SCHUMACHER, ALONSO, SPEED TO APPEAR AT USGP PIT WALKABOUT
Race ticket holders can get close to numerous drivers, cars during event June 29 at IMS
United States Grand Prix race ticket holders are in store for an exciting race Sunday, July 2, but they will experience a different kind of thrill during the USGP Pit Walkabout on Thursday, June 29 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Fans will have the rare opportunity to get autographs from some of the most talented drivers in the world, including seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher. They will participate in a question-and-answer session with reigning F1 champion Fernando Alonso and American F1 driver Scott Speed, and stand only feet from the F1 team garages while high-performance F1 cars are being prepared for the race.
A United States Grand Prix Race Day ticket is required for access to the Pit Walkabout. Still and video photography are allowed.
Public gates open at 7 a.m. (ET) Thursday at IMS. Fans can enter via two gates: Gate 2, the main gate and tunnel located on 16th Street, and Gate 7, located on Georgetown Road south of the Speedway oval’s Turn 4.
The Speedway’s pit lane will be open for the Pit Walkabout from 8 a.m.-noon, while the Pagoda Plaza area, located directly behind the Bombardier Pagoda control tower, will be open from 7 a.m.-4 p.m.
The Hall of Fame Museum opens at 7 a.m., and the IMS ticket office also will open at 7 a.m. Thursday for fans interested in purchasing Race Day tickets and gaining access to the Pit Walkabout. IMS concessions will be open in the Pagoda Plaza, two Formula One simulators will be available, and a Michael Schumacher Ferrari F1 car will be on display.
Selected Formula One drivers will sign autographs in the Pagoda Plaza during the Walkabout from 9:30 a.m.-2:55 p.m.
The 2006 USGP Pit Walkabout autograph session schedule:
Time
Driver(s)
Team
9:30-10 a.m.
Scott Speed
Scuderia Toro Rosso
10:30-10:40 a.m.
Fernando Alonso
Mild Seven Renault F1 Team
11:15-11:45 a.m.
Vitantonio Liuzzi
Scuderia Toro Rosso
11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Jenson Button
Lucky Strike Honda Racing F1 Team
Noon-12:20 p.m.
Michael Schumacher
Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro
12:15-12:45 p.m.
Christian Klien
Red Bull Racing
12:20-12:30 p.m.
Jacques Villeneuve
BMW Sauber F1 Team
12:55-1:15 p.m.
Felipe Massa
Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro
1:20-1:40 p.m.
Mark Webber, Nico Rosberg, Alex Wurz
WilliamsF1 Team
1:45-2:05 p.m.
Takuma Sato, Franck Montagny
Super Aguri F1 Team
2:05-2:25 p.m.
Tiago Monteiro, Christijan Albers
MF1 Racing
2:35-2:55 p.m.
Ralf Schumacher, Ricardo Zonta
Panasonic Toyota Racing
To participate in the autograph sessions, fans must secure a wristband for the corresponding driver, or drivers, from whom they wish to get an autograph. Autograph wristband distribution will begin at 8 a.m. on the south side of the Pagoda Plaza.
Many of the same drivers, along with Alonso and Speed, will participate in public Q&A sessions at the Pagoda Plaza Stage throughout the morning and afternoon.
The 2006 USGP Pit Walkabout public Q&A session schedule:
Time
Driver(s)
Team
9:15-9:30 a.m.
Scott Speed
Scuderia Toro Rosso
10-10:30 a.m.
Fernando Alonso
Mild Seven Renault F1 Team
11-11:15 a.m.
Vitantonio Liuzzi
Scuderia Toro Rosso
11:30-11:45 a.m.
Jenson Button
Lucky Strike Honda Racing F1 Team
Noon-12:10 p.m.
Christian Klien
Red Bull Racing
12:10-12:20 p.m.
Jacques Villeneuve
BMW Sauber F1 Team
12:30-12:50 p.m.
Felipe Massa
Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro
12:55-1:15 p.m.
Mark Webber, Nico Rosberg, Alex Wurz
WilliamsF1 Team
1:20-1:40 p.m.
Takuma Sato, Franck Montagny
Super Aguri F1 Team
1:40-2 p.m.
Tiago Monteiro, Christijan Albers
MF1 Racing
2:10-2:30 p.m.
Ralf Schumacher, Ricardo Zonta
Panasonic Toyota Racing
2:35-2:50 p.m.
Hisao Suganuma
Bridgestone Motorsport
Other attractions on USGP Pit Walkabout day include:
*Frankie Muniz public interview: Muniz, who played Malcolm on the hit FOX comedy “Malcolm in the Middle,” is competing in the Formula BMW USA series this year – including the two races at the USGP – and will participate in a public interview from 2:50-3 p.m. at the Plaza Stage.
*Live music and merchandise: Popular musician Josh Holmes will perform on the Plaza Stage from 3-4 p.m. Formula One team merchandise trailers also will be open in the Speedway Hall of Fame Museum’s east parking lot.
*Traffic tips and parking: Speedway officials and local law enforcement will make every effort to minimize the traffic issues caused by the mix of Formula One fans flocking to the Pit Walkabout and morning rush-hour traffic.
Pit Walkabout customers driving into the Speedway from north and west of the track should enter the grounds via Gate 7, off Georgetown Road, because cars traveling east on 16th Street toward downtown Indianapolis will not be permitted to make a left turn into Gate 2. Gate 2 will be open only to cars traveling west on 16th Street that can make a right turn into the gate.
IMS officials encourage fans to arrive early to avoid most rush-hour and Pit Walkabout traffic. The two gates that will open for the Walkabout – Gate 2 and Gate 7 – are both equipped for automobile and pedestrian traffic. Free parking will be available in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway infield, accessible from either Gate 2 or Gate 7.
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2006 USGP tickets: Tickets are on sale for the 2006 United States Grand Prix, scheduled for Sunday, July 2.
Fans can order tickets online at www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com, by calling the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700 or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area, or at the ticket office at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Parking and camping information also can be obtained through the ticket office.
Hours for phone orders and the ticket office are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday, while online orders can be made at any time.
A three-day “Season Pass” for the event is only $60. The pass is good for admission to IMS for all three days of on-track activity, Friday, June 30-Sunday, July 2. All seating Friday and Saturday is general admission, and the pass provides general admission access to the Viewing Mounds, Infield, First Turn Terrace, South Terrace and Tower Terrace (Sections 39-77) on Sunday, July 2.
Reserved seats for Race Day, Sunday, July 2, start at $75.
