You have heard of the Indy 500 – but the Mini 500? Now, that’s racing! Held the Wednesday before the Indy 500 each year on Memorial Day weekend, the St. Augustine Home Mini 500 has all the sights and sounds of the brickyard, except the bricks. The big race has an official pace car. We have the real thing! The big race is kicked off by the Gordon Pipers; ours is kicked off by the President of the Pipers, Doug Hardwick. The big race has celebrities; the Mini is introduced by Mayor Greg Ballard of Indianapolis, and Winnie Ballard is a regular, too. The big race has tail-gating and refreshments, and our lemonade is the best in town.
Many thanks to Myra Albrecht for her able announcing and colorful commentary, to those who prepared prizes and refreshments, and to Jeannine Hong for spot-on music.
Nine relay teams competed in the Mini 500:
| Team | Employee/Volunteer “Walk, Don’t Run” |
Resident Race Walker | Resident Walker – Walker | Resident Wheelchair |
| 11 | Phil Albrecht | Pacing Abiog | Louise Ryan | Virginia Culbertson |
| 15 | Amy Kaplan | Adele Shultz | Peggy Karress and Mayor Greg Ballard | Josephine Antieau |
| 16 | Michael Dlugosz | Mary Jo Huntington | Rita Flowers | Lillian Cooper |
| 18 | Cindy Elliott | Mary Morrow | Larry McGervey | Marian Heubach |
| 21 | Sharon Rinzel | Carol Gaal | Sophia Bodovetz | Mary Cromer |
| 22 | Anthony Akogo | Tom Redmond | Agnes Hopkins | LaQue Scott |
| 26 | John Vawter | Lora Beard (volunteer) | Ed Free | Mary Cromer |
| 29 | Roberta Johnson | Bob Hassett | Rosemary Robinson | Bob Lehr |
| 31 | Mary Lou Roudebush | Alix Elsts | Janet McShane | Betty Chepules |
| Motor Division: Shirley Doll, Mary Rose Peyton |
Click here for photo sideshow from this event
May 22: The Mini 500 Roars Again!