For many motor racing aficionados, Indianapolis has come to be defined by the personalities away from the track just as much as those on it, and over the years many figures from outside the sport have helped to establish the aura and prestige that exists at the Brickyard even to this day, and one of it’s most prominent figures is the focus of our latest update in our countdown of all things Indianapolis.

Between 1946 and 2006 Tom Carnegie served as the public address announcer at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, calling 61 Indianapolis 500s as well as 12 Brickyard 500s as part of a broadcasting career lasting nearly 65 years. With his crisp and distinctive baritone voice and memorable catchphrases Carnegie became a renowned and beloved figure in the World of Indycar racing, and such was the high regard in which he was held by the end of his career he came to be known as the Voice of the Speedway.

Indycar racing however would prove to be just a small part of Carnegie’s makeup. Born Carl Lee Kenagy in 1919, Carnegie excelled in high school as a football and baseball player, to the extent that he even considered taking up one of the two sports as a full time profession. But after contracting a Polio-related virus just prior to his senior year Carnegie decided to switch his focus away from sport and into the world of broadcasting, working as the public address announcer for his college sports team before moving to Indianapolis to take a presenting role with WXNT in 1945.

In 1946 Carnegie was working as a reporter at a local antique car show when he was overheard by three time Indianapolis 500 winner Wilbur Shaw. A few months earlier Shaw had aided Tony Hulman in his purchase of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and swayed by the velvet tones of Carnegie’s voice convinced Hulman to hire Carnegie as the PA announcer for the speedway in time for the 1946 Indianapolis 500, the first to be held following the temporary suspension of the race for World War II. Despite having a limited knowledge of motor racing up until that point, Carnegie immediately stepped up to the challenge, describing the action with a gravitas and presence well beyond his 27 years of age. Until the mid-1960s, fans could follow the Indy 500 via the IMS media network, meaning that for a lot of fans during Indy’s heyday, Carnegie’s vivid descriptions of the facility and the on-track action were the only direct connection they had to the Speedway.

Over the years Carnegie came to be known by his catchphrases, delivered with the pomp and ceremony that came to define his broadcasting style. The vigorous cry of “And He’s On It” at the start of a flying lap, followed by his lingering turn of phrases (“you’re gonna like this one” or “you won’t believe it” designed the keep the captivated viewer in suspense around the track. More comically Carnegie also came known for the catchphrase “Mario Is Slowing Down”, often used when describing the elder Andretti’s perennial bad luck surrounding the Brickyard. For most however it was Carnegie’s valiant cry of “It’s A New Track Record” that he would come to be most known by. During his time with the speedway Carnegie would utter the immortal line on over 60 occasions, seeing the top speed at the Speedway jump from the 134mph of Ralph Hebbern in 1946 to the 237mph set by Arie Luyendyk in 1996. In 1984 Carnegie made the call five times in the space of under two minutes, thanks Tom Sneva’s record breaking four lap run during pole day of that year.

Carnegie also made an impact in the broadcasting world away from motor racing, working as the sports director for Indianapolis’ affiliate station WRTV as well as making appearances in Hollywood movies such as ‘Winning’ and ‘Hoosiers’, before announcing his retirement from broadcasting in 2006, his final call at the speedway being to call the dramatic finish between Marco Andretti and Sam Hornish in as ever impeccable style. Carnegie’s passing in 2011 at the age of 91 was a sad loss to both the broadcasting and the local community of Indianapolis, but the impact that he helped to create at the speedway remains, and with that is very deserving of recognition on this countdown.

For today’s video a 30 minute special broadcast on the ABC affiliate RTV6 following Carnegie’s passing in 2011:

In tomorrow’s update one of the most unlikely Indy 500 victories of all time takes centre stage.