Last Row Party tickets are on sale now:
LAST ROW DRIVERS SET:31st -- Bryan Clauson, Noblesville, IN.
32nd -- Simona De Silvestro, Thun, Switzerland
33rd -- Jean Alesi, Avignon, France
LAST ROW PARTY CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF LAUGHTER FRIDAY, MAY 25
Just one year after the conclusion of Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s “Centennial Era,” celebrating the founding of the track and Indianapolis 500, another Speedway tradition is celebrating a milestone anniversary: the 40th edition of The Last Row Party.
The Last Row Party, set for 5:30 p.m. (ET) Friday, May 25 at the Brickyard Crossing Golf Course pavilion just outside Turn 2 of the IMS oval, is a dinner and roast “honoring” the 11th and final row of the Indianapolis 500 starting grid. This year's honorees are: Bryan Clauson, Simona De Silvestro and Jean Alesi.
For the 40th anniversary event, special guests such as IMS President and CEO Jeff Belskus, IMS Historian Donald Davidson and IZOD IndyCar Series television personality/ former Last Row Party emcee Bob Jenkins are scheduled to appear.
Popular WFBQ “Q95” radio disc jockey and IMS Public Address reporter Laura Steele will serve as host and emcee.
The 2012 back-row qualifiers will be awarded special jackets, checks for 31, 32 and 33 cents, respectively. Another highlight of the evening’s festivities is the Press Club Foundation’s silent auction of one-of-a-kind racing and other sports memorabilia, vacation trips, restaurant gift cards and entertainment gift certificates.
Tickets are $50 per person, $450 for a regular table of 10 or $750 for a premium table of 10 close to “the action” and the drivers’ tables, and include entertainment, dinner, lemonade and iced tea, and three beer tickets for party-goers age 21 and older. A cash bar is also available.
The Last Row Party benefits the Indianapolis Press Club Foundation, which supports journalism students attending colleges and universities in Indiana through thousands of dollars in annual scholarship awards and creative-writing cash prizes.
Since 1973, the Last Row Party has paid tribute to the resilient drivers claiming the 31st, 32nd and 33rd spots in the Indianapolis 500 field. Many open-wheel racing legends have occupied a space in the back row of the Indianapolis 500 field, including former “500” winners Mario Andretti, Gordon Johncock, Johnny Rutherford, Tom Sneva and Al Unser.
In 2010, IndyCar superstar Tony Kanaan was among the honored Last Row members and drew myriad laughs and a long line for autographs. IZOD IndyCar Series fan-favorite Ryan Hunter-Reay, along with Ana Beatriz and Indianapolis 500 rookie Pippa Mann, were the 2011 Last Row Party honorees.
Tickets can be purchased online via www.indypressfoundation.org or by calling Holly at (317) 631-6400 or Jenny at (317) 701-1130. American Express, Discover, Visa and MasterCard are accepted.
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Media Contact: Eric Powell (317) 727-7967 or cep500@yahoo.com
The 40th Annual Last Row Party is Friday, May 25, 2012
Race car fans can meet Indy 500 drivers at the “Last Row Party” on May 25 (“Carb Day”) from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. This annual event — in its 40th year — honors and roasts the three drivers who make up the last or 11th row of the Indianapolis 500 race.
This year's emcee and host is Q95-WFBQ (94.7 FM) on-air personality Laura Steele. Former Last Row Party emcee Bob Jenkins will make a guest appearance. See Jeff Belskus, Randy Bernard, Donald Davidso, former last row car drivers as well as other IndyCar luminaries.
One of the 500’s best peripheral events, fans can eat, drink and laugh as drivers are roasted at the Brickyard Crossing (4400 W. 16th Street, adjacent to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Turn 2). Past years' last row drivers have included Tony Kanaan, Alex Tagliani, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Ana Beatriz, Sebastian Saavedra and Takuma Sato. All were Last Row Party honorees and instant crowd favorites.
Tickets are $50 per person; $450 for a regular table of 10; $750 for a premium table of 10 close to “the action” and the drivers' tables.
Tickets and tables include entertainment, dinner and three beer tickets for attendees age 21 and older. Tickets can be ordered through this website at Eventbrite.com or by calling 317-631-6400 (ask for Holly) or by calling 317-701-1130 (ask for Jenny). A portion of each ticket and table is tax-deductible since the event benefits the Indianapolis Press Club Foundation, which provides journalism scholarships for students at Indiana colleges and universities.
For more information, please visit our website at: www.lastrowparty2012.eventbrite.com or visit our facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Last-Row-Party/117083511645206
TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW:
Congratulations to the 2011-2012 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS:
Charlie Scudder of Indiana University
Lauren Sedam of Indiana University
Indianapolis Press Club Foundation
Thanks for visiting the Indianapolis Press Club Foundation website. We hope you'll poke around a little to learn about our programs, scholarships and events and consider making a contribution to help us support journalism education and scholars.
We are a nonprofit, independent organization dedicated to the study of journalism at Indiana colleges. Each year, we give away thousands of dollars in scholarships to talented students who have shown they are dedicated to the profession.
To learn more about the foundation's make up, please see our About us and News sections. You can also follow us on Facebook.
You can also connect here to our exciting Keating Featuring Writing Competition and learn about our scholarships.
Finally, don't miss our largest annual fundraiser -- the Last Row Party -- a celebration of the three drivers who start in the back row of the Indianapolis 500 race. The party is held on the Friday night before the Indy 500 and attracts open-wheel racing enthusiasts from across the country.
