
Morgenthau has been a regular at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 1970 when she and her husband attended their first Indianapolis 500. If Morgenthau had her way, she would have attended the 1969 Indianapolis 500. But the race was two weeks before her wedding, and her mother would not permit the trip.
This year, Morgenthau's first visit to the Speedway was at the 88th Indianapolis 500-Mile Race on May 30. Morgenthau joined NASCAR driver Robby Gordon, who raced in the Indy 500, in an attempt to do "the double" until the rain delay at Indianapolis forced her to travel to Charlotte, N.C., for the Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR race.
While at Indianapolis, Morgenthau was working with Larry Foyt to secure sponsorship when she approached A.J. Foyt, one of her all-time favorite drivers, with the idea of BAM Racing sponsoring Larry's No. 41 Panoz G Force/Toyota/Firestone entry. The sponsorship added one perk for Morgenthau: She borrowed Foyt's jet to travel between Indianapolis and Charlotte.
Morgenthau was pleased with the relationship with Foyt Racing during the month of May. But she admitted that she would love to someday field an entry in the Indianapolis 500, possibly for BAM's part-time German driver, Klaus Graf.
"I want to stay with the Foyt family for now," she said. "Maybe we would run Klaus Graf if we had the sponsorship to do it, I would love to."
Morgenthau's second trip to Indianapolis came in June during the United States Grand Prix to support Graf, who is running a limited NASCAR NEXTEL Cup schedule this season for BAM Racing. Graf also drove in both Porsche Michelin Supercup series races June 19-20 during the USGP weekend and finished ninth and eighth, respectively.
Now Morgenthau is back at Indy, aiming for the team's first victory in the Brickyard 400 on the ultimate stage in worldwide motorsports.
"It would be great to have a win," Morgenthau said. "Ken still has it in him."
Said Schrader: "This is definitely become a 'major' in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. The Sunday walk onto the starting grid at Indy is kind of like what golfers describe Sunday's walk out to the first tee at Augusta to be, or going on the field for the first game of the World Series."
If Schrader qualifies for the Brickyard 400, it will fulfill a dream of Morgenthau's to own a car that races at Indianapolis. The team was entered in the Brickyard 400 last year, but Schrader failed to qualify, having used all of his provisional starting spots in earlier races.
"I was heartsick when he didn't qualify, but it is very flat like New Hampshire, which may be why Schrader didn't qualify," Morgenthau said.
For BAM Racing to get its first victory at Indianapolis this weekend would be more than Morgenthau could expect.
"I wouldn't know what to do," Morgenthau said. "It would be nice to know what it feels like. I would be floating on air."
Brickyard 400 tickets: Tickets for the 11th annual Brickyard 400 on Aug. 8 are on sale.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com or by calling the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700 or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area. Parking and camping information also can be obtained through the ticket office.
Share:
Related Stories
- IMS, IMIS Team Up For Prestigious Safety Conference Dec. 1 In Indy
- IZOD Named Title Sponsor Of IndyCar Series
| Indianapolis Motor Speedway Talkback | Post Comment |
|
|
|