By Ken Morris, Senior VP, Product Programs, Product Safety, Integration & Motorsports, GM
By Ken Morris, Senior VP, Product Programs, Product Safety, Integration & Motorsports, GM
This weekend, I’ll be headed to Indianapolis to watch the Indianapolis 500, for the 37th year in a row. I love this iconic American race, which has played a huge role in my life and career.
My love for the Indy 500 began as a little boy growing up on a farm in southern Indiana. My dad and I would watch the tape-delayed race on Sunday evening during the heyday of A.J. Foyt, Al Unser, Johnny Rutherford, Tom Sneva, Mario Andretti, Rick Mears, and Danny Sullivan, among many other racing greats. My dad was a big A.J. Foyt fan, and I was too.
I stayed in Indiana for college, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University, about an hour north of Indianapolis. Purdue offers a co-op education program, and I was fortunate enough to land an assignment at BorgWarner Automotive Transmission Systems in Muncie, Indiana. That led to my first trip to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May 1987 (although I didn’t get to stay to watch the race that year). Winning the Indy 500 famously gets your face on the Borg-Warner Trophy, and my work assignment gave me access to some of the BorgWarner activities at the track. It was a dream come true.
Caption: Ken Morris at the wheel of a Chevrolet Camaro pace car, at the 2023 Indy 500
The first time I attended the race was May 28, 1989, following my graduation from Purdue. I will never forget sitting on the outside of turn three, watching the 33 cars come full tilt down the back straight on the first lap, with Rick Mears leading the way in his yellow Pennzoil #2. I got goosebumps, and I still smile every time I think about it. (Mears had some engine trouble and finished 23rd, while Emerson Fittipaldi took the checkered flag.) I’ve since met Rick and been able to talk to him about his career, the track, driving and share my experience watching him that day in 1989.
I’m proud of the fact that since that first race, I’ve attended every Indy 500, along with multiple qualifying sessions and other activities at the track. I even had the opportunity to drive the pace car for IndyCar’s inaugural Indianapolis Grand Prix on the road course in 2014.
Caption: Ken Morris (left) with Mario Andretti at the 2010 Indy 500
I love the traditions of the Indy 500, like the playing of “Taps” to recognize those we’ve lost and our brave men and women in the U.S. Armed Forces, the pre-race flyovers of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, and the singing of “Back Home Again in Indiana,” which chokes me up every time. I’ve given the Thunderbird pilots hot laps in our Corvette pace car - it was fun seeing how much they enjoyed it and hearing about the speeds they’d reach during the fly-over.
Caption: Ken Morris with a blue Corvette at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
I wanted to pass along my love of the race to my children, so in 2008 my wife Michele and I took them to the track for “Carb Day,” the final practice day before the race, which includes a concert and other festivities. (Carb Day refers to carburetors, although Indy cars haven’t used them for decades.) Given their ages (4 and 3), we knew a short introduction to the sights and sounds was the right way to go, and I’m happy to say they love Indy today as much as I do. It really is a special family weekend for all four of us to this day.
Caption: Ken Morris, his wife Michele, and their children at the 2021 Indy 500
The next year, in 2009, I was able to drive one of the Grand Marshall cars, the Chevrolet Camaros that are in front of the field during the 2 or 3 laps before the green flag. That year, my passenger was the former basketball coach and broadcaster Dick Vitale, and I’ve been able to do that every year since, meeting many celebrities and sports figures.
My role at General Motors and GM Motorsports has allowed me to have many incredible experiences, driving hot laps each year in the pace car on Saturday afternoon, driving the pace car in the Indy 500 parade (which I will do again this year), and meeting most of my childhood racing heroes. For a southern Indiana kid, it’s been like winning the lottery.
My passion for the Indy 500 continues to fuel my love of racing and inspires me to translate that experience into something our customers can enjoy. Whether it's the thrill of driving a Chevy Corvette or the high-performance capabilities of a Cadillac V-Series Blackwing, our GM team strives to bring the excitement and heritage of the Indy 500 to every vehicle we create. It's about capturing that heart-pounding excitement and making it accessible to everyone who shares a love for racing.
That's why I'm thrilled to go back home again to Indiana this weekend to witness The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. As I take in the excitement, I'll also find myself pausing to scan the crowd, imagining how many boys and girls are experiencing their first race and dreaming of designing, engineering, or even taking the checkered flag at the Brickyard.
This weekend, I’ll be headed to Indianapolis to watch the Indianapolis 500, for the 37th year in a row. I love this iconic American race, which has played a huge role in my life and career.
My love for the Indy 500 began as a little boy growing up on a farm in southern Indiana. My dad and I would watch the tape-delayed race on Sunday evening during the heyday of A.J. Foyt, Al Unser, Johnny Rutherford, Tom Sneva, Mario Andretti, Rick Mears, and Danny Sullivan, among many other racing greats. My dad was a big A.J. Foyt fan, and I was too.
I stayed in Indiana for college, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University, about an hour north of Indianapolis. Purdue offers a co-op education program, and I was fortunate enough to land an assignment at BorgWarner Automotive Transmission Systems in Muncie, Indiana. That led to my first trip to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May 1987 (although I didn’t get to stay to watch the race that year). Winning the Indy 500 famously gets your face on the Borg-Warner Trophy, and my work assignment gave me access to some of the BorgWarner activities at the track. It was a dream come true.
The first time I attended the race was May 28, 1989, following my graduation from Purdue. I will never forget sitting on the outside of turn three, watching the 33 cars come full tilt down the back straight on the first lap, with Rick Mears leading the way in his yellow Pennzoil #2. I got goosebumps, and I still smile every time I think about it. (Mears had some engine trouble and finished 23rd, while Emerson Fittipaldi took the checkered flag.) I’ve since met Rick and been able to talk to him about his career, the track, driving and share my experience watching him that day in 1989.
I’m proud of the fact that since that first race, I’ve attended every Indy 500, along with multiple qualifying sessions and other activities at the track. I even had the opportunity to drive the pace car for IndyCar’s inaugural Indianapolis Grand Prix on the road course in 2014.
I love the traditions of the Indy 500, like the playing of “Taps” to recognize those we’ve lost and our brave men and women in the U.S. Armed Forces, the pre-race flyovers of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, and the singing of “Back Home Again in Indiana,” which chokes me up every time. I’ve given the Thunderbird pilots hot laps in our Corvette pace car - it was fun seeing how much they enjoyed it and hearing about the speeds they’d reach during the fly-over.
I wanted to pass along my love of the race to my children, so in 2008 my wife Michele and I took them to the track for “Carb Day,” the final practice day before the race, which includes a concert and other festivities. (Carb Day refers to carburetors, although Indy cars haven’t used them for decades.) Given their ages (4 and 3), we knew a short introduction to the sights and sounds was the right way to go, and I’m happy to say they love Indy today as much as I do. It really is a special family weekend for all four of us to this day.
The next year, in 2009, I was able to drive one of the Grand Marshall cars, the Chevrolet Camaros that are in front of the field during the 2 or 3 laps before the green flag. That year, my passenger was the former basketball coach and broadcaster Dick Vitale, and I’ve been able to do that every year since, meeting many celebrities and sports figures.
My role at General Motors and GM Motorsports has allowed me to have many incredible experiences, driving hot laps each year in the pace car on Saturday afternoon, driving the pace car in the Indy 500 parade (which I will do again this year), and meeting most of my childhood racing heroes. For a southern Indiana kid, it’s been like winning the lottery.
My passion for the Indy 500 continues to fuel my love of racing and inspires me to translate that experience into something our customers can enjoy. Whether it's the thrill of driving a Chevy Corvette or the high-performance capabilities of a Cadillac V-Series Blackwing, our GM team strives to bring the excitement and heritage of the Indy 500 to every vehicle we create. It's about capturing that heart-pounding excitement and making it accessible to everyone who shares a love for racing.
That's why I'm thrilled to go back home again to Indiana this weekend to witness The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. As I take in the excitement, I'll also find myself pausing to scan the crowd, imagining how many boys and girls are experiencing their first race and dreaming of designing, engineering, or even taking the checkered flag at the Brickyard.