DESTINY'S CHILD: Part 1 of 2; Sam Hornish Jr. wins an Indy thriller.(News)(Biography)

Byline: CURT CAVIN The Indianapolis 500 is as much about history as it is speed. This year's race was the 90th for open-wheel cars at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and to understand what it meant to winner Sam Hornish Jr., a look back is in order. Sam Hornish, father of the two-time Indy Racing League champion, grew up modestly in the small northwestern Ohio town of Defiance.

He was introduced to the 500 before he understood what a privilege it was to ride 150 miles to the Speedway in a Studebaker truck. By Hornish's recollection, his first Speedway race was in 1950, although ...

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