"And... he's no longer on it!" RIP Tom Carnegie

Longtime track announcer at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Tom Carnegie, died today at age 91.

http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/indy500/news/show/41264-legendary-ims-announcer-tom-carnegie-dies-at-91/

To anyone from Indy, he wasn't just a track announcer. He was the voice of approaching summer, of young love, of skipping school, of freedom and craziness for those who made Indy the world's biggest party/high school reunion. How could he not? He was there for 61 years! (Tony Hulman hired him when he reopened the track in 1946, and Carnegie stayed until 2006.) As Carnegie says in the clip below, that was "a new... track... record!"

It was always strange for me to go back to Indy and NOT hear him. As a mere track announcer, what was great about him was that his slow, stentorian tone was a great contrast to the higher-pitched (for a while, anyway) whines of the cars, and the pace on the track. Figure that Carnegie (and anyone else at Indy) has to be a play-by-play guy for the fans in the stands, because at best you only see half the track.

If you've never been to Indy, you might also know Carnegie as the voice of the Tomorrowland Speedway at Disney World.

 

RIP. An Indy icon.

 

He wasn't doing full-on announcing, but even last year he was there to introduce Crazy Mari Hulman George's "Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines."

I wish I could find a copy of a post-qual interview he did with A.J. Foyt. Over the PA, Carnegie asked Foyt how his car ran out there. Foyt responded, over the PA: "Like a tub of shit."

 

RIP, indeed. Got to hear him once in person, and that was enough to appreciate the legend.

 

As you mentioned, the Indy P.A. announcers used to be vital because they could describe action on the track you could not see.

Now with all of the replay boards, they're more of an annoyance than anything else, but part of it is that Carnegie is no longer the person doing the job. Dave Calabro doesn't hold a candle.

 

Sorry to hear this.

Full disclosure: my only exposure to Tom Carnegie in-person was at the USGP, when he was (a) already at an advanced age and (b) badly out of his element. But man, what a voice. It was very easy to understand why he was an institution there. I have fond memories of listening to him on the PA at IMS, even if he seemed utterly befuddled by F1.

 

Carnegie was the voice of my youth. The once-great Indiana high school basketball tournament and the Indy 500 were his things, and he was incredible at both. Greatest voice I've ever heard, and a very gracious person the couple of times we crossed paths.

RIP.

 

A great voice, a gentleman with a love of life and a twinkle in his eye when he held court, which was often, on his days at the track in recent years. Everybody wanted to say hello to Tom Carnegie, if only to hear that amazing voice. RIP.

 

I just hope someone is checking on...

"...JIM NABORS!"

 

Such sad news to hear. You knew it was coming, sooner rather than later after recent health concerns, but still sad when it happens. RIP Tom Carnegie. :'(

 

And...he's off!

I admire horse racing announcers.