el ison ▁▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁– ▁Jim ▁Corn el ison ▁▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁– ▁Jim ▁Corn el ison ▁ ▁Starting ▁command ▁The ▁call ▁for ▁the ▁engines ▁to ▁start ▁has ▁been ▁tradition ally ▁made ▁by ▁stating ▁" G ent le men , ▁start ▁your ▁engines !" ▁When ▁female ▁drivers ▁have ▁competed , ▁the ▁call ▁has ▁been ▁am ended ▁to ▁" L ady ▁and ▁gentlemen ..." ▁or ▁" L ad ies ▁and ▁gentlemen , ▁start ▁your ▁engines ." ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁the ▁command ▁was ▁rec ited ▁as ▁" D ri vers , ▁start ▁your ▁engines ." ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁it ▁returned ▁to ▁" L ady ▁and ▁gentlemen ..." ▁The ▁starting ▁command ▁is ▁custom arily ▁rec ited ▁by ▁a ▁ranking ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Indian apolis ▁Motor ▁Speed way ▁board ▁of ▁direct ors , ▁who ▁also ▁is ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁H ul man - Ge orge ▁family . ▁ ▁The ▁exact ▁origin ▁of ▁the ▁phrase ▁is ▁unclear , ▁and ▁there ▁have ▁been ▁several ▁conflic ting ▁accounts ▁of ▁who ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁to ▁rec ite ▁it , ▁and ▁what ▁the ▁exact ▁word ing ▁of ▁it ▁was . ▁Prior ▁to ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁it ▁was ▁common place ▁for ▁an ▁aer ial ▁bomb ▁to ▁signal ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁engines . ▁S eth ▁K line ▁was ▁the ▁official ▁st arter ▁of ▁the ▁" 5 0 0 " ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 5 – 1 9 2 6 ▁& ▁ 1