Fair 48° F

Home > Archive > Mar 13, 2008

SkyWest Airlines Mini Indy Races Into Dixie
By Cami Cox
Staff Writer
Some little cars with big oomph will rev into town Saturday, March 15, for the eighth annual SkyWest Airlines Mini Indy.
The Mini Indy is a yearly event geared to raising money for United Way Dixie and the SkyWest Airlines scholarship fund. The event is a chance for local spectators to view some NASCAR-like entertainment and cheer on the drivers as they rack up miles for local charities.
“It's just a really fun event where all the money raised goes right back to the community, and it's kind of our way to say thanks for continued support to Skywest,” Nicole Drew, corporate communications coordinator for SkyWest, said. “It's a really fun event. I'm excited for it. It's something that everyone looks forward to every year.”
Teams entered in the Mini Indy are largely composed of aircraft and aviation vendors that do business with SkyWest, and the companies come out each year for some fun competition and to support SkyWest's cause.
“It really is exciting,” Drew said. “It's just an exciting day, and everyone really enjoys it. Our vendors keep coming out year after year, and it's really fun.”
The race teams (approximately 45) will be coming from all across the United States and as far away as Canada and Brazil to participate. There also are some local teams involved. Each year, both Dixie State College and the city of St. George have teams, and SkyWest sponsors its own team, as well. Fees paid by the participating teams to enter the Mini Indy will go toward supporting local United Way charities, among which are such nonprofit groups as the Dixie Care and Share, the D.O.V.E. Center, the Doctors' Volunteer Clinic and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Utah.
Drivers at the Mini Indy will be racing go-cart-size cars, equipped with five-horsepower engines and speed capabilities of up to 30 miles per hour. They will follow a track circling the Dixie State College encampment mall in a series of heats throughout the day, with a championship trophy going to the winners at the end of the event. Each team entered in the Mini Indy will be equipped with a uniformed pit crew that will troubleshoot and maintain the cars just like crews at NASCAR would.
“It really is like you're watching a real NASCAR race. The pit crew will have to stop and change (the cars’) tires and make sure everything is going okay,” Drew said.
SkyWest provides the mini cars for each racing team, so all the drivers are on equal footing when it comes to their equipment, and teams usually repaint the cars and pizzazz them up, Drew said. Prizes are given each year for the best cars and the best crew uniforms.
The Mini Indy race will begin at 10 a.m. near the DSC encampment mall and continue throughout the day. An awards ceremony announcing the winners will take place around 5 p.m., Drew said.
In addition to the race, this year's Mini Indy events will include a fundraising golf scramble Thursday, March 13, at the Entrada Golf Course, and a drawing for a 2008 Can-Am ATV Outlander 650. Tickets for that drawing can be purchased online at www.miniindy.org, or on the day of the race. The proceeds from the drawing and the golf scramble will support the SkyWest scholarship fund, and the winner of the ATV will be announced at the conclusion of the Mini Indy.
Spectators are encouraged to watch the race, and a designated area will be set aside for onlookers. Admission to watch the Mini Indy is free.
“They are more than welcome to come out and see the race,” Drew said.
Registration for this year's Mini Indy and Shotgun SkyWest Golf Scramble has closed, but those interested in participating next year can visit the Mini Indy Web site or contact SkyWest Airlines at 634-3000 for more information.
For additional information about the Mini Indy, visit www.miniindy.org. Dixie State College is located at 225 S. 700 East, in St. George.

---