#77 Lucas Oil team boss Nigel Hook and team manager and wife Janet Wilson had a sporting treat in the run-up to the festive season as they attended an autograph signing session at the 63,000-seater Lucas Oil Indianapolis Stadium – home to the world famous, 2006 Superbowl-winning Indianapolis Colts NFL team.

Indianapolis is renowned as the home of motorsport, thanks to the world famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway – better known as ‘The Brickyard’ – which is host to single-seater racing’s Indy 500, NASCAR’s Brickyard 500 and rounds of the MotoGP and Formula 1 world championship’s.

Despite being almost 1000 kilometres from the coast, Indianapolis does have a powerboat link, though. Lucas Oil President and CEO Forrest Lucas is an Indianapolis native, and the company has a US$122m, 20-year title sponsorship deal for the Indianapolis Stadium. As part of the relationship, one of Hook’s former race boats has pride of place hanging from the ceiling at the motorsport-themed Lucas Oil North Gate.

Hook – who won the Super Vee Unlimited World Championship in Key West, Florida, in November, was a star guest in the run-up to Christmas as the Indianapolis Colts took on the Detroit Lions, taking a tour of the stadium, signing autographs and being interviewed on Colts Radio in the run-up to the big game.

“Having an offshore boat hanging in the stadium of one of the most high profile NFL teams is huge for our sport,” he said. “I raced this Scarab for 10 years, and it was one of the most successful offshore boats of its day. I couldn’t be more proud to have it in the Lucas Oil Stadium, nor be more proud of the sponsor that has helped support my race team for the past eight years.”