Tales from the Track: Jimmy Kite INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — There are 56 days until the Indianapolis 500, and WISH-TV is helping fans get ready for race day by talking to people who have been a part of the iconic event. Jimmy Kite, who competed in the Indy 500 five times, joined Stacy Schooler o n Daybreak on Sunday to talk about his career and what he’s doing today. Kite made his debut at Indianapolis in 1998 and also competed in 1999, 2000, 2003, and 2005. Kite’s racing career began at age 8 in quarter midgets. His journey from watching “500” practice as a child to competing on the front straightaway fulfilled a lifelong ambition to race at the world’s most famous track. At age 20, Kite won the Copa World Classic in Phoenix, a race that included several established Indy car and NASCAR drivers. He says the victory marked the first time veteran drivers recognized him by name. He recalled meeting legends such as Gary Bettenhausen, whose autographs he had collected as a child. Kite moved to Indianapolis two days after his high school graduation to compete in USAC. These experiences eventually led to his first Indy 500 start in 1998 for Dallara. During that race, Kite ran as high as 11th despite running out of fuel and losing two laps. “It was good for a rookie,” Kite said. “After all the ones I’ve ran, that still ended up being my best finish. So it always holds a special place.” Kite’s connection to the speedway began during childhood visits to watch practice with his father. He says he regularly wore Indianapolis 500 shirts as a young boy and focused his goals on reaching the famous track. “I used to always wear the Indy 500 shirts, and my dad brought me over here probably when I was four or five, just to watch practice days, and I just knew it’s always what I wanted to do,” Kite said. “Fortunately, I was one of the people who got to live my dream, so it’s pretty awesome.” Today, Kite and his wife, Mindy Kite, operate a graphics company located in Brownsburg. The business, Mindy’s Brownsburg Signs, provides signs and graphics for local clients. Kite plans to participate in the Legends Day autograph session at IMS on May 23, the day before the Indianapolis 500. ...read more read less