FOR RELEASE: Friday, May 22, 2026, 10:30
a.m. EDT
(Images available upon request.
PAUL
KELLY RECEIVES HONORARY
2026
JIM CHAPMAN AWARD
FOR
EXCELLENCE IN MOTORSPORTS PR
INDIANAPOLIS
-- Paul Kelly, whose unhesitant help to journalists has made him
countless media friends during a more than three-decades-long career, Friday was announced as recipient of the 2026 Honorary Jim
Chapman Award for excellence in motorsports public relations.
The Chapman Award is considered by many in
the industry as the highest honor in racing public relations. It is named in
memory of Chapman, the legendary PR executive and innovator, who worked with
Babe Ruth and was named Indy Car racing’s “most influential man” of the 1980s.
Chapman died 30 years ago, in October 1996, at age 80.
The announcement was made two days before
the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge in the Indianapolis Motor
Speedway's DEX Imaging Media Center by Michael Knight, award chairman and
rights holder, and one of Chapman’s closest friends. The award is authorized by
the Chapman family. PR representatives from all forms of motorsports are
eligible for consideration.
The award was presented in association
with the Society of Professional Motorsports Journalists (MotorsportsJournalists.org).
The organization was founded less than two years ago by Hall of Fame
broadcaster Paul Page, who serves as president, and Knight, the founding
director.
"It's almost impossible to name a
media representative who hasn't benefitted, directly-or-indirectly, from Paul's
help," said Knight, the inaugural Chapman Award recipient in 1991.
"That was a hallmark of Mr. Chapman. Jim taught me many times that the
best way to represent an employer or client was to offer a hand-of-friendship
to those in the media and help them, in any possible way, do their jobs.
"Rarely -- if ever -- did Jim
consider a media request to be 'asking too much.' Over the years I have seen Paul help as he
could, or work to find another way, to accommodate the media. I, personally,
have been the beneficiary of his kind assistance on many occasions.
“Jim set the ultimate standard of
professionalism, which forever elevated PR and media relations. His word and
handshake were his bond. He only did things one way: First class. Most
importantly, he knew that solid professional relationships with journalists was
important in good times and essential in bad times.
"Jim was a true ‘people person’ and
understood that nothing could replace a personal touch, such as a face-to-face
conversation, or just the sound of another person’s voice. This is the right
time to recognize and congratulate Paul on years of working in the spirit and
tradition of Mr. Chapman."
The Chapman Award has three major
purposes: 1. To honor Chapman's unmatched legacy; 2. To recognize
current PR practitioners who work to Chapman's standard and
in his spirit; 3. To provide learning and inspiration for newer and
future PR representatives.
Kelly, a native and resident of Syracuse, N.Y., began his career
in 1988 as a sportswriter and editor at daily and weekly publications in
Connecticut and upstate New York. He moved
to motorsports PR in 1993 with the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA).
He began working for the IndyCar Series
and Indianapolis Motor Speedway in January 1998, moved to agency work involving
IMSA-sanctioned series from 2014-16, then returned to IndyCar and IMS in
February 2017. During his 26-year tenure with IndyCar and IMS, he has worked in
a variety of public relations roles but has focused mainly on editorial,
including media guides, press releases, website content and trackside notes.
Kelly was promoted to director of
editorial for Penske Entertainment upon Penske Corp.’s purchase of IndyCar and
IMS in January 2020, a role he continues to hold.
"Need a fact or some
information?," said Knight. "Paul's the media's man for that."
Established in 1991 by media and
publicists within the CART series, the Chapman Award originally focused on
achievement in CART. After a hiatus of several years, the award was resumed in
2004, with eligibility expanded to anyone working in racing PR.
Chapman, who was born in Macon, Georgia,
started as sports editor or managing editor of several Southern newspapers
before joining the New York Times. He
entered the PR business in 1946, as regional PR director for Ford Motor Co. in
Detroit.
Soon thereafter, Chapman hired Ruth as
ambassador for the automaker’s sponsorship of American Legion Junior Baseball.
They traveled together for more than two years for personal appearances and
became close friends. Chapman was one of a few at Ruth’s bedside when he died
in August 1948 and then officially announced Ruth’s death to the press corps
that had maintained an around-the-clock vigil at New York’s Memorial Hospital.
Chapman kept with him
a money clip with a pockmarked silver dollar that Ruth used to carry during
games for good luck. Chapman said Ruth had used the coin for target practice.
He proudly showcased several photos of Ruth in his office. One was inscribed:
"To a pal that is a pal." Chapman also displayed a framed letter,
written on Ruth's personal stationery from Memorial Hospital, dated July 13,
1948, inviting him to the July 26 premier of the film, The Babe Ruth Story. That letter read, in part, "That evening
would not be complete without your being my guest. To you, Jimmy, I say you
must be with me that evening."
In 1950, Chapman left Ford to start his
own PR firm in the Detroit area. One of his first clients was Avis founder
Warren Avis. Chapman devoted much of his time to financial PR, which he once
called his “favorite form of PR,” and helped companies get recognition among
analysts and even gain admission to the New York and American stock exchanges.
Chapman’s first venture into motorsports
was in 1951, when he joined with NASCAR founder Bill France to promote the
Motor City 250. The race was part of Detroit’s 250th birthday
celebration, a Chapman client. In 1967, Chapman entered Indy Car racing with
client Ozzie Olson’s Olsonite sponsorship of Dan Gurney’s team, which later
featured Bobby Unser as driver.
“Jim was one of the most innovative and imaginative
PR men ever to grace a pit lane,” said Gurney, the American racing great who
died in 2018. “Jim practically invented
most of what is now considered routine sponsor PR work. He was the first, as
far as I know, who thought of putting up a sponsor hospitality tent alongside a
racetrack (at the old Riverside International Raceway), filling it with
extravagant race car ice-sculptures, beautiful food and beautiful people from
the business, sports and movie industries. He started an ‘open house’ tradition
in Ozzie’s hotel suite in Indianapolis, where journalists could rub shoulders
with John Wayne or (astronaut) Scott Carpenter.”
Chapman also directed Olsonite’s
sponsorship of the Driver of the Year award. He orchestrated all the details,
including the media panel voting, and an annual luncheon at New York City’s
legendary ‘21’ Club. That gathering was considered so prestigious it was
routinely attended by leaders of all the major U.S. sanctioning organizations
regardless of what series the Driver of the Year competed in.
Chapman’s greatest professional acclaim
came from 1981-1992, as director of PPG Industries’ CART series sponsorship.
Chapman was instrumental in raising PPG’s prize fund from $250,000 to more than
$3.75 million at the time of his retirement in February 1993. The all-female
PPG Pace Car Driving Team was another Chapman innovation, as were the PPG
Editors’ Days, when he brought business and feature writers to the tracks for
lunch, pace car rides, and driver interviews.
In 1982, Chapman negotiated a
historic sponsorship for PPG with then- IMS President Joe Cloutier, which
formally made the Indy 500 a points-paying event in the PPG Indy Car World
Series. Chapman famously wrote key details of their agreement on a matchbook cover
during a late-night dinner with Cloutier. The deal made PPG the largest
corporate contributor to the Indy 500 prize fund and continued through the 1995
season.
“That was one of the most
satisfying moments of my career,” Chapman recalled. “Roger Penske (whose team
has won a record 20 Indy 500s and who now also owns IMS), among others, told me
it was the best thing that had ever happened to CART.” In later years Chapman
arranged for PPG, in addition to its major contribution to the race's prize
fund, to become sponsor of the $100,000 Indy 500 pole award and to pay a
special $200,000 winner’s bonus in the early runnings of NASCAR’s Brickyard
400.
In its obituary, the New York Times wrote that Chapman
"served as a father confessor to many top racing drivers." Two-time
Indy 500 winner and PPG Cup champion Al Unser Jr. said on behalf of his fellow
drivers, "With Jim, when he says ‘jump,’ we just ask ‘how high? And we do
it right then.”
Indy
Car Racing magazine named Chapman the sport’s “most influential” man of the
1980s, saying he turned “a public relations assignment into an art form.” After
his retirement, Chapman continued to advise PPG, and agreed to Mario Andretti’s
personal request that he serve as honorary chairman of Andretti’s “Arrivederci, Mario” farewell tour in
1994.
Chapman's professional achievements earned him vast recognition. The mayors of Detroit
and Long Beach, Calif., presented him proclamations and the
key to each city. In 1993, Indiana
Gov. Evan Bayh named him Sagamore of the Wabash, the state's highest honor. He served
as president and/or director of more than 30 Michigan and Detroit-area civic and
charitable organizations. Chapman became
active in the civil rights movement in the 1950s and represented the Detroit
Urban League and United Negro College Fund in several controversial
situations. He admitted to shedding
"buckets of tears of joy" when Willy T. Ribbs became the first
African-American driver to qualify for the Indy 500 in 1991.
The permanent Jim Chapman
Award is cast in bronze and features a classic photo of Jim wearing his
favorite navy blue double-breasted blazer and the names of all the award
recipients. The raised text under Jim’s photo reads:
“James P. Chapman (1916-1996). A great man
who deeply cared about country and church; family and friends. A legend in the
public relations industry who set the ultimate standard of professionalism and
excellence. A superstar who superstars like Babe Ruth wanted at their
side. A pioneer in motorsports PR who practically invented most of what is now
considered routine. A true 'People Person' who
knew a mutually-respectful relationship with journalists was
important in good times and essential in bad times. A mentor kind enough to
help others achieve success. A gentleman who understood nothing could
replace the sound of the human voice, a handshake, a face-to-face meeting, a
shared meal, a hand-written note of thanks.
“All who ever have, do, or will work in
public relations stand on Mr. Chapman's shoulders.
“The true honor of the Jim Chapman Award
is not a plaque. The true honor is having one's name forever associated with
that of the great James P. Chapman. A committee of journalists adjudged those
named here worthy of this high honor.”
###
JIM
CHAPMAN AWARD HONOREES:
1991 – Michael Knight
1992 – Tom Blattler
1993-94 – Deke Houlgate and Hank Ives
1995 – Kathi Lauterbach
1996 – Marc Spiegel
1997 – Mike Zizzo
1998 – Tamy Valkosky
1999 -- Carol
Wilkins
2000-2003 – (Award not presented)
2004 – Doug Stokes
2005 – Susan Arnold
2006 – Kevin Kennedy
2007 – Dave Densmore and Bob Carlson
2008 – Judy Stropus
2009 –
(Award not presented)
2010 -- Jim Hunter
2011 -- Bill York
2012 -- Judy Kouba Dominick and Nancy Wager
2013 -- Anne Fornoro
2014 -- Jon Edwards and Elon Werner
2015 -- Linda Vaughn (honorary)
2015 -- David Ferroni
2016 -- T.E. McHale and Dan Layton
2017 -- Andy Hall
2018 -- Dick Jordan
2019 -- Dan Zacharias
2020 -- (Award not presented)
2021 -- Owen A. Kearns
2022 -- Amy Walsh Stock and Steve H. Shunck
2023 -- (Award not presented)
2024 -- Suzi Elliott
2025 -- Pat Caporali
2026 --
Paul Kelly (honorary)
CONTACT: Michael Knight, 602-315-3900
(mobile) or 480-661-5240 (office). E-mail: SpinDoctor500@aol.com . X: @SpinDoctor500
