I think it is fair to say that Tom Carnegie probably stands out as one of the most iconic personalities in the entire history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, certainly since World War II.
While one has to consider that many of those who have only ever watched the Indianapolis 500 on television or listened to the radio broadcasts conceivably might not even be aware of who he is (hard to believe!), for the legions who have attended the race or qualifications over the last seven or eight decades, that thundering voice has stirred enough memories and emotion to have long since elevated him to the status of a legend.
Ask any track-going fan to reel off a few names of people who they consider synonymous with the track, and surely “Tom Carnegie” would have to be among the first names one would hear.
We all have our favorite Carnegie stories and our memories concerning that extraordinary voice and his legendary “calls.” Personally, I well remember several times in the 1970s when I would be in the pit area at around 7:45 a.m. on the first day of Qualifications and the public address would fire up for the day. You’d hear a click and a hum, followed by Carnegie saying, “Testing, one, two, three … GOOD MORNING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,” after which would come a huge roar from the crowd. I would think, wow, his voice creates so much excitement and evokes such a wave of nostalgia and even comfort—all is right with the world—that he even gets an ovation with a sound check!
Not surprisingly, word of his untimely passing has traveled quickly and tributes and stories about Tom have been pouring in all day. With that said, I would like to hear from you. If you have a favorite Carnegie memory or anecdote concerning a personal brush with ‘The Man,’ then please share it with me below.
Tom was a true icon of IMS and the Indianapolis 500. Every May I would look forward to hearing his trademark sayings on the loudspeakers. Forever a part of the greatest spectacle in racing, godspeed Mr. Tom Carnegie, you will be missed by many and never forgotten.
I remember standing at the top of turn one on Saturday May 9, 1992 at 5:34 p.m., Roberto Guerrero took to the track. He set new all-time one- and four lap track records on his way to the pole position.
Lap 1 – 38.762 seconds, 232.186 mph (new 1-lap track record)
Lap 2 – 38.707 second…s, 232.516 mph (new 1-lap track record)
Lap 3 – 38.690 seconds, 232.618 mph (new 1-lap track record)
Lap 4 – 38.692 seconds, 232.606 mph
Total – 2:34.851, 232.482 mph (new 4-lap track record)
I can still hear Tom Carnegie on the PA system announcing three times in a row ” It’s a NEW TRACK RECORD!”
… Well there was that time when I ALMOST had him talked into announcing ‘It’s A New~Pacer~Record!!!’ when the Pacers went to the NBA Finals. That was SO long ago that it was an afternoon game & almost EVERYONE in the Tower Terrace was listening to a radio with one ear & practice with the other!
My father worked with Tom @ WFBM in the 50′s. My first 500 was 1959 and I have many memories of Tom.
In 1964 After the 2nd lap accident, we heard Tom say, “We regret to make the following announcement…. an hour or so later…. “We regret to make the folllowing announcement.
Tom seemed to make every annoucement seem important. On a more humorous note, there was a rain delay on race morning and the Purdue Band was leaving the start finish line. Tom said, “Let’s hear it for the Purdue University All American Marching band as they march to lunch.
Good bye Tom, see you in glory.
It didn’t matter whether it was practice, qualifying, or Raceday. ALL WAS RIGHT with the world when you heard that gentle, but strong baritone voice over the PA system. Tom made the Speedway feel like a second home for hundreds of thousands of fans. His tone was grandfatherly. I’m a little surprised at my personal reaction to his passing. My eyes are moist as I type this. Tom will be missed and I will be toasting him on Raceday when we gather for the 100th anniversary Indy 500.
Here they come! was almost as exciting as the scream of 33 as they passed on turn 3. Friends think I am goofy as I try to replicate that slogan when anything is seen racing (people, horses, or cars).
Never met, but always listened, now God will have a voice to take over in heaven.
RIP Mr. Carnegie
I will miss Tom. I remember many wonderfull memories of Tom. I’ve been to the last 43 pole days and his vioce on the PA was always a sound of home. Indy is a lot about the senses and Tom was the hearing sense at Indy. I remember the excitement he brought to the 73 pole day when we where all looking for the first 200mph lap. JR set a lap at 199.071 and we with Tom pushing us on thought we were going to see it that day. Last year on fast friday I got to speak with him at the Q&A session, I also asked him to say his famous phases on the mic. Little did I know it would be the last time I would hear him on the PA. Now at least I can push the button on my autographed bobblehead. RIP Tom always in my heart. PS 61 races on the PA no one will ever top that. Tom set his own “New traaaack record”
When at the beginning of the 21st Century, you can be at “The Racing Capital of the World” and hear the very same voice that announced Floyd Davis winning the 1946 Indy 500 on the first Post WWII news reels, you feel that you have witnessed history.
Owners, Drivers, US & Speedway Presidents have come and gone but Tom was there as a steady voice, welcoming the faithful to Indy once again, to racings Mecca.
Thank you Tom. You will not be forgotten.
I was in the Tower Terrace the day Tom said ” and it’s a new track record..Parnelli Jones has made history.. a lap of 150 miles per hour~”
every opening day i have had the opportunity to attend tom was there pulling in to his spot, the beaming smile,infectious boyish energy a true gentleman.
he’s up there calling the action with all the greats in heaven
I don’t remember the year, but I was wandering around the infield on practice day during May and came upon the IMS films crew shooting an interview with Tom. They were asking him to relive some of his favorite memories. Well I had to stay and listen. I told the stories almost as if he were re-calling the race from the broadcast booth. He went into great detail about the 1982 race where Rick Mears made such a furious charge in the latter laps to catch and nearly overhaul Gordy Johncock. I stood there completely covered with cold chills just as if I were watching it live. Just like I have as I’m typing this. His “Good Morning Race Fans” announcement was always the point you knew that THIS was the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and you were someplace special. RIP Tom. There can never be another.
I would have to say when Scotty Brayton and Aurie Lyendyke were throwing down what came to be our final “new track records” was Mr. Carnegies best work! I also liked hearing ” and Michael is slowing on the backstretch”
That should be HE told the stories of course…
Tom was not only the voice of IMS, he was the voice of Channel Six sports. Hoosier Hysteria has lost one of its icons today. It makes me feel sad.
I first met Tom a couple years ago as I was walking under the suite stands at qualifying. There he sat all by himself in a golf cart. I could not believe that no one else was talking to him. I can only figure that no one recognized him. I sure did! I walked up and started a conversation with him and could not believe that I was talking to Golden tones himself. What a nice guy, a Legend of the Speedway. I will never forget that day and feel very fortunate to have had him all to myself for 5 minutes. Godspeed Tom
At the 2010 race I had a chance to say hello to Mr. Carnegie. I told him that it always made it officially “race day,” when I would hear him say, “Gooooood moooorning raaaaace fanssss!” He looked at me, and said, “I always said that about 8:00 in the morning.” He was a great gentleman, and he made every visit to IMS memorable. God bless his family.
On my first day at IMS, in 1983, I watched rookie Teo Fabi turn a single-lap record of 208.049 mph. Beside me sat my grandfather, making his first trip back to the track since 1950 when another rookie, Walt Faulkner, sat on the pole. Of course everything had changed in those 33 years—everything but the voice calling those two qualifying runs. I have always cherished that link that was Mr. Tom Carnegie. He will surely have a great view of the 100th anniversary running!
I met Mr. Carnegie on Community Day 1994. He spent several few minutes talking to me and he made me fell like I was the most important person he’d spoken with all day! He had that way about him. He was so genuine and his voice was just amazing!
Mr. Carnegie was a bridge across the generations for my family. My very first visit to the track ever was Fast Friday of 1990. I was fortunate enough to meet Mr. Carnegie, who then took my boyfriend (now husband) and I into the garages where he introduced us to driver, Stan Fox. It is a memory I still highly treasure. The story created a really fun connection with my dad (both of us lifelong Hoosiers and race fans) who has the same nostalgia for Mr. Carnegie as a race attendee in the late 1950′s and throughout the 1960′s. Then later, my children were able to meet him and appreciate his legendary voice. We will all miss him dearly!
Tom will truly be missed, but that booming voice will live on. I have many fond memories at the track listening to Tom. One of my favorites early on race morning walking into the track, you would hear his voice…. “Good Morning Race Fans”… RIP Tom, you will be missed, but never forgotten.
I remember Pole Day 1996 when Arie Luyendyk and Scott Brayton were battling back & forth for the pole. Track records were there for the taking that year and of course TC grandly announced each lap. When Arie was DQd and had to come back on Sunday, he rolled out at the stroke of noon to post 4 blistering laps including what would be the 1 lap record. What an amazing weekend and Tom’s passion and style played such a big role in it. I remember folks the first year of F1 at Indy making fun of him having trouble with some of the driver names. They had no idea about TC and who he was. But, as with so many things about the Speedway, Tom was Tom and he will be forever embedded into the hallowed ground that is IMS. I am one of those people who think the spirits of those in the Speedway’s history may roam those hallowed grounds. And just as I think if you sit in the upper deck at turn 1 late at night, close your eyes I think you just might hear that Marmon Wasp trucking around the oval, so too now might you hear good ‘ol TC warming up for another day’s action.
Every May since I was a little girl, I loved the Greatest Specticle in racing. Just listening at home, as a young girl, then being there every year as an adult.. you just had to hear that voice, it was like the sun, the grass, the smells that came along with the adventure. A friend you knew you could depend on. No matter where you were on the property, even the john, Tom would let you know what was going on. He didn’t miss a thing on the track, so you wouldn’t either. RIP our dear legendary race fan, you will be missed forever at the Indy 500.
My Dad stated taking me to the “500” in 1971 when I was 6 years old. At that time of course no video boards existed, so because I couldn’t see the front straight from my seat in turn three, I always looked forward to his running commentary once the engines were fired on race day that – Row 1 is away, Row 2 is away… I can still hear him now.
One other thing, Tom Carnegie said many times and understood that the “500” was theatre, but unfortunately many in management over the last several years just haven’t listened.
RIP Mr. Carnegie, you will truly be missed.
I just heard the news! I have been at work all day and ironically at 42, I just finalized my plans for my 36th consecutive month of may this week. I am so saddened and cannot help to shed a tear as i sit hear feeling compelled to write something. I never met Mr. Carnegie but I grew up with him and I will never forget his voice sitting with my Mother watching qualifications. Many unfortunate changes have occurred with the Speedway over the years but there are still just a few traditions that stir the soul and signify that the Month of May is here. His voice and presence was one of them. Mr. Carnegie may you know how much you will be missed and how dear you were to the lives of people that you never met. The month of may will never be the same. Say hello to Jim Phillipe for us and let him know we miss him too.
Godspeed my friend
I have countless memories over the past 40 or so years of one of the greatest legends of all time at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race. His lines (“on the world’s largest public address system” will never be forgotten… “And it’s a NEW TRACK RECORD!”, ”Annnnnd, heeeeeeeeeeeeee’s ON IT!”, “Good morning, race fans!” (8 AM!), “On behalf of the management and staff of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, thanks for being here today.”, “The track is open for qualifications!”, “Time and Speed report…”, “Eyes on him, and here he comes!”, “Let’s bring him to the checkered flag!”, “Tom Sneva; the very name means speed!”, “A fine ride!”, “And it’s still faster!”, “You won’t believe it!”, “He’s been in 34 Indianapolis Speed Classics; he passed his rookie test way back in Nineteen Hundred and Fifty Eight…”, “Mario is slowing down on the backstretch!”. I could go on and on. The Public Address team of Tom Carnegie, Jim Phillippe (“Well, how was it?”, and John Totten (“…both left side wheels just below the white line…”) was the best ever, and sadly, like most of the white buildings with green trim, they are all gone, and sorely missed.
You got to the Speedway at 4 am with a little sleep. You start getting ready for your long day ahead out in the pits. All of a sudden you hear that deep voice Good morning race fans and welcome to the Greatest Race Course in the World The Indianapolis Motor Speedway! What lovely chills Tom’s voice sends through your soul!
It was great to be with Scott Brayton in 1985 and have Tom say to your crew “ITS A NEW TRACK RECORD! 214.199! Lets bring him to the checkered! Its just another thing I’ll never forget about the 500 and all my friends I have met and lost over the years. We all will miss you dearly Tom our friend from your OLDTIMERS brothers and sisters at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. God rest you and bless your family.
Growing up in Speedway my memories of Tom Carnegie go back before I ever stepped foot on those hallowed grounds. I vividly remember hearing his booming voice over the public address system echoing through the neighborhood while we raced bicycles through the streets at the young age of 5. We have truly lost a legend today, I sincerely hope we haven’t heard his voice for the last time at IMS. Sound bites won’t do it justice, but to hear those famous quotes a few more times will send chills through the crowd this May. God speed mr. Carnegie you’ve touched the lives of millions.
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A sad day with the passing of Tom Carnegie today. Hearing his voice over the PA at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, for me, always meant a great day at the track over the “Month of May.” Practice, Qualifying and especially race days, you always felt like you were apart of something special when he spoke. He coined many phrases that became legendary.”…annnnnd heeeeeeeeeeee’s ON-IT!”. And, following a particularly good qualifying run, “…race fans, you are not going to believe this….iiiit’s a nnnnnnewwwwww traaaaack record!”
From 1946 until he retired from full time announcing in 2006, he was the Indianapolis 500 for many of us. That golden voice opening the track each morning was magic.
Tom, I know God is getting a kick out of hearing you say, “Andretti is slowing on the course.” God truely has a replacement voice, if he ever needs one.
For 50 years I have listened to Tom at the speedway. He will be missed by all who are fans of the Indianapolis 500. Only one truly icon left and that is JIm Nabors.
Tom is as much of the speedway as the bricks and the Borg-Warner trophy are.
Every race day was made magical by his voice. My first race was in 1985. The Indianapolis 500 will never be the same it has lost part of it’s magic. Arriving early on race day settling in my seat and taking a bite out of my 2inch thick race sandwich will be missed as i heard the commands of “Drivers to your Machine, Driver to your machines” and ” Here the come itsssssss Green Green Green. I get goose bumps just thinking about it. We sit in turn 2 and his decriptions of what was occuring in turn four made us seem like I was watching the action.From a race fan of 27 years at IMS it will never be the same. Thanks for the memories you will be missed…..
My first race was in 1966, and have missed only a handful of races over the years. I have had the great experience of watching and meeting many of the legends of the racing. Tom was not only the voice of Indy, he was truly the most recognized voice in auto racing. As much as Indy was known for its personalities, from the “old snake pit” to the old roadsters, to the original wooden garages in gasoline alley, Tom C’s voice was the sound we always looked forward to hearing in the month of May. He was like a member of the family and will be missed. God Bless Tom and don’t be surprised when we all get to the pearly gates, that Tom isn’t standing there saying “Welcome Race Fans”.
I feel privelaged to have been going to the Indy 500 since 1967 and listening to Tom Carnegie right up through 2006 when he retired from full time announcing. I always dreaded the time would come when his booming voice would not be describing the race for us. My favorite moment is in 1982 qualifications when Kevin Cogan and Rick Mears ran seven consecutive laps that were so thrillingly described by tom as NEW TRACK RECORDS. I so wish I could replay that day again. That man and that track have meant so much to myself and my family. I also was lucky enough one saturday before the 500 to find tom and have him sign his Indy 500 book. God bless you Tom Carnegie.
All the voices of my youth are now gone. Jim Phillippe, John Totten, Lou Palmer, Sid Collins, and Friday the grandest of them all, the velvet baritone of Tom Carnegie.
Growing up in Indianapolis, I heard Tom’s voice more frequently on Channel 6′s nightly sportscast, or during those wonderful four weekends each winter when Tom and Tony Hinkle covered the action of the IHSAA Basketball Tournament.
But that baritone was never more thrilling for me than on Pole Day in 1968 when Tom described the NEW TRACK RECORD runs of Graham Hill, and then a little later on, his teammate Joe Leonard. Each lap became more exciting. Finally – the TIME — fifty TWO and three hundred and thirty-five 1,000th’s of a second; the SPEEEED — one-hundred and seventy-ONE point NINE FIVE THREE miles an hour!! I remember it almost like it was yesterday. I was already a race fan, but that was the day racing permanently entered my bloodstream. I attended my first 500 the following year, and haven’t missed one since.
I am sad today, but glad too that I had the opportunity to be thrilled by Tom’s marvelous pipes all those years. My sympathies go to his family, and to all in the sports world who were touched by him. We can only guess about the sort of bench racing that is going on in heaven today amongst Sid, John, Lou, Jim, and Tom; not to mention Tony and Wilbur. There is one thing I know for sure; Jim Phillippe will be the first to greet Tom as he pulls into the pits up there. RIP Tom Carnegie – we’ll give you a hand – ’cause you can hear us now…
Donald: Your tribute to Tom Carnegie was exceptional, as was your video interview that’s on You Tube. I had his book two years ago, but carrying it my luggage would put me over the weight limit, so I never brought it with me in May to have him sign my copy. He will never be replaced. See you in May!
That crack in the side walk was the start & finish line and as I peddled my bike towards it I could hear that voice,”Annnd heeeez on it!” I peddled harder and drove the bike through turn one wich took you from the side walk in front of the house down the driveway and tried to go faster still as i went through turn two and across the back of the house on our concrete patio into turn 3 wich sent you into the side yard and past the swing set into turn 4, peddling and pushing as i hard as I could back to that crack on the side walk in front of the house. There was that voice again,”And iiiiit’s a NNNEWWW TRACK RECORD!!!” Tom Carnigie was more than a voice. He is bigger than a legend. He is not just the soundtrack to The Month of May or The Speedway. He was the soundtrack to countless bicycle races around an old yellow house on the east side of Hamiliton, Ohio. He called a million slot car races that took place on my bedroom floor. He inspired the imagination of a little boy who just happened to be named after A.J. Foyt and answered to any race car driver’s name other than Mario. He was there before and after the Master Control Tower and called races when the front stretch was still covered in bricks. I can not imagine life with out hearing that voice. When I get in my car tomorrow to head off to work I will again hear that voice, like I do every day, say,”Annnnd heeeez on it!” The Month of May will never be the same.
The time I was told Tom passed away…the temperature in Indianapolis was 33 degrees…appropriate.
My prayers are with Tom’s family and friends. We all should that God that we had an opportunity to witness a once in a lifetime artist. The hair always stood up on the back of my neck every year when I walked into the Speedway and heard his voice. I had to chance to meet Tom and get a picture of him with my two girls who were probably 6 and 4 at the time. I ask them if they knew he was while we were trying to get everyone set up for the picture. Tom said “Hi there”, and the girls instantly said, “It”s the man that’s on the loud speaker”. That made him smile. He narrated so many of my memories at the speedway. We lost a true legend. God Speed!
I never dreamed I would ever meet Tom, let along become his friend…but I did. Through Bob Jenkins, I was able to be around the PA crew, and Tom Carnegie for the last 10 years. I had no official role, but I always attempted to help when I could. It took me 2 of those 10 years to get the courage to speak to Tom. He and I laughed about it later. I found myself alone with Tom on many occasions and we would chat about his “adventures” (as he put it) at the Track. He loved the fans. I know there were many days he didn’t feel well when he arrived at the Track, but once he got out in the sun and the fans saw him and came to him….all of a sudden that smile would appear and remain there for the rest of the day. I was fortunate to have spent most of his last day at the Track (2010 Brickyard 400) with him and Roy and he asked me to take some pictures of him with Leonard Woods of the Woods Brothers, and Chip Ganassi and Juan Montoya. I told him once that I always felt, and most of the fans felt the same, that he was speaking TO ME….telling ME what was going on, etc. He simply looked at me and said…”I was”. I cannot surpass what has been said about Tom. There are only so many words. But, from a life-long 500 fan, and a friend of Tom’s, I feel that I’ve lost a dear,dear friend…a member of my family. I do know, from my brief time around Tom Carnegie, that his heart was as big as his voice…..good bye, my Friend, I will miss you greatly.
It’s so sad to hear about this news. I wanted to tell you about the time I got an autograph from Tom Carnegie, which is one small example of how much he really loved his fans.
I believe it was the 2001 Formula One race when I meet him. I will need to check the program that he signed. But it was at the end of the day either Practice Day or Qualification Day. And my wife and I and hundreds of other race fans were walking back to their cars to leave the track. Well, we were walking by the infield parking lot where the drivers, teams, etc., would drive out of Gasoline Alley to leave the track. As I was walking, I noticed one of the Speedway’s official vans passing by, and Tom Carnegie was riding as a passenger. As he drove past, I waved and tried to get my racing program out and pen to see if I could get an autograph. Well, the driver of the van didn’t stop and kept going, which I would not blame at all.
Anyways, the van drove past us and kept going. But after around 100 feet or so later we caught up to the van, but it wasn’t because of traffic. Tom saw us catching up, and he rolled down the window and waved us to come up to the van. I could not believe he saw that I wanted to get his autograph and made the driver pull over to an opening in the road, and waited so he could sign my program.
Tom not only signed the program; he was asking me questions if I enjoyed the race and where I was from. I just could not believe how friendly he was and he actually stopped for me to sign my program.
Over the years, I have collected many other drivers’ autographs like F1 champions like Michael Schumacher to MotoGP champions Valentino Rossi, but Tom Carnegie’s is my most cherished autograph because he specifically took time out and stopped to give me an autograph.
Again the news of Tom passing is sad, and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indy Racing League and millions of racing fans have lost a very special icon in motorsports history.
Thank you for your time.
Kenji
The thing I remember most about Mr. Carnegie is the calming tone of his announcements. As Nancy George said, “He was a presence coming out of the speakers” and when he spoke I always got the feeling that everything was going to be alright no matter what happenned during the days events. And after I heard his first announcement after my arrival at the speedway each day, I knew that I was going to be OK, too! He was certainly one-of-a-kind.