IU student wins Indy 500 crown

For the third year in a row, an IU student has been appointed 500 Festival Queen.

Sophomore Riley Hoffman of Greenwood, Ind. beat out 33 nominees from 11 different universities to be crowned the 2011 queen by racing legend Johnny Rutherford  at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“I was very surprised,” Hoffman said. “The other 32 girls were so qualified. I would have never expected this honor.”

After being crowned, Hoffman and her court spent Pole Day giving TV interviews, being photographed near the Borg-Warner Trophy and walking around the track, she said.

Hoffman’s parents were there when she was crowned and her mother, Bev Hoffman, a media specialist for Franklin Township, said she is very pleased and surprised that her daughter won.

“I thought since she was one of the youngest, she probably wouldn’t win,”  Bev Hoffman said. “I’m excited to see her get to do all these things this week.”

They include the 500 Festival Community Day on May 25 and the 500 Festival Memorial Service on May 27. When she was just a nominee, Hoffman said she was excited for the Memorial Service. Now, she will participate in it by giving a wreath to either a widow or sister of a veteran, she said.

“I’m even more excited now,” she said. “I’ll definitely need my water-proof
mascara for that.”

Her duties as queen will also be needed on race day, which takes place May 29.
“On lap 190, I’ll go to Victory Lane and get ready to kiss the winner,” she said.

On race day, Hoffman said she will be rooting for Simona de Silvestro, Pippa Mann and Helio Castroneves.

“I was really excited to see Pippa qualify and I think Simona is a great role model for her dedication,” Hoffman said. “I got to meet fastest qualifying rookie JR Hildebrand on Armed Forces Day, and I’ve also met Helio Castroneves, and he was such a nice guy.”

As a student in the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, Hoffman is specifically enrolled in the Department of
Kinesiology.

Department chair Dr. David Koceja said the department was proud of Hoffman being picked as queen.

“We pride ourselves on not only educating students, but creating leaders,”
Koceja said.