For the better part of 40 years, Tony George was squarely in the spotlight in IndyCar.
His family owned the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and later IndyCar. That put the grandson of Tony Hulman in the bright glare of the spotlight, when George’s personality was better fitted for the shadows.
That’s where we found George after Christian Rasmussen’s thrilling win in the August 24 Snap-On Milwaukee Mile 250 IndyCar race at The Milwaukee Mile.
Standing behind Victory Lane enjoying the celebration was George and his wife, Laura. She is Ed Carpenter’s mother and George is his stepfather.
Tony Hulman was the man who saved the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from extinction when he purchased it from Eddie Rickenbacker in November 1945.
For the next 74 years, the Hulman-George Family owned the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar before selling it to Roger Penske on November 4, 2019.
But that wasn’t the end of racing for George, who serves as a team mentor at ECR.
This was ECR’s first IndyCar Series victory since Rinus VeeKay won on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course on May 15, 2021.
I caught up with George in Victory Lane at The Milwaukee Mile for this exclusive interview.
“It feels great,” George told me. “The spectators really turned out today. It was a beautiful weather day, and the racing was really good, especially as it got down that last stop with a little strategy.
“But Christian was in a good place. He liked his car, he asked for the wing to be set on that last stop where he wanted it, and he did his patented outside passes that moved him forward.
“It was it was really a great day. A long time coming for this team.”
George has offered advice and support, but make no mistakes about it, this is Ed Carpenter’s team, and the Butler University graduate and IndyCar racing veteran driver has built a solid operation with Rasmussen and Rossi as the drivers. A new racing facility in Westfield, Indiana is in the future and with Harvest Foods Ted Gelov as an equity partner, ECR has a winning look.
“He has really developed into quite the car owner,” George said. “He loves the driver aspect of it, no doubt, but he’s becoming a really great car owner. We’ve got a great new partner in the team. Ted Gelov has brought a fresh new energy to this team. And we’re going to do more of this in the future, that’s for sure.”
Ted Gelov’s Ownership Boost
Gelov owns Heartland Food Products Group, which is the parent company for Splenda and Java House Brands. Gelov’s investment has helped Carpenter kick the operation into high gear.
“It’s been a great day,” George said. “I couldn’t ask for more.
“Like I said, the fans, have turned out. The weather’s been great, and it was exciting racing right to the finish.”
Tim Broyles is the longtime general manager of ECR and also spoke of the additional financial boost that Gelov has brought to the operation in a business where money buys speed.
“We’re super excited to have Ted Gelov join us with the Heartland Brand,” Broyles said. “Ted is our backbone; we have Ed and Tony George and Stuart Reed as such a big part of this and kept us going for so long and then bringing Ted in this year has been an amazing transformation of our group.
“There is more of this to come.”
The man who has seen how the additional money has bought speed is the driver, Christian Rasmussen.
In his second season at ECR, the first-time IndyCar Series winner sees even more success in the future.
“I think ECR is in a great spot right now,” Rasmussen said. “I think we’ve gotten a massive opportunity with Heartland Food Group, Splenda, and Java House coming in as partners. A lot of stuff is going on behind the scenes.
“We have a lot of opportunities this year that the team hasn’t had in the past. It’s really what we do with it.
“And I think next year will be very showing of what if that extra budget and extra opportunities that we’ve had this year are going to translate into results. We’re all very hopeful. We’re all believing in this project and where we’re going as a team. I think we’re doing all the right stuff.
“I think it’ll be a very interesting year for ECR in 2026.”
Tony George Enjoys Being Out Of The Spotlight
Ever since turning control of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar to Penske at the end of 2019, George enjoys the quieter life of his role with ECR. He continues to participate in IndyCar without being squarely in the spotlight.
Tony George prefers the shadows, letting Carpenter and Rasmussen enjoy the spotlight of Victory Lane.