SPEEDWAY, Ind. — There's a new banner hanging over the main gate at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 62 days ahead of the 107th Running of the Indianapolis 500.
A big name helped with the unveiling Monday, last year's race winner Marcus Ericsson.
"It's very cool," Ericsson said. "It's getting closer, it's a build up. We're getting there, and this, for me, to see my face here, it's definitely one of those pinching moments again. It's been many of those since winning the 500. Very special and, like I said, we're getting closer."
We asked Ericsson to describe his year since winning the race.
"It's been incredible. It's a race win that keeps on giving," he said. "You know, I've been experiencing so many cool things and you now the ticket unveil was very special, knowing that everyone is going to have that in their pockets coming in here on the race day and this as well, it's one of the other things that's so cool, winning this race."
In February, fans got their first look at this year's race ticket during an Indy Fuel game. Ericsson helped present the ticket at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. The ticket includes a photo of Ericsson dumping a bottle of milk on his head after winning the 2022 race. The winning driver has appeared on the next year's ticket since 1947 champion Mauri Rose was shown on the 1948 ticket.
Ericsson joked about the reaction the new banner might get from his fellow drivers.
"Knowing that all my competitors driving here every morning seeing this, it's gonna be, you know, they're not gonna like it, but I love it," he said.
Ericsson said his initial reaction to seeing the banner was noticing he didn't shave on race day.
"That was my first comment," he said. "It's a very good picture, but I should have shaved that day."