Schumacher, Page Elected to IMS Hall of Fame
Seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher and longtime Indianapolis 500 broadcaster Paul Page comprise the 2021 class of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame, the museum announced.
Schumacher and Page were elected to the IMS Hall of Fame by the voting panel of 150 motorsports journalists, officials and living Hall of Fame members, chosen from a total of 14 nominees representing the Speedway’s history as host to the Indianapolis 500, Brickyard 400 and, from 2000-2007, F1’s United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis.
Schumacher and Page will be honored and officially inducted at the 2021 IMS Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Indianapolis 500 Oldtimers Dinner presented by Firestone on Thursday, May 27 at the Downtown Indianapolis Marriott.
Schumacher ranks as one of the world’s all-time greatest driving talents, having earned a record-seven F1 World Championships and holding F1 records in nearly every driver-related category during his career. The only other driver in F1 history to earn seven Driver Championships is Sir Lewis Hamilton, who accomplished the milestone in 2020 driving for Mercedes. During the 2000s, Schumacher won five of the eight United States Grands Prix contested at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, including the inaugural race in 2000 and four in a row from 2003-06.
Page, an Evansville, Indiana, native, served as “The Voice of the 500,” or chief announcer, on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network for 13 years, and as television host and play-by-play voice for Indianapolis 500 coverage on ABC Sports an additional 16 years.
Page started his career in Indianapolis radio and joined WIBC-AM, the flagship station for the IMS Radio Network, in 1968. Page found a mentor in the legendary Sid Collins and joined the network’s Indianapolis 500 coverage team in 1974. In the wake of Collins’ death in early May 1977, Page took over the chief announcer position and held it until 1987. Page covered a variety of events for ABC and ESPN until 2012, including INDYCAR racing, CART and NHRA drag racing coverage.
He returned to the IMS Radio Network as “Voice of the 500” in 2014-15 and co-hosted the broadcast of the 100th Indianapolis 500 in 2016 with Mark Jaynes, who took over as the “voice” in 2017 and remains the chief announcer.
Due to the cancellation of the 2020 induction ceremony, the 2020 IMS Hall of Fame inductees – legendary drivers Janet Guthrie and Dale Earnhardt – will be honored at the 2021 event.
