Team Penske, Infineon Raceway, IZOD IndyCar Series Prove That Dreams, Do, Come True

Photographers usually lurk behind the scenes visually capturing stories. But in this case, a photographer created the story that became the fairy-tale day of 11-year-old Brian McEnnerney of Daly City, California.

It’s a day that Brian refers to as “the day that turned out to be better than Christmas.” That was, until three days later. That day, he calls, the best day of his life.

An avid sports fan-- baseball, football and hockey among his interests--Brian began watching IndyCar races alongside his father Jim, a lifelong Team Penske fan. In 2009 Brian became even more enthusiastic about the IndyCar Series and one driver in particular: Will Power. Power drives the No. 12 Team Penske car.

It was when Power was forced to undergo extensive rehabilitation after sustaining compression fractures in his back following a practice session accident at Infineon Raceway last year that Brian’s connection with the Australian driver deepened. A connection based on the shared experience of overcoming immense physical, mental and emotional challenges. Suffering an eight-minute loss of oxygen following his birth, Brian was stricken with cerebral palsy. He is confined to a wheelchair and communicates by signing. On the back of his wheelchair is a license plate that reads, “Power 12.”

So it was no surprise that when the IndyCar Series drivers were scheduled to make an appearance on Thursday, August 19, 2010 at Macy’s in Union Square (San Francisco), Brian wanted to go in hopes of getting his hero’s autograph.

The day that turned out to be better than Christmas

On that night, Brian showed up in head-to-toe Will Power attire, beaming. His mother Lori said that prior to the event, “He was so excited he was beside himself.”

Also at the autograph session was Steve Swope, a professional sports photographer with over 25 years experience, including an extensive background photographing the IndyCar Series. Walking around before the autograph session started, Swope spotted Brian in his delighted state and decked-out garb.

And then Swope started a chain of events that got bigger and bigger.

He approached Brian to ask him if he would like to get his picture taken with Will Power. The answer? Obviously, yes.

After disappearing for a few moments, Swope returned with Power who signed Brian’s T-shirt and hat. Power came from behind his table so that the two could also take a picture together. Having just met his hero, and in awe, Brian was in no rush to go anywhere. Instead, he wanted to hang out for a while.

During that time, a representative from Infineon Raceway (where the IndyCar Series was to race on Sunday afternoon) approached Brian and his parents which provided Lori with an opportunity to inquire about wheelchair accessibility at the track. The McEnnerneys weren’t planning to attend Sunday’s race because they were unsure if Infineon was handicap accessible. After being reassured that the raceway was handicap friendly, the McEnnerneys told the representative they would definitely be at the IndyCar race in 2011.

Before leaving Macy’s for the evening, Brian and his parents saw Swope again, asked him to email the picture he had taken of Brian and Power, and thanked him for what Brian calls “the day that turned out to be better than Christmas.” Lori added, “It was the most amazing night.”

Then the McEnnerneys went home, thinking that was the end of a magical experience.

But that, was just the beginning.

The power of teamwork

On Friday, the McEnnerneys received an email from Gary Phillips, VP of Ticket Sales & Customer Relations at Infineon Raceway, asking Brian to attend Sunday’s Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma as the raceway’s guest.

Awaiting Brian at will call were tickets and garage passes, including a pass to go listen to a Danica Patrick question-and-answer session.

Thrilled as they were to be able to bring Brian to the race, both Lori and Jim were stumped as to who was behind such a generous gift.

On Saturday, the McEnnerneys exchanged emails with Swope who fessed up that Power’s team--Team Penske--had been responsible for the tickets after the team had learned about Brian through Swope.

Up at the crack of dawn on race day, and caring less, Brian and his parents made their way out to Infineon Raceway so that per Brian’s request, he could be there when the gates opened at 8 a.m.

Before the morning practice session the trio explored the garage area where they again ran into Swope. After thanking him for starting the weekend’s chain of events, Swope turned to Brian and said, “Will knows you’re coming. I had breakfast with him and we talked about you.”

After making their way over to the Team Penske trailers, Will Power came out of the trailer to greet a grinning Brian and to sign the picture that the two of them had taken together at Macy’s on Thursday night.

Meeting one’s hero can sometimes be a disappointing experience. Often, we imagine our heros to possess qualities that, in reality, they do not have. As a result, we walk away from the experience feeling disappointed and let down. This was not the case with Power.

“A kind gentleman” and “generous with his time,” are words that Lori uses to describe Power, who she pointed out was busy with many obligations at the track and must have become tired of signing things for Brian. She said her son’s hero turned out to be better in person than they had anticipated. Of particular significance to her and Jim, was how Power communicated with Brian.

When a child relies on signing as his form of communication, sometimes a receiver will look away and respond back to the parent, effectively failing to converse with the child. Power did not miss a beat. “He responded right back to Brian; never once did he look back,” said Lori.

While Power began to prepare for practice, team owner Roger Penske, team president Tim Cindric and drivers Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe also came over to meet and say hello to Brian.

A member of Power’s pit crew handed Brian a silver Sharpie pen and a helmet visor, advising him: “Hang on to this. Will is going to be looking for it.” When Power returned, and signed the visor, he quipped, “They even gave you the good one!”

Throughout the morning, Swope encouraged the McEnnerneys to live in the moment and go with the flow of all the awesome things that were happening to them.

One person whom Brian did not get to meet at the raceway is Jack Arute, who currently covers the IndyCar Series on Versus. Brian loves Jack’s on-air antics and as someone who relies on technology himself, he loves that Jack has all sorts of technological devices to help him with his broadcasts.

Although he was unable to meet Arute, Brian was able to meet a number of the Versus broadcast crew. Hearing about his experience at the track, it was only a matter of time before Versus went over to where Brian was and began shooting footage of his day at Infineon Raceway. The package aired on Versus during its live broadcast of the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma, sparking a flurry of text messages from the McEnnereys’ family and friends who could not believe what they were seeing on television.

Not bashful about his big moment on the screen, Brian is precise when it comes to the time his story aired. “2 hours and 29 minutes,” into the broadcast, he said.

As the time for the race began to draw closer, the McEnnerneys made their way to seats in the main grandstand, just in front of the start-finish line. Once the 2010 Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma began, Brian cheered on Power by taking off his hat and waiving it around each time his friend crossed the start-finish line. During the No. 12’s pit stops, Brian leaned forward, sticking his arm out over the banister holding Power until the pit stop was complete and then retracting his arm when it was time for Power to exit the stall.

As fate would have it, Will Power won the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma.

Thrilled to his core, Brian and his parents made their way over to Victory Circle to watch the post-race ceremony.

One of the guys

After recognizing Brian, an Infineon Raceway security official encouraged the McEnnerneys to move closer to the area where Will Power and his teammates were celebrating their victory. Also egging them on to get closer was Charles Burns, Security Director for the Indycar Series. So the McEnnerneys made their way to just outside the gate of Victory Circle.

John Cardinale, VP of Communications and Marketing at Infineon Raceway, however just didn’t think that was good enough. He said Brian had to be in Victory Circle so that he could see the No. 12 car and Power unhindered. By the time he inside the fence, the celebration was in full swing and Brian was very excited when Power shot some champagne in his direction.

It was while he was in Victory Circle that one of the Team Penske crew members spotted Brian, and with that, the pit crew insisted that he be front and center with the entire team and included in their team photograph.

For any mother, to see a child’s dreams come true, it is an incredible moment. But for Lori, this moment was particularly special. She explained it best in a thank-you note she wrote “To The Car 12 Guys”: “I do believe the single most amazing moment for Brian was when you asked him to join you for a team photograph. Too many times in Brian’s young life, he hasn’t been included or felt like he belonged. You changed that in an instant, and I can never thank you enough for your kindness.”

As pit crew members participated in the customary victory lane sponsor hat exchange, so too did Brian. At one point, Gary Prall, the outside rear tire-changer for the No. 12 car, told Lori and Jim, “Having Brian here at the race means so much to us. This is what it’s all about.”

Once all the obligatory sponsor pictures had been taken in Victory Circle and the celebration wound down, Brian left with a smile on his face and one final souvenir-- the commemorative magnum bottle of champagne signed by Will Power.

All told, Brian left Infineon Raceway with approximately 30 hats, 2 t-shirts signed by Power, the signed visor from Power’s helmet, and the magnum. Swope also sent Brian a CD with over 100 images from race day on it, including one of him in Victory Circle. In the picture, Power is giving a thumbs up to Brian and Brian is giving a thumbs up to Power.

The next day Brian got one final surprise when he went onto Team Penske’s website, which he normally does following a race, to check the championship standings. Shocked, but delighted, before him on the screen was a picture of Team Penske in Victory Circle at Infineon Raceway--and he was in the picture.

Brian’s presence at Macy’s and Infineon Raceway provided Steve Swope, Team Penske, Infineon Raceway and the IZOD IndyCar Series with an opportunity to serve a purpose larger than racing. They acted without hesitation. Together, working as a team, they each did their part to make the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma an unforgettable experience for Brian, Lori, and Jim.

When asked about his friend Brian during a post-race interview on Verses, Power said, “I love doing [this] sort of thing. Kid like him, it’s so unfortunate. We don’t know how fortunate we are to be able to talk and do everything that every day people do. So, we are very happy to do anything for a kid like [Brian].”

While Brian left Infineon Raceway with a plethora of momentos, the most important gift everyone contributed to give him is an intangible lesson: Anything is possible. Your wildest dreams can come true.

Robyn Lynne Schechter