By Mark Ambrogi
This will be the 10th year Madison Stahl has attended the Indy 500, but this one will be extra special.
“I grew up in a family that loves IndyCar and loves the 500,” she said. “I grew up seeing the princesses go around the track and when I was little I thought, ‘How can I be one of them?’ Now I’m blessed to be one.”
Stahl, a 2013 Fishers High School graduate and junior elementary education major at Indiana University, is one of 33 selected to serve as 500 Festival princesses and one of four from Fishers along with Morgan Jacobs, Ally Stein and Kayla Wilson.
Stein, a 2013 Hamilton Southeastern graduate, is a junior elementary education major at Purdue.
“I’ve heard the memorial service is just phenomenal,” Stein said. “It’s all about serving our veterans. I can’t wait to attend that.”
The Festival Memorial Service is at noon May 27 at the Indiana War Memorial. Stein’s family has a parade tradition.
“My mom has a picture of me waving the flag down when I was 2,” Stein said. “We go to the parade and then we go to Acapulco Joe’s.”
Stein has been to the past three Indy 500s, but can only imagine how much more special it will be to be a princess.
“Doing all the education visits, I’ve learned so much more about the track and the history,” Stein said.
Wilson, a 2015 FHS graduate and IUPUI freshman, said she learned about the program from her grandparents, Shari and Chuck Knox.
“They’ve very active in the Indy 500 and they wanted me to apply,” Wilson said. “I’m looking forward to all the lasting relationships. All the princesses are amazing.”
Jacobs, a Pendleton Heights graduate whose mother now lives in Fishers, got interested in the program through one of her Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority sisters.
“My chapter president did it last year and she really pushed me towards it,” said Jacobs, an Indiana State sophomore. “I always thought about it, but was never sure. She answered all the questions I had and inspired me to do it. I’m looking forward to bond more with the princesses. We’ve already had such a great time.”
