Few names are as synonymous with motorsports entertainment as that of “Chitwood.” The late George Rice “Joie” Chitwood was an outstanding open-wheel car racer who placed fifth three times in the Indianapolis 500. He was best known, however, for creating “The Joie Chitwood Thrill Show.” It has been estimated that as many as 30 million people saw the show in one form or another during its 55-year run, which concluded in 1998.Chitwood’s grandson, Joel Scott Chitwood, got his start in the family business at age 5 performing a 180-degree spin in the clown-act portion of the show. By the time he was in high school, “Joie III” was heading some of the most-popular stunts, including the helmet-first-through-a-wall-of-flames Human Battering Ram. He even appeared on an episode of the 1980’s television show “That’s Incredible!”

A 1992 graduate of the University of Florida, Chitwood left the show the following year to further his education. He studied at Cambridge University in England and later earned an MBA from the University of South Florida. Since then, he has been a motorsports-management heavyweight, first as one of the early staffers of the Indy Racing League, then as VP and GM of Chicagoland Speedway. In 2002, he signed on with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and in 2005, he was named president and COO. I recently spoke with Chitwood regarding next year’s Red Bull Indianapolis GP.

What were some of the hurdles that you had to overcome to make this event possible?

“Obviously, we run a very full schedule. We’re known for the Indy 500. That’s part of our DNA. In 1994, we added NASCAR and, later, Formula One. If you look at that calendar, with those three huge events and the weather we have here, it’s tough to fit in anything else. Plus, to convert the track from an oval to a roadcourse is tough to do.

“There was so much due diligence. From 1911 to 1994, we had one event each year, and it was ours. We didn’t partner with anybody. When you partner with someone, you want to make sure you have a good business relationship, that it works for both parties, because there can be challenges when you work together to put on a world-class event.

“As I spoke with MotoGP, World Superbike and the AMA, I tried to get to know them, their personalities and how they put events together. How do they deal with riders? How do they deal with sponsors? What is important to them? You try to come up with a way to marry your attributes with theirs. At the end of the day, the fans in the grandstands don’t know about all that, and they don’t care. All they want is a great event.”

Is the Speedway willing and able to change the existing road course to make it safe for motorcycles?

“For us, it’s about putting the right racetrack out there for our competitors. We’re going to put on a show, and we’re not shy about that. We’re going to have a safe, first-class facility. We’ve had so many meetings with the FIM to make sure this is the right way to do it. It took many iterations and it wasn’t easy, but I think we’ve done a great job.

“We also had to keep Formula One in the backs of our minds, whether it was going to continue or not. To have a joint FIA/FIM inspection, we had to live up to two standards–one for four wheels and another for two wheels.

“I liked the fact that Kenny Roberts Jr. thought we were going to have multiple passing areas. It was also exciting to hear and that he and Kevin Schwantz appreciated that we do things the right way and that we’re not going to cut costs.”

Does Indianapolis have an advantage over other U.S. cities in terms of hosting an event of this type and potential magnitude?

“We are the only sports property that I know of that has elevated the name of its community to international recognition. If you travel around the globe and mention Indianapolis or Indiana, people think of racing. Because the Indy 500 is the largest, single-day sporting event in the world, we know how to manage large crowds, and the town understands the benefits you get from people checking into hotels and spending their money in restaurants.

“MotoGP provides an opportunity to expose Indianapolis to a new clientele. We have a great relationship with the city. After hosting the 500 for so many years, we understand what’s good for them, and they understand what’s good for us.”

Did the decision to not host a Formula One race in 2008 play a role in pursuing MotoGP?

"It had nothing to do with Formula One. It was an independent decision. The more I looked at the sport, the more excited I became. Americans are winning championships. MotoGP knows how to promote. Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki have a big presence in the U.S. They have promotional dollars to spend. I thought, boy, if you add Indianapolis to this, it could really have a snowball effect—it’s only going to get bigger and bigger. It’s not going to be easy. We have to be devoted to it. But I think for us it’s the right opportunity."

Was IMS CEO Tony George on-board with hosting a motorcycle race from the beginning?

“It was definitely a process. Way back in 2000, when we first started mentioning this, he said, ‘We already have three big events. We’re so spread out trying to deal with all of them, how do I fit in another one? What’s it going to take?’ As Senior VP of Operations Mel Harder and I started looking at it more closely, I would drop a hint here or there. All of a sudden, Tony had seen some of the racing. His reaction was, ‘I didn’t realize it was like this.’

“The first rider to win at Indianapolis will go down with Ray Harroun, Jeff Gordon and Michael Schumacher. That will be special. The paycheck is important, sponsorship is good, but it’s the name on the trophy. That will be a special name.

“This place creates memories. We’re going to expose this property to motorcycle fans across the U.S. who may never have thought about coming here for any type of sporting event. Who knows, they may become fans of the 500 or want to see other events. But at the end of the day, I know it’s going to be special, and I know that people are really going to remember it.”