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IndyCar
MILLER: Axing The Wrong Guy
Four positions were deleted at the IZOD IndyCar Series on Tuesday, one of which Robin Miller believes is absolutely irreplaceable.
The tools and relationships brought by Steve Shunck, left, made it possible to draw in some of the biggest names in Indy car like David Letterman, right, to help promote the sport. (Photo: IMS Photo)
When I began covering auto racing in 1969, there were no public relations people. If you wanted to talk to a driver, you sat on the pit wall and had a conversation.
All that changed during the past 25 years with ESPN, SPEED, racing magazines, the internet and the advent of newspapers having full-time motorsports writers.
Suddenly, everybody had a PR rep and it’s always amused me how many of these people ended up in racing since they had no passion, knowledge or experience for said sport. It was a job and they would never be at a race track unless they were getting paid.
That’s why it’s rare to find a Steve Shunck.
Weaned at Eldora Speedway and Michigan International Speedway, the Ohio-born kid became an Indy car fan the first time his dad drove into 16th & Georgetown and by 1992 he was, amazingly, working for ABC at Indianapolis.
It got better as he went from NASCAR to CART before a stop at MIS and then back to Champ Car, where he lost his job in a power play and went back to NASCAR for a couple years before Randy Bernard hired him at IndyCar in 2010.
Despite the fact he knew 10 times more about racing and public relations than the people he would work alongside, he was back where he belonged in Indy cars and working across the street from his favorite place in the whole world.
Fire-engine loud but equipped with an outgoing personality that lightened up any room, Shunck set out to do what hadn’t been thought of in the Indy Racing League – promote the past, present and future with video and features and make it fun and interesting for the media.
His enthusiasm combined with his encyclopedic knowledge of the drivers, tracks, traditions and history made Shunck an instant hit with the radio, TV, photogs and writers that regularly cover IndyCar.
And the drivers loved working with him on the media stops before races, the winner’s sit downs and Indy 500 victory tour.
He also went the extra mile with manufacturers or sponsors, making sure they get the picture or video they need.
He befriended many of his old heroes like Bobby Unser, Johnny Rutherford, Gordon Johncock, Rick Mears, Mario Andretti and Parnelli Jones, steering them into autograph parties, interview sessions and special appearances around Indy that made them feel as good as their loyal fans while promoting Indy.
He knew history was valuable so he convinced Bernard to let him update and upgrade the record book and it sold out on its first printing.
As IMS prepared for its 100-year anniversary, Shunck got the idea to line up the 33 greatest cars for an historical photo shoot that was made into posters and got major magazine play.
He also got IMS historian Donald Davidson and former winners to do videos of their memories and, even though he wasn’t working for IMS public relations, he did their job, and gladly.
Shunck’s forte is communication, whether it’s getting drivers to open up and be revealing or taking a few media people to dinner with one of them and establishing a relationship. Hell, he even got the reclusive Dave Letterman to talk about his love of Indy for 45 minutes on tape.
All that changed during the past 25 years with ESPN, SPEED, racing magazines, the internet and the advent of newspapers having full-time motorsports writers.
Suddenly, everybody had a PR rep and it’s always amused me how many of these people ended up in racing since they had no passion, knowledge or experience for said sport. It was a job and they would never be at a race track unless they were getting paid.
That’s why it’s rare to find a Steve Shunck.
Weaned at Eldora Speedway and Michigan International Speedway, the Ohio-born kid became an Indy car fan the first time his dad drove into 16th & Georgetown and by 1992 he was, amazingly, working for ABC at Indianapolis.
It got better as he went from NASCAR to CART before a stop at MIS and then back to Champ Car, where he lost his job in a power play and went back to NASCAR for a couple years before Randy Bernard hired him at IndyCar in 2010.
Despite the fact he knew 10 times more about racing and public relations than the people he would work alongside, he was back where he belonged in Indy cars and working across the street from his favorite place in the whole world.
Fire-engine loud but equipped with an outgoing personality that lightened up any room, Shunck set out to do what hadn’t been thought of in the Indy Racing League – promote the past, present and future with video and features and make it fun and interesting for the media.
His enthusiasm combined with his encyclopedic knowledge of the drivers, tracks, traditions and history made Shunck an instant hit with the radio, TV, photogs and writers that regularly cover IndyCar.
And the drivers loved working with him on the media stops before races, the winner’s sit downs and Indy 500 victory tour.
He also went the extra mile with manufacturers or sponsors, making sure they get the picture or video they need.
He befriended many of his old heroes like Bobby Unser, Johnny Rutherford, Gordon Johncock, Rick Mears, Mario Andretti and Parnelli Jones, steering them into autograph parties, interview sessions and special appearances around Indy that made them feel as good as their loyal fans while promoting Indy.
He knew history was valuable so he convinced Bernard to let him update and upgrade the record book and it sold out on its first printing.
As IMS prepared for its 100-year anniversary, Shunck got the idea to line up the 33 greatest cars for an historical photo shoot that was made into posters and got major magazine play.
He also got IMS historian Donald Davidson and former winners to do videos of their memories and, even though he wasn’t working for IMS public relations, he did their job, and gladly.
Shunck’s forte is communication, whether it’s getting drivers to open up and be revealing or taking a few media people to dinner with one of them and establishing a relationship. Hell, he even got the reclusive Dave Letterman to talk about his love of Indy for 45 minutes on tape.
2013 INDY 500 Practice
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