One of Indianapolis’ most prominent sporting residents paid a visit to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Wednesday.
Andrew Luck, the Indianapolis Colts quarterback and first overall draft pick a year ago, spent some time with Charlie Kimball’s Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing team. Kimball invited Luck and three other Colts (backup QBs Matt Hasselbeck, Chandler Harnish and wide receiver Griff Whalen) to the track after Kimball was at Luck’s “Change the Play” event a few weeks previous.
“I didn’t make it out last year. I think we were still in school last year and free weekends were at a premium,” said Luck. “Unfortunately, I’m going to be out of town next weekend so I won’t be able to come to the race, but I wanted to come and pay our respect to Charlie because he was kind enough to come out to our IU-Riley event.
“As a sports fan, it’s awesome to see a spectacle like this, a stadium like this. To see how different athletes operate and how a race car team operates compared to a football team. Hopefully it will be a little educational for us.”
Kimball, who’s matured in his third IndyCar season, described what it meant to have Luck at the track.
“I got the opportunity to go to an event a few weeks ago sponsored IU Health Sports Performance that was Andrew Luck’s Change the Play event,” said Kimball. “I met Griff (Whalen) and Andrew (Luck), and sort of connected being a Stanford fan, getting in (to school there), my dad being an alumni and I think Andrew mentioned that my aunt spoke to his freshman English literature class. It’s all in the family. I’m a Stanford fan, and now an Indianapolis resident and Colts fan.
“I wanted them to come see my office, because in the winter, it’s easy to turn on the TV and see these guys go to work on Sundays. I wanted to give them the opportunity see what I think is the greatest sporting venue in the world – the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and see us turn laps at 215, 220 mph and give them the full Indianapolis experience.”
