Indiana 2025 2025 Regular Session

Indiana House Bill HR0023 Introduced / Bill

Filed 03/10/2025

                    *HR1526*
Introduced Version
HOUSE
RESOLUTION No. ___
Introduced by:  Prescott
____________________________________
1 A HOUSE RESOLUTION honoring Tom Bigelow and his
2 racing career.
3 Whereas, Tom Bigelow is originally from Wisconsin but
4 became a Hoosier when he moved to Winchester, Indiana,
5 decades ago during his illustrious racing career; 
6 Whereas, Tom Bigelow started his racing career in 1956,
7 racing in jalopy stock cars. He also dabbled with motorcycles
8 and speed boats, before narrowing his focus to midget racing
9 and, subsequently, sprint cars; 
10 Whereas, Tom Bigelow is an inductee in the United States
11 Auto Club (USAC) Hall of Fame, and he has 81 career USAC
12 National feature victories; 
13 Whereas, From 1981 to 2014, Tom held the record for the
20253059
HR 1526/DI 140 	2025 2
1 most wins in USAC Sprint Car history with a total of 52 wins,
2 along with 23 victories in Midget racing and six wins in the
3 Silver Crown series; 
4 Whereas, In 1969, he became the overall champion of the
5 inaugural USAC Midget event held at the Houston Astrodome
6 in Texas; 
7 Whereas, Tom Bigelow's championships include the 1978
8 USAC National Sprint Car crown, the 1982 USAC Indianapolis
9 Speedrome Midget title, and in 1984, he won the USAC
10 National Midget title; 
11 Whereas, Tom Bigelow was inducted into the National Sprint
12 Car Hall of Fame in 1996, and in 2002, he was inducted into
13 the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame at his hometown
14 track in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin; 
15 Whereas, Tom Bigelow made nine starts in the Indianapolis
16 500, and his best finish was 6th place in 1977; 
17 Whereas, Tom Bigelow had a combined 104 starts in Indy
18 cars between USAC and Championship Auto Racing Teams
19 (CART), and he has also raced in the National Association for
20 Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) and the Automobile Racing
21 Club of America (ARCA) stock car racing; 
22 Whereas, In 2015, a race at Berlin Raceway in Michigan
23 was named the Tom Bigelow Classic in his honor; 
24 Whereas, Although Tom has retired from active racing, he
25 currently works as the director of operations at Winchester
26 Speedway, and he helps run the racing school; 
27 Whereas, In June 2025, Winchester Speedway will be hosting
28 the first annual 500 Sprint Car Tour Tom Bigelow Showdown
29 to honor him; and
30 Whereas, Tom Bigelow is regarded as a living legend in
31 racing, holding records that are unlikely to ever be broken:
32 Therefore,
20253059
HR 1526/DI 140 	2025 3
1 Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the
2 General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
3 SECTION 1. That the Indiana House of Representatives
4 honors Tom Bigelow and recognizes his illustrious racing
5 career.
6 SECTION 2. That the Principal Clerk of the House of
7 Representatives shall transmit copies of this resolution to State
8 Representative J.D. Prescott for distribution.
20253059
HR 1526/DI 140 	2025