Many execs will be taking time out of their schedules to attend tonight's Sports Business Awards in N.Y., but few are doing so during a busier week than IndyCar CEO MARK MILES. Miles and his staff will fly to N.Y. today to attend the event as last year’s 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 is nominated for Event of the Year. However, the awards show comes just days before this year’s race, which will be held Sunday at 12:00pm on ABC. Miles said he and his exec team almost never leave Indianapolis during race week outside of quick day-trip media tours. They are making an exception this year and will have a table at tonight's ceremony due to the prestigious nature of the event. Miles said his group actually lucked out, as today is the only day this week they could have pulled off leaving town. Miles, who will stay overnight in N.Y. after the award show before jetting back to Indianapolis early tomorrow morning, said, “I would never (usually leave Indianapolis during this week). … But we think the event’s a big deal. We didn’t want to miss it, and it’s scheduled for a window where my conscious is pretty clean because we’re not on the track and a lot of our guests have not yet arrived.” Miles was circumspect on the race's chances of taking home the award, which features stiff competition from the Cubs-Indians World Series, the Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol, the Copa America Centenario, the Ryder Cup and the World Cup of Hockey. "I’m probably not the person to handicap," Miles said, "but we’re competitive, would absolutely love to win it. I think when you’re looking at the Ryder Cup and World Series for example, we’re not the only ones with a pretty good historical pedigree. (But) I hope all the other things that enlivened the 100th -- all the community involvement, a worldwide poetry contest, etc. -- maybe give us an edge.”
