Page 6 - 8 August 2012

Mari George’s love for animals forms the foundation for her success in American Quarter Horse racing.
by Diane Rice
Mari George presents Jeff Gordon the trophy on his fourth win of the Brickyard 400, making him the only driver to have won four Brickyard 400 races.
THE FAST TRACK
Most of Mari’s life has revolved around one track or another. Her parents, Tony and Mary Hulman, bought the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1945 from American World War I flying ace Captain Eddie Rickenbacker and his associates. Hulman set about renovating the facility, which had fallen into disrepair during World War II.
The first race was run there in 1946 and Mari started going to races in 1947 while in grade school. The Speedway, also known as The Brickyard,
is now home to the Indy 500 and the Brickyard 400 among other motor sports. It has remained under the Hulman and George family’s ownership all these years, with Mari’s children— Nancy, Tony, Josie and Kathi—now serving on the board of directors, and her grandchildren working there in one capacity or another.
Mari’s son, Tony George, drove for quite
a while, as have her grandsons. “One of my grandsons defected and ran in NASCAR for a while,” Mari jokingly said.
FROM RANCHER TO RACER
Mari’s introduction to horseracing came via a stint as a dude ranch owner. “I started out being the Great White Hunter,” she said. “I was wanting to go on hunting trips. I happened to go out to Wyoming several times and fell in love with a dude ranch out there.”
The ranch, including a string of 80 trail riding and pack horses, was for sale, and Mari bought it. Her equine fate was sealed.
The popular 2000-plus-acre dude ranch offered all-day rides, pack trips and fishing trips
Mari George loves her animals—horses, dogs, you name it. No matter the species, their welfare tops her list of concerns.
In fact, her children have joked that the animals even come before them. “As kids, we’d joke that we were second priority,” said Mari’s daughter Nancy George of Indianapolis.
Although they admit that’s an exaggeration, Mari’s trainer of 24 years, Connie Barnes of Jones, Oklahoma, related a conversation Mari had with
boot maker Tony Lama that revealed how close to the truth their joke came. “Mari was showing the new house she was building to Tony and they came to a room in back that had a big fireplace and was all glassed in with a beautiful view,” Barnes said. “Tony said, ‘This is such a nice party room.’
“Mari looked up in all seriousness and replied, ‘This isn’t the party room—the party room is in the basement. This is the dogs’ room.’ We all just laughed and laughed.”
courtesy Mari George