: i know NOTHING about these. . .however I am from Indianapolis and
: grew up watching the Indy 500

: If these were really for sale in the gift shop as opposed to being
: made as gifts for Tony Hulman

: my gut is there are a lot of these around and people don't know
: what they are

: just my 2 cents!

I have done a lot of research on these including interviewing the woman who managed the IMS gift shops from the early '60s through the 90s and she says these watches were never sold in the gift shops. I have also spoken extensively about these watches with Donald Davidson, the IMS historian and he has no recollection of them ever being sold or given as prizes at the track. All evidence says that these were ordered and given away to special friends and workers by Mr. Anton "Tony" Hulman.

JohnCote