IndyCar chief starter waves the checkered flag on new book
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Aaron in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway flagstand. (photo provided)
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In 2012, as part of a series of video blogs highlighting autism awareness, Aaron visited the IMS flagstand with the flag he’d been given by Duane Sweeney. (photo provided)
Hundreds of thousands of fans visit the Indianapolis Motor Speedway each year, but none has the bird’s eye view of the track like Aaron Likens does.
Likens is the chief starter of the NTT IndyCar Series. From the flag stand near the Yard of Bricks, he proudly waves each flag, including the iconic, race-finishing checkered flag.
“To really be the only one over the cars is a just an incredible feeling. There’s nothing else like it,” Likens told Inside INdiana Business. “I’m an author and to try to describe what that’s like, no matter how many words, no matter how many adjectives I give, it’s something that if you don’t experience it, it will be impossible to describe it.”
He perfected his signature flag during qualifying for the 2021 Indy 500.
“It feels right. It is great that the spectators love it as well, but all my flagging moves my entire life have just been because I liked the movement. It’s sort of an expression of my love of motorsports,” Likens said.
Likens grew up about a mile from IMS and remembers visiting on practice days. The life he is living now is the fulfillment of a dream he had since he was three-years-old.
“It was a dual dream—either race in the race or flag the race, because I had two heroes. One was Al Unser, the other was [former chief starter] Duane Sweeney,” Likens said. “The driving career didn’t work out, but I kept in racing as an official and just kept clawing away and got my dream job.”
At age 13, he became a club flagman in St. Louis. He continued his flagman career and worked his way up to the United States Auto Club (USAC) before landing the role with IndyCar. Tony Hulman Jr. helped form USAC 10 years after buying the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“I think any official who has ever held a flag at some point in time imagines, ‘What would that be like at Indianapolis?’ I have that job and I’m still in awe,” Likens said. “Even when I’m not there it’s hard to even rationalize that it’s what I get to do. In terms of how special it is, it means the absolute world to me to be chosen in that position.”
Likens just released his second book, “Playing in Traffic,” about his racing career and journey navigating an autism diagnosis.
Part of the book’s dedication honors Sweeney, who gave Likens a priceless gift in 1990—a checkered flag.
“The tradition lasts to this day that two flags are signed by all the drivers and the winner gets one and the other goes to the museum. But I got the flag that would have gone to the next winner,” Likens said. “(Sweeney) made his wife make another flag … destiny was really set in motion when he gave me that flag.”
Likens says he wants readers to learn that small acts of kindness and encouragement can lead to amazing things. He also wants people to know that employment is possible for those with Asperger’s.
“I speak about some of my not so great employment events that happened and what may have gone better, what could have worked and the lessons learned from each thing along the way. Unemployment for people with Asperger’s is sadly alarmingly high,” Likens said. “Every job matters. Every lesson, every skill you learn can pay off later.”
“Playing in Traffic” is available at the IMS Pagoda Gift Shop and on Amazon.