Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis Prize finalists have shot at $250k for their work to save endangered animals

Published

1 year ago

January 29, 2025

Indianapolis Prize finalists have shot at 0k for their work to save endangered animals

The Indianapolis Zoological Society has named six DeHaan finalists for its biennial Indianapolis Prize honoring animal conservationists from around the world.

The finalists have spent their lives working to protect manatees, kangaroos, orangutans and elephants and the critical habitat each species needs for healthy populations.

The winner of this year’s prize will receive a $250,000 award and will be celebrated at the Indianapolis Prize Gala on Sept. 27. The remaining five finalists and the winner of the society’s Emerging Conservationist Award will each receive a $50,000 award.

Dr. Rob Shumaker, president and CEO of the Indianapolis Zoological Society, said the six finalists have produced tangible results while protecting threatened species across the globe.

Indianapolis Prize reaches milestone

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the prize, which has awarded more than $7 million since it began.

The society established the Indianapolis Prize to bring attention to animal conservation and the people who spend their lives saving endangered animal species. It is the largest individual monetary award for work in this area.

2025 DeHaan finalists

Here are this year’s DeHaan finalists for the Indianapolis Prize.

Alberto Alves Campos founded Aquasis, a nonprofit organization in Brazil that works with endangered species and habitat conservation. His work has improved the conservation status of the Antillean manatee.
Lisa Dabek founded the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program, where she partners with indigenous communities and local governments to establish conservation plans in Papua New Guinea.
Biruté Mary Galdikas is the president and co-founder of Orangutan Foundation International, where she leads the way in orangutan ecology research. Galdikas was also an Indianapolis Prize DeHaan finalist in 2023.
Julie Packard is the founding executive director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium and works to uplift the sustainable seafood movement using ecosystem-based science.
Lily-Arison René de Roland serves as the national director of The Peregrine Fund’s Madagascar program and has helped establish five national protected areas totaling 1,550 square miles.
Lee James Taylor White is a field biologist with the Institute for Tropical Ecology Research working with the critically endangered African forest elephant in the countries of the Congo Basin.

2025 Emerging Conservationist Award

The society named its 10 finalists for the Emerging Conservationist Award in October last year. The award honors early-career efforts to save animal species.

The winner will be honored at the gala in September.

IndyStar’s environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.

Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at karl.schneider@indystar.com. Follow him on BlueSky @karlstartswithk.bsky.social

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Indianapolis, IN

Ahead of the Indianapolis 500, DCR Restyles Romain Grosjean’s No. 18 to Honor the Late Kyle Busch

Published

6 hours ago

May 23, 2026

Press Room

Ahead of the Indianapolis 500, DCR Restyles Romain Grosjean’s No. 18 to Honor the Late Kyle Busch

While there will be no No. 8 or No. 18 run at Charlotte Motor Speedway this Memorial Day weekend, over in Indianapolis, Kyle Busch’s most iconic No. 18 will have the chance to run the Indianapolis 500 that he never got following his unexpected passing on Thursday at the age of 41 from severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis, per a statement shared from the family to The Athletic.

Joe Gibbs Racing has not used the No. 18 since Busch left the organization after the completion of the 2022 season, and as announced yesterday, Richard Childress Racing will halt the use of the No. 8 in honor of Busch until his son Brexton is ready to go “NASCAR racing.”

Plans came together the day before the running of the 110th Indianapolis 500 for Romain Grosjean to run Busch’s stylized No. 18 after a suggestion from Fox Sports broadcaster Townsend Bell, per Adam Stern of the Sports Business Journal. Fox Sports and JGR worked together to get the tribute approved and on the car.

Busch ran the No. 18 for 15 years, including both successful Championship campaigns in 2015 and 2019.

Right in between these two championships, Kyle Busch had the chance to race The Double in 2017, securing approval from Chevrolet, Toyota, and his main sponsor of the era, Mars Inc., with his iconic M&Ms scheme. Ultimately, Joe Gibbs shot it down. Earlier this year, on an episode of his former teammate Denny Hamlin’s podcast Actions Detrimental, he shared that if a deal were to come together again, he would take the opportunity with the assumed support of Richard Childress.

Victoria Beaver is a nomadic sports writer who spends her time hopping between race tracks and hippie farms. She’s covered every corner of motorsports that will let her in from 410 Sprints to NASCAR to Supercross. Her daily driver is a 2010 Subaru that she refused to do the smallest amount of preventative maintenance on. Instead, she spends her free time and money building a 42-foot Skoolie to one day travel the country full time.

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Indianapolis, IN

Indy 500 weather forecast calls for rain on race day. What to know

Published

18 hours ago

May 23, 2026

Press Room

Indy 500 weather forecast calls for rain on race day. What to know

If you’re headed to the race Sunday, bring some rain gear and patience. Indianapolis could see rain on the day of the Indy 500 for the third straight year, according to multiple weather forecasts.

IndyStar is helping race fans prepare for the spectacle by publishing daily updates before tomorrow’s race, scheduled to start at 12:45 p.m.

IndyStar’s historic weather analysis (provided below) shows that it’s rained only once on May 24 since 2006 and the average temperature for the past 20 years has been in the upper 60s. That said, this year threatens to buck the trend as multiple current forecasts call for some precipitation at some point on Sunday, May 24.

What will the weather be like for the Indy 500?

The National Weather Service on Saturday warned of a wet race day, upgrading its forecast of a 60% chance of precipitation Sunday to 70%. The forecast calls for scattered showers before 11 a.m., then scattered thunderstorms until 1 p.m. Green flag at the Speedway race is scheduled for 12:45 p.m. Rainfall totals are expected to be between a tenth and a quarter of an inch but could be more in the event of thunderstorms. Outside of the possible storms, skies will be mostly cloudy with a high temperature near 79 degrees.

AccuWeather’s forecast shows an 88% chance of rain on race day with a 53% chance of thunderstorms. Skies will be cloudy with a couple of showers and a thunderstorm with a high temperature in the mid-70s. The weather provider’s outlook notes that “rain and thunderstorms could impact the race.”

The Weather Underground forecast is the most optimistic of the three, calling for a 47% chance of precipitation around noon and mostly cloudy skies throughout the day. According to the group’s hour-by-hour forecast, rain might last an hour or two. The high temperature will be in the mid-to-low 70s.

What is the weather forecast for Memorial Day if there’s a delay?

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is equipped with massive jet dryers capable of drying the track in roughly 90 minutes; these fans have been deployed each of the last two years.

However, in the event of a delay due to ongoing rain and/or thunderstorms, Monday looks to be rather track-friendly. The National Weather Service has downgraded its forecast of a 30% chance of precipitation Memorial Day to mostly cloudy skies with a high temperature near 81 degrees.

What will weather be like for Legends Day, Festival Parade?

This year’s Indy 500 Legends Day takes place today, Saturday, May 23, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The 500 Festival Parade takes place downtown at noon.

Consistent with yesterday’s forecast, the National Weather Service gives a 30% chance of rain, though most of the scattered showers were expected to come before 9 a.m. Skies will remain mostly cloudy throughout the day with a high temperature in the mid-70s.

Indy 500 weather history

IndyStar analyzed 20 years of historic data from Weather Underground for May 24, this year’s Race Day.

Daily temperatures averaged in the high 60s and it has rained only one day out of the last 20 since 2006. Precipitation totals on rainy days were light, with the highest on record at only one-tenth of an inch.

On previous race days, temperatures varied wildly from a high of 92 degrees in 1937 and a low of 37 degrees in 1947, according to the National Weather Service.

The most rain fell on May 30, 2004, when Race Day was inundated with nearly 4 inches of precipitation. The race eventually ran but was cut short due to a tornado in the area.

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