Gersekowski and his guest will be two of almost 400,000 fans who will attend the 109th running of the Indy 500 on May 25, which is the biggest in world sports.
There the Toowoomba native will cheer on his hometown hero and Penske star Will Power.
Gersekowski, 32, started racing himself at the age of 14 on dirt short tracks and actually looked at the career of Power when building a framework of his own motorsport journey.
While Power was well and truly a part of the international scene by the time Gersekowski started his own career, his well-known father Bob was still a regular competitor on local tracks and rubbed door panels with Gersekowski.
“Will was definitely a racing hero of mine, having started on the short course dirt tracks and then going on to win the IndyCar championship and the Indy 500,” said Gersekowski.
“I actually met Will back in Toowoomba after he won the IndyCar title and he was good enough to answer all my questions about a pathway to IndyCar.
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“I actually did a test in a Pro-Mazda in the US, but things just never worked out and I decided to go down the GT pathway.”
While Gersekowski fell a little short of his US open-wheel dream, he raced successfully in a range of categories in Australia and internationally, including, at one stage, being regarded as one of the best junior Lamborghini drivers in the world.
Gersekowski now fits in some national and state-based production car racing around his full-time job as a firefighter in his home town.
“It has always been a dream of mine to attend the Indy 500, but to be able to do it in such a manner, is all a little surreal at this stage,” said Gersekowski.
“I am sure it will sink in a little over the next few days, but it is going to be incredible.
“At the end of the day, you never think you will be getting a phone call telling you have won. I guess you have to be in it to win it, but I honestly just thought I was making a donation to a great cause.”
The Ultimate Indy 500 Motorsport Prize was created by Pirtek as an extension of the successful Ultimate Bathurst 1000 Motorsport Prize raffle which was established in 2021 as a fund-raising activity for the Peter Duncan Neuroscience Research Centre at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney.
The prize will include return economy airfares to the US, four nights accommodation in Indianapolis, tickets to the 2025 Indy 500, a meet and greet with IndyCar drivers, access to hospitality, a Team Penske merchandise pack, Pirtek Merchandise pack and $US1000 spending money.
Pirtek CEO Mark Devitt said that the second annual Indy 500 raffle had been a success and that he looked forward to seeing Gersekowski enjoy the spoils of his prize.
“As Pirtek marks 45 years of supporting the industries and customers we serve, this raffle is another way we give back,” he said.
“We’re proud to support world-class neuroscience research while delivering motorsport fans an unforgettable experience.
“Ben’s story makes this year’s prize even more special, and we can’t wait to see him enjoy the Indy 500 first-hand.
“We have to thank everyone who purchased a ticket and hope they will all be back for our fifth annual Ultimate Bathurst 1000 motorsport Prize raffle in a couple of months time.”
Pirtek Team Murray owner and founder of Speedcafe.com, Brett “Crusher” Murray, will be Gersekowski’s personal host at the event.
“It is always great to have a winner of such a prize who is just ‘into it’,” said Murray.
“We had that with our inaugural Indy 500 raffle winners Brent and Wendy L’Amire and we certainly have that with Ben, who was just blown away when I called him.
“He is in for the time of his life and I am sure there will probably be a bit of Will Power merchandise purchased with his $1000 spending money.”
About Peter Duncan Neurosciences Unit at St Vincent’s Hospital
The Peter Duncan Neurosciences Unit at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney was established in 2012 and made possible by a donation by Mr Peter Duncan AM Executive Chairman of Pirtek.
The focus has been turning Neurosciences research into treatments for patients suffering chronic neurological neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, MS and Parkinson’s disease.
Funds raised from the Raffle will support a senior postdoctoral neurosciences research fellow within the Peter Duncan Neurosciences Research Unit.
The new researcher will study adult neuro stem cells and consider ways to improve their regenerative capacity in order to develop new real treatments for brain injury common in high impact sports, and degenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease.
What Ben wins with the Ultimate Indy 500 Motorsport Prize
· Return economy airfares to Indianapolis, Indiana, USA from your nearest Australian capital city
· Four nights of four-star accommodation in Indianapolis
· Airport and racetrack transfers
· $US1000 spending money
· Driver meet and greets
· Personal tour of team garages
· Police escort to the track on race day
· Race tickets
· Reserved seats at the legendary downtown Saturday parade
· Access to the starting grid and pitlane for the 2025 Indianapolis 500
· Team Penske merchandise pack
· Pirtek merchandise pack
· Photo on the Indy 500 podium
· Photo with the famous Indianapolis 500 BorgWarner trophy
· Tour of the Indy 500 museum
· Personal concierge from 2016 Pirtek Team Murray owner – Brett “Crusher” Murray
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