Jim Irsay to live on at Indy 500 through touching gesture with daughter Casey
Jim Irsay's daughter will be the honorary starter for this weekend's Indy 500 as IndyCar pays tribute to the late, longtime Indianapolis Colts owner.
IndyCar paid tribute to longtime Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay ahead of the Indy 500 following his passing aged 65 earlier this week. He "passed away peacefully in his sleep" and is survived by his three daughters, Casey, Carlie, and Kalen.
Irsay's death came the same week Indianapolis prepared for one of the biggest motorsport races of the calendar year, the Indy 500. For the 109th running of the race, IndyCar paid tribute to Irsay, along with his daughter Casey, the honorary starter for the famed race.
The tribute took place before the start of the race, which saw rookie Robert Shwartzman start from pole position and NASCAR star Kyle Larson look to complete "The Double." Casey will wave the flag to honor her father and his impact on the State.
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"As Indianapolis prepares for a special weekend that showcases our city's unmatched ability to successfully host massive global sporting events, it's incredibly appropriate and especially meaningful to celebrate Jim's contributions to our city and state," Penske Entertainment President and CEO Mark Miles said. "Put simply, the Indianapolis we know and love would not be remotely possible without Jim."
INDYCAR and IMS President J. Douglas Boles said: "We're honored to have Casey on the flag stand representing her family, our friends at the Colts organization and Hoosiers everywhere who cherish our unique sports scene. Our organizations have a deep history together, and our fans cherish the familiar sight of players at the racetrack and drivers at the stadium."
Irsay became the owner of the Colts in 1997. He inherited the team after his father's death. At age 12, his father, Robert, bought the Los Angeles Rams for $12 million in 1972 before swapping ownership for the Baltimore Colts.
Ownership of the Colts will now pass on to his daughters, who had been prepped for this moment for several years. "I started out in the ticket office," Carlie said during a 2017 Colts town hall with her father. "But over the years, my dad has encouraged my sisters and I to get involved in the places we're interested in. When we were growing up, it was, 'You don't have to do this.' But I love it."
The daughters were each given the title of "vice chair/owner" 14 years ago. It was clear signal from the late Colts owner that the franchise would be staying in the family's hands.
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Carlie appears to be the lead figure, though, with an executive from another team praising her to ESPN. "Carlie, specifically, will be the perfect modern-day owner," said an executive.
"Carlie has been embedded in the business for probably over a decade at this point. She's smart, a continuous learner, rigorously works to understand football from a scouting and coaching perspective.
"She also has the rare blend of appreciating tradition and professional expertise but not being bound by it because she is a progressive thinker. Very good people skills as well. She will be a great steward of the organization."
