Andretti’s Harcus wins 2023 Robin Miller Award

Retiring longtime Andretti Autosport chief mechanic and team manager Paul “Ziggy” Harcus was presented with the 2023 Robin Miller Award at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday.

The award, named in the honor of the legendary late RACER journalist whose career at the Speedway spanned five decades, salutes “an unheralded individual who’s devoted a significant portion of their life to IndyCar racing while bringing unbridled passion and unrelenting work ethic to enrich the sport.” Miller himself won the inaugural award in 2019, followed by Bob Jenkins and a joint award to Judy Dominik and T.E. McHale. Harcus is the first non-media member to win the award.

“Everybody in the paddock knows Ziggy,” said IndyCar president Jay Frye. “No one knows his first name, but they all know him. He’s been a mentor and friend to all of us in IndyCar, especially this group obviously. We can’t thank you enough for being you and all that you’ve done for us.”

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The award was presented by Miller’s sister, Diane Zachary.

“This means so much to my family and I that I get to come each year and have a moment and say something to the recipient and be here with all of you, and I can’t thank you enough,” she said.

“Robin was very fortunate. He received quite a few accolades and awards during his career, but they all paled in comparison to this. He was so humbled by this award because this came from his home, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and his family, IndyCar. They were everything to him.

“He had the same kind of passion that you (Harcus) do, and he had the same kind of stories that we can’t all share. But you loved what you did, and you started from the bottom and you worked your way up. He was out here when he was 19, jumped the pit fence, got an interview, stole a press pass from the Star and submitted an article. They were mad as could be that he did it, but they said, you know, it’s not half bad, we’re going to run it. And that was the beginning of Robin Miller’s career.

“The night that Robin received the award I was at his condo, and I caught him holding it and just shaking his head, and he said, ‘I just can’t believe they thought of me this way, and I’m holding an award with my name on it.’ He said, ‘It’s from my people, my friends, my family. It’s the best day of my life.’

“Ziggy, I couldn’t think of a better recipient than you. Robin loved you dearly. The stories he told about you… I know they’re true.”

While Harcus attempted — half-heartedly — to argue otherwise, his main focus was on the accolade. “This is quite an honor,” he said.

Story originally appeared on Racer