Tony George

Anton Hulman George , more known under the name of Tony George (born the December 30th 1959 with Indianapolis) is an American contractor. He is the current owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, of the Indy Racing League (the organization which manages the championships IndyCar Series and Indy Pro Series) as well as stable Vision Racing.

Biography

Tony George is the grandson of Tony Hulman, which acquired Indianapolis Motor Speedway with leaving the second world war. Become CEO of Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1989, Tony George did not hesitate to hustle the tradition. Whereas since its creation, the IMS accommodated only one race per annum, the prestigious 500 miles of Indianapolis, it diversified the activities of the circuit while making come NASCAR and the Formule 1, making of Indianapolis the semi-official world capital of the automobile sport. Created in 1994, the test of NASCAR of the Brickyard 400 (become Al 400 At the Brickard) quickly was essential like one of the major appointment of the American sport. The Grand Prix of Formula 1, for which the construction of an interior circuit (called " infield") was necessary, is a success more mitigated. In the middle of the year 2007, an official statement announces that the IMS will not receive any more the Grand Prix of Formula 1 but will organize a Grand Prix Motor bike GP. Under the impulse of George, the IMS also accommodated several handles of championship IROC.

In addition to the diversification of the activities of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the other large feat of arms of Tony George is creation in 1996 of the Indy Racing League, championship of single-seater intended to compete with the CART and of which the 500 miles of Indianapolis, withdrawn of the calendar of the CART, are the test queen. The creation of the IRL did of Tony George one of the most discussed figures American sport. Some congratulate it to have created a championship joining again with the tradition of the American automobile sport (races primarily on ovals and in the United States, and making the good share with the American pilots, opposite of the CART which in the years 1990 had a more international vocation), while others reproach him for having considerably weakened the races of single-seaters in the United States, including the 500 miles of Indianapolis, of which the audience televised in the east United States from now on lower than the principal races of NASCAR.

Always owner of Indy Racing League by the means of the Hulman company & Co, George gave up the executive direction in 2005 of it in order to found his own team of race, the Racing Vision, which it engages in IndyCar Series, the principal championship of the IRL. Among his pilots, in particular his son-in-law ED Carpenter appears.

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