would throw a parade on your behalf.'" Flaherty died in 2002.

Edge never got the signature of Troy Ruttman, who died in 1997, but the helmet's most glaring omission was Jackie Stewart.

Sir Jackie Stewart never spilled a drop of blood in the name of racing, but he lost 57 friends and…
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While Stewart is most famous for racing in F1, he also raced in the Indy 500 in the 1960s, nearly winning the race in 1966. Edge said he was a huge fan of Stewart's through the years and followed his career as a racer, safety advocate and broadcaster.

"Every few years I would look into how to reach Jackie Stewart's people so I could ship it to him in a box," Edge said. But fear of losingor damaging it kept him from going that far.

And by 1994 or so, Edge got busy with his job and his young children, so yearly trips to the Indy 500 became tougher and tougher to do. The helmet went into a box and Edge let other things in his life take priority.

Until F1 weekend in Austin this year, when Edge, through his job working for a congressman, came into contact with Andrew Millar, the British Consul General in Houston. Millar mentioned their Best of Great Britain Showcase party in downtown Austin — the same one where Gov. Rick Perry showed up in a McLaren — would have Stewart as a guest.

The helmet came out of its box, and Edge got that signature he needed.

"He's just fantastic," Edge said.