Indianapolis Press Club Foundation

LAST ROW PARTY CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF LAUGHTER FRIDAY, MAY 25

INDIANAPOLIS, Tuesday, May 15, 2012 – 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 40^th 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 11^th and final row of the Indianapolis 500 starting grid.

For the 40^th 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 31^st, 32^nd and 33^rd 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

 

LAST ROW DRIVERS SET

Indianapolis 500 drivers Bryan Clauson, Simona De Silvestro and Jean Alesi all qualified for the 11th or last row of the 2012 race.

Come meet these drivers at our Last Row Party on Friday, May 25 from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Brickyard Crossing.

LAST ROW PARTY TICKETS ON SALE

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 Davidson and 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.

Tickets available at www.indypressfoundation.org or at www.lastrowparty2012.eventbrite.com

 

SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION

2011-2012 SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION NOW OPEN

The Indianapolis Press Club Foundation is pleased to announce it is accepting entries for its annual scholarship competition. The deadline is March 9, 2012.

All students at Indiana colleges and universities are encouraged to apply for one of several scholarships. Awards are typically in the $1,000 range but may vary according to the funds available as well as the number of awards made by the judges. Winners will be announced April 6, 2012.

Information on the competition and how to apply can be found at these links:

Download IPCF -- Scholarship 2012 letter

Download IPCF -- Scholarship 2012 instructions

Download IPCF -- Scholarship 2012 application form

 

Mourning Dan Weldon

Along with the rest of the racing world, the Indianapolis Press Club Foundation mourns the death of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon.

Our hearts go to his family and the entire racing community.

Keating Competition is Nov. 11-12

The 2011 Keating Feature Writing Competition, will take place Nov. 11 and 12 in Indianapolis.

Entry information is available here: Download Keating2011

Interested students can apply to be one of 10 finalists who will spend a weekend in Indianapolis where they will be mentored by professionals, participate in a writing challenge, and attend an awards dinner featuring an award-winning journalist.

However, Indianapolis Press Club Foundation scholarships will be moved to the spring. Watch for information after the first of the year about those programs, which are undergoing some changes.

The Keating competition remains the elite feature-writing event in Indiana. Since its inception in 1986, the program has provided more than $110,000 to Indiana college and university students.

The writing contest is named in honor of Tom Keating, a popular former Indianapolis Star columnist and Lilly Endowment executive who died in 1985 at the age of 45.

Want more information? Read about last year's Keating winner here.

Our lineup is, well, RESET!

We thought we had the lineup for the Last Row Party set after qualifications for the 100th running of the Indy 500 ended on Sunday.

But a driver change means Ryan Hunter-Reay will now start in the 33rd spot in an AJ Foyt ride. That bumps driver Anna Beatriz into the 32nd starting spot and Pippa Mann into the 31st spot.

Alex Lloyd moves up to 30th and right out of the 11th row and the Last Row Party.

Sorry Alex! You've missed your chance to be inducted into the Last Row Society - although we'd still love to see him show up for the party.

Here's our new Last Row:

There are only about 75 tickets left for the party. Click here to buy one now!

 

Our lineup is set!

Congratulations tothe drivers who have qualified in the 31st, 32nd, and 33rd spots for the Indy 500 and therefore will be inducted into the 11th Row Society and be roasted at the annual Last Row Party.

Our lineup for this year's party is:

31. (19) Alex Lloyd, Dallara-Honda, 02:40.7451 (223.957)

32. (36) Pippa Mann, Dallara-Honda, 02:40.7600 (223.936)

33. (24) Ana Beatriz, Dallara-Honda, 02:40.8012 (223.879)

This is the first year that we'll be roasting two women!

Tickets for the Friday night event are sure to go fast...so order yours today!

The 2011 Last Row Party - All the details...

The 100^th Anniversary Indianapolis 500 is surrounded by numerous special events around Indianapolis, but a new ticket-pricing structure and promise of hilarity will make the 39^th annual Last Row Party one of the highlights of the 2011 “Month of May.”

Following a full schedule of activities at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Miller Lite Carb Day, Friday, May 27, race fans can eat, drink and laugh as three Indianapolis 500 drivers share the hot seat at the Last Row Party, a dinner and roast honoring the drivers starting on the 11^th and final row of the “500” starting grid.

The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. (ET) at the Brickyard Crossing Golf Course pavilion, located at 4400 W. 16th St., adjacent to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Turn 2.

Popular Indianapolis radio personality John Michael (shown at right), better known as “JMV” on his popular drive-time sports talk show “The Drive,” will serve as emcee. JMV’s show airs on ESPN affiliate 1070 the Fan (1070 AM) weekdays at 3 p.m.

New for 2011: fans can purchase a premium table for 10 for $750 to be closest to “the action,” near the driver tables. Other seating is available for $50 per person or $450 for a table of 10, which includes entertainment, dinner, lemonade and iced tea, and three beer tickets for party goers age 21 and older. A cash bar is also available.

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.

Last Row Party tickets now available

Premium tables and other ticket options now available

It's time to purchase tickets for the 2011 Last Row Party, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on May 27, which is Carb Day at the track.

Click here to place your order.

The party - now in its 39th year - honors and roasts the three drivers who make up the last or 11th row of the Indianapolis 500 race.

It's one of the 500’s best peripheral events and gives fans a chance to eat, drink and laugh as drivers are roasted at the Brickyard Crossing (4400 W. 16th St., adjacent to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Turn 2).

Last year, drivers Tony Kanaan, Sebastian Saavedra and Takuma Sato (shown below) were Last Row Party honorees and instant crowd favorites.

New to the event this year are premium tickets that give fans a chance to reserve a spot even closer to the action.

Tickets are $50 per person; $450 for a regular table of 10; $750 for a premium table of 10 close to “the action”; and $1,000 for a table of 8 with a guaranteed spot with one of the drivers and his/her guest and an autographed photo of you with the driver.

Tickets and tables include entertainment, dinner and three beer tickets for attendees age 21 and older. Tickets can be ordered 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 Facebook page.

Keating winners, scholarship recipients earn $13,700

Indiana’s University’s Rachel Stark was a big winner Saturday night at the Indianapolis Press Club Foundation’s annual dinner at the Skyline Club in Indianapolis.

Stark, a senior, won first place and a $2,500 prize in the foundation’s 24^th Annual Thomas R. Keating Feature Writing Contest, which took place Saturday.

The foundation also awarded Stark a $2,000 Maurice & Robert Early Scholarship, an award named for two former Indianapolis Star reporters. She was one of five scholarship winners.

CJ Lotz, a junior, won second place in the Keating competition, which came with a $1,250 prize.

Christine DiGangi of DePauw University won third place and $750 in the Keating competition.

The foundation awarded four other scholarships on Saturday night:

• Sean Morrison, an Indiana University junior, won a $2,000 Hemphill Scholarship.
• Caitlin Johnston, an Indiana University senior, won a $2,000 Early Scholarship.
• Aisha Townsend, a Butler University sophomore, won a $1,000 Lennis Scholarship, named for a former Indianapolis Star reporter.
• Stephanie Kuzydym, a junior at IU, won a $1,000 Lennis Scholarship.

In all, the foundation awarded $13,700 on Saturday night to Indiana college students pursuing careers in journalism.

The Keating competition featured 12 finalists who were chosen from 48 applicants.

At 11 a.m. Saturday, the finalists were dropped off at The Bands of America Grand National Championships at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium and given four hours to develop and write a feature story. The Indianapolis Star provided space in its newsroom for the finalists to craft their stories.

The 2010 Keating finalists were DiGangi and Andrew Maddocks, DePauw University; Brittany Brownrigg, Renee Bruck and Julie Crothers, Franklin College; Johnston, Morrison, Stark, Elizabeth “Biz” Carson, Lotz, Charlie Scudder, and Avi Zaleon, Indiana University.

Winners received their awards at the Indianapolis Press Club Foundation’s annual dinner at the Skyline Club in downtown Indianapolis – a fundraiser that supports the Keating competition and other IPCF scholarship programs for Indiana college journalism students.

Each Keating finalist received $100 and a copy of the reprinted book Indiana Faces and Other Places, a collection of Keating’s work for The Star from 1966-1982.

The writing contest is named in honor of Tom Keating, a popular former Indianapolis Star columnist and Lilly Endowment executive who died in 1985 at the age of 45.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tom French was the guest speaker at Saturday night’s dinner. Borshoff, Franklin College, Lilly Endowment Inc., Indiana University and IUPUI helped underwrite the weekend’s events and annual dinner.

To date, the Foundation has given deserving Indiana college students more than $200,000 to help them further their educations. No other journalism organization in the state provides more financial support for aspiring journalists than the Indianapolis Press Club Foundation.