Indianapolis 500 rookie Charlie Kimball battles diabetes at 220 MPH

Charlie Kimball understands the historical importance of the Indianapolis 500 and this May, the 26-year-old driver from California has made some history of his own.

Kimball drives car No. 83 as a tribute to his father and his boss.  Car owner Chip Ganassi had his career-best 500 finish in 1983, and he did so in a car Gordon Kimball, an engineer who worked with several Indy legends, helped design.   Now, nearly 30 years after that race, Charlie has qualified for his first Indianapolis 500, becoming the first driver with Type 1 Diabetes to make the world’s biggest race.

Charlie Kimball is the first diabetic driver to qualify for the Indianapolis 500. (photo courtesy Indianapolis Motor Speedway)

Type 1 Diabetes results from the body’s inability to make enough – or any – insulin, a hormone that allows cells to metabolize sugar in the bloodstream.    Short-term symptoms include insatiable thirst, frequent urination, irritability, vision problems, difficulty concentrating and weight loss.     Potential long-term problems can include limb amputations, blindness and heart failure caused by decreased circulation that occurs after years of excess sugar molecules gradually tearing down blood vessels.

Kimball’s doctor made the diagnosis after the driver experienced some symptoms, including a sudden 25-pound weight loss.

“I’ll be the first to admit my ignorance.  When he said I had diabetes, I thought ‘Great! Just give me an antibiotic and I’ll be fine,’ ” Kimball said.  “I had no idea what it was.”

Kimball’s diabetes is now under control.  He injects himself with insulin (NovoLog, which sponsors his car) and monitors his blood sugar regularly.    While racing, he wears a continuous glucose monitor and can see his numbers on his dashboard.   And in addition to his cockpit water bottle, he has another bottle filled with sugar water or fruit juice he can drink if his blood sugar drops.

So how do other drivers and Izod IndyCar Series officials feel about a diabetic driver who could conceivably become disoriented or pass out if his blood sugar drops too far below normal levels?

“The series has been fantastic,” Kimball said.  “I went in with all of my data and told them ‘this is how I manage my diabetes in the race car.’”

Series officials were convinced he had enough controls in place to be as safe as any other driver on the track.

“They said ‘we’re exciting you’re using the Izod IndyCar Series as a platform to tell your story.’”

Fans have responded.   Kimball tells of a young girl with diabetes who asked him to sign her insulin pump.  Kimball obliged.

“Hopefully I can inspire people and prove to them that with good routine and good management, diabetes doesn’t have to limit what you want to do with your life.”

Kimball will start on the inside of Row 10 in Sunday’s 100th anniversary running of the Indianapolis 500, which can be heard starting at 10:00 a.m. on WJBC.

Kimball joined WJBC’s R.C. McBride (who has had Type 1 Diabetes for almost 20 years) and Jim Fitzpatrick as they did their show live from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Wednesday.  You can hear the interview here:

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