INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — We are 50 days away from the Indianapolis 500 and leading up to the green flag, WISH-TV is talking to people who have played a role in past races and those dedicated to the history of this iconic event.

Mike Lashmett, the founder of Vintage Indy, joined Saturday Daybreak to share his Tales From The Track.

Lashmett started as a mechanic back in 1971 for the Vel-Parnelli Jones team and George Bignotti, who won the Indy 500 with the Johnny Lightning Special 55 years ago. He said he did everything from driving the truck, to assembling the car, and working pit stops.

Lashmett shared that he was with that team for two years and then transitioned to the Super Team, who brought on Mario Andretti.

“Then I left that team at the end of ’72 and went with George Bignotti over to Patrick Racing Team,” he said. “That team won the 500 in 1973 and I was on Gordy’s car later that season. We won several races including Phoenix, and Trenton, sat on the front row for the California 500 at Ontario next to Pete Robson and Jerry Grant.”

Lashmett explained that preserving the history of the 500 is a must. He often conducts public speaking engagements with his good friend and pace car driver, Al Unser Jr, who was the first person to compete against his own father in the same Indianapolis 500.

Lashmett says Indianapolis would be nothing without the history and that it’s a very special place, not only because of the races, but because of the people.

“There’s a lot of famous racetracks in the world, Daytona, Le Mans, Monaco. No place has the history that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indianapolis 500 has,” he said.

“And no place do the fans have the appreciation and knowledge of even the minutia of the history of all things Indianapolis. So, that’s how important it is.”

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The 2026 NCAA Tournament is nearing its conclusion, with the Final Four set to take place in Indianapolis this Saturday. The matchups feature a mix of familiar and new faces, including Arizona making its first appearance in the national semifinals since 2001.

Why it matters

The Final Four is the most anticipated event of the college basketball calendar, drawing massive viewership and setting the stage for an exciting national championship game. This year’s tournament has featured several Cinderella stories and unexpected contenders, adding to the intrigue.

The details

The two national semifinal games will be played on Saturday, April 4th. The first matchup at 3:00 PM local time will feature Arizona taking on the winner of the East Regional. The second game at 5:30 PM will pit the winner of the Midwest Regional against the victor of the West Regional.

• The Final Four will take place on Saturday, April 4, 2026 in Indianapolis.
• The national championship game is scheduled for Monday, April 6, 2026.

What they’re saying

What’s next

Fans can tune in to the national semifinal games on CBS this Saturday, with the national championship game set for Monday night. Ticket sales and viewing parties are expected to be at a fever pitch as the tournament reaches its climax.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The HBCU All-Star Game Experience tips off Friday in Indianapolis, beginning a weekend of events that includes educational fairs, social justice panels and an all-star basketball game.

The multi-day event is centered at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and the Madam Walker Legacy Center, with activities scheduled through Sunday afternoon.

The experience is designed to celebrate the historical and contemporary role of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in sports and civil rights. Beyond the athletic competition, the event aims to empower student-athletes through conversations about education, community development, and activism.

The weekend began Friday morning with a college admissions and scholarship fair at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

The fair, which started at 9 a.m., provided resources for prospective students and their families. Following the educational events, the focus shifts to a “social justice and civil rights luncheon and panel” scheduled for Saturday.

The luncheon and panel will be held at 12 p.m. Saturday at the Madam Walker Legacy Center. Mawuli Mel Davis and Sean Johnson are among those participating in the discussions and joined Daybreak on Friday to discuss the event.

Mel Davis explained that the inclusion of social justice topics is a direct reflection of the history of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

“We have seen the role of HBCUs in the social justice work since the inception of HBCUs,” Davis said. “And so we thought it was absolutely appropriate to have a social justice, civil rights conversation for our student athletes.”

Davis added that the event serves to remind young athletes of their ability to affect society.

“This will be a way of pouring into them and reminding them of their power as student athletes and as young people to really impact how things are happening in our community and in our society right now.”

The panel discussions are divided into two segments:

• Panel 1 – Civic Engagement, Public Safety & Police Accountability
• Panel 2 – Educate, Employ, Empower — Youth, Education & Workforce Pathways as Civic Power

Johnson said one session will focus on education, while the other addresses community development and the intimate nature of the HBCU experience.

“We want to make sure folks, again, understand the importance of HBCUs and the role that HBCUs have played in athletics,” Johnson said. “We see all across the sports spectrum that you see athletes that come from our historically black colleges. And we want to make sure we continue to uplift that.”

The panel features several prominent speakers, including Dr. Ricky Jones from the University of Louisville, along with Barbara Arnwine and Daryl Jones from the Transformative Justice Coalition. Local organizers will also join the conversation, which is free and open to the public.

Founder Travis Williams and Kya Williams established the event to provide a comprehensive look at HBCU culture. Johnson noted that the founders believe the experience should be “bigger than the game.”

Sunday’s schedule returns to the Indiana State Fairgrounds for a black business vendor showcase starting at 12 p.m. This event leads into the final athletic competition of the weekend.

The HBCU All-Star Game will tip off at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Corteva Coliseum. The game features top senior All-Star players from across the country and will be broadcast live on WISH-TV.