Lets have your Indy stories! (1 Viewer)

[Jet]

It was 1974 and I was a freshman at Butler in Indy and one of the guys in our Fraternity's Dads needed people to help with the gates. I was put on the gate for the manufacturer’s area. Don Prudhomme's was pitted right next to this gate so it was cool to watch them work on the car.

A lot of the manufacturers that showed up only had 2 or 3 passes but a car load of people so they would throw us swag to let the others in also. I ended up with a trunk load of jackets, hats t-shirts and even cases of oil. Pretty good haul for an 18 year old I thought.

Every morning Prudhomme and his crew would show up at the gate never with enough credentials for the amount of people he was bringing in with him but he never offered us any swag. After the first two days we told them they needed to go to the racer's entrance not the manufacturers entrance and they got pissed arguing that their pit was right next to our gate and the line at the racer's entrance was long. All it would have took was a t-shirt or two and we could have looked the other way but it didn't happen so for the rest of the event we sent them away every morning.

So I would like to apologize to the Snake as 34 years later it seems petty but we were just a couple of kids trying to get some swag.

 

[J.C.]

The Indy experience that will be with me the rest of my life, took place in 2005, with Steve Johnson, PSB:

- Final round, Steve leaves the starting line with a giant holeshot lead over Matt Smith
- I'm running down the starting line, chasing Steve, jumping like a wild man, he's going to win Indy!
- Steve and Matt get to the finish line and..... Matt takes the win light?
- Biggest bummer ever. Steve has worked so hard for so many years and really deserved a win.
- Oh well, runner-up at Indy aint that bad.
- Go to the end of the track to meet Steve. Del Worsham and his crew are celebrating their double-up wins in Funny Car. Larry Dixon, a good friend of Steve's, is celebrating his TF win. And those of us with Steve are simply stunned and bummed.
- Get back to trailer and Dave Reith of ESPN comes by in a golf cart and takes Steve and his crewchief, Shane to the ESPN trailer to see the replay of the finish line tape.
- Steve and Shane come back and indicate that it was clear that Steve crossed the finish line first.
- I remind the crew that I don't recall NHRA ever reversing a decision in a final round. Let's just be content with a runner-up at Indy!
- Sharing a room with Steve that night, I tell Steve that runner-up at Indy ain't that bad.
- Driving to airport on Tuesday morning, I keep reminding Steve that runner-up at Indy ain't that bad. Do I really believe what I am saying?
- Fly home on Tuesday, happen to be on same flight with Graham Light and his crew. It seems that Graham is arranging a meeting with them when they get back to Glendora. Could this be related to the PSB final???
- Get a call from Steve Wednesday morning telling me that NHRA reversed the decision and that Steve is the PSB winner at 2005 Indy!!!!

I can't tell you the emotional roller coaster that Steve and his guys went through that year. To be a part of it was my most memorable drag race experience ever and where else would it occur but at Indy!

BTW - We never had any ill feelings towards Matt Smith in this saga. We were only disappointed that the ESPN finish line picture clearly showed that Steve was ahead of Matt at the finish line. Matt has obviously earned his dues and won many PSB races since then, including Indy the next year, but we were elated that the decision was reversed and that Steve finally had an "official" Indy wally in his hands. And to top it all off, I now am the proud owner of an Indy 2005 PSB winner's jacket, simply priceless!!!!

 

[willy]

Great story J.C.

 

[Toejam]

The Indy experience that will be with me the rest of my life, took place in 2005, with Steve Johnson, PSB:

- Final round, Steve leaves the starting line with a giant holeshot lead over Matt Smith
- I'm running down the starting line, chasing Steve, jumping like a wild man, he's going to win Indy!
- Steve and Matt get to the finish line and..... Matt takes the win light?
- Biggest bummer ever. Steve has worked so hard for so many years and really deserved a win.
- Oh well, runner-up at Indy aint that bad.
- Go to the end of the track to meet Steve. Del Worsham and his crew are celebrating their double-up wins in Funny Car. Larry Dixon, a good friend of Steve's, is celebrating his TF win. And those of us with Steve are simply stunned and bummed.
- Get back to trailer and Dave Reith of ESPN comes by in a golf cart and takes Steve and his crewchief, Shane to the ESPN trailer to see the replay of the finish line tape.
- Steve and Shane come back and indicate that it was clear that Steve crossed the finish line first.
- I remind the crew that I don't recall NHRA ever reversing a decision in a final round. Let's just be content with a runner-up at Indy!
- Sharing a room with Steve that night, I tell Steve that runner-up at Indy ain't that bad.
- Driving to airport on Tuesday morning, I keep reminding Steve that runner-up at Indy ain't that bad. Do I really believe what I am saying?
- Fly home on Tuesday, happen to be on same flight with Graham Light and his crew. It seems that Graham is arranging a meeting with them when they get back to Glendora. Could this be related to the PSB final???
- Get a call from Steve Wednesday morning telling me that NHRA reversed the decision and that Steve is the PSB winner at 2005 Indy!!!!

I can't tell you the emotional roller coaster that Steve and his guys went through that year. To be a part of it was my most memorable drag race experience ever and where else would it occur but at Indy!

BTW - We never had any ill feelings towards Matt Smith in this saga. We were only disappointed that the ESPN finish line picture clearly showed that Steve was ahead of Matt at the finish line. Matt has obviously earned his dues and won many PSB races since then, including Indy the next year, but we were elated that the decision was reversed and that Steve finally had an "official" Indy wally in his hands. And to top it all off, I now am the proud owner of an Indy 2005 PSB winner's jacket, simply priceless!!!!

Great stroy there J.C.! What gets me is how you guys got screwed by the timing system, but nobody else did? Makes you wonder how many other timing malfunctions have happened?

 

[J.C.]

Great stroy there J.C.! What gets me is how you guys got screwed by the timing system, but nobody else did? Makes you wonder how many other timing malfunctions have happened?

For years, up until this race, Steve always told me "don't trust the MPH reading from the timing system, it always varies by as much as 10mph". That never made sense to me until the Indy fiasco. My guess is that the front wheel of the bikes were not always triping the finish line beam, but rather the fairing just behind the front wheel was. This would explain why the MPH readings were always all over the place, i.e. sometimes the front wheel would stop the MPH clock, other times the MPH clock wouldn't stop until the front fairing tripped the finish line beam!

NHRA immediately mandated the front wheel cover after Indy that year and I've noticed that the MPH readings for PSB are much more consistent.

Moral of the story - There were probably other PSB races that were incorrectly decided by the beams, but none that were as obvious, or important, as Steve's Indy final. The fact that the ESPN replay clearly showed Steve ahead at the finish line resulted in the implementation of front wheel cover which improved the accuracy of PSB races for all competitors!

I'll be at Indy again this year with Steve. Hopefully, we can get a win and celebrate with the other winners on Monday instead of at home on Wednesday!

 

[Frank]

My first Indy was my high school graduation present from my parents. I couldn't believe I was going to Indy but it ended up being bittersweet. The year was 1996. Other random memories:

Watching Darrell Gywnn go down the track in a dragster built just for him during Friday night qualifying. I think the top speed was probably 30 or 40 mph but the camera flashes were nonstop and the tears were flowing. I believe it was the first and only time he made a pass after his accident.

Watching Big Daddy line up against Shirley Muldowney as the first pair of cars in the Friday night session.

Watching Super Stock at a sea level track. At Bandimere there is usually a handful of cars that have big wheel stands when they launch and I can point them out to the newbie’s every time when they come up to run. At Indy, it seemed as though EVERY car had a big wheels up launch, and after about 5 or 6 pair I realized it was because of the altitude difference. My dad and I were amazed and thought it was the coolest!

Watching the Hemi Challenge. Growing up the biggest Super Stock Hemi I can remember watching live was Rick Johnson. I believe he is from Minnesota and he would make it out to the Mile Highs in the 80's and early 90's. Getting the chance to see 20 or 24 of them all battling at Indy was fantastic!

Watching Ron Krisher run the first 200 mph pro stock pass at Indy. He ran 200.00 and being from Denver, it was the first time I had seen a pro stocker run 200 mph!

Watching Comp at Indy. One of my favorite classes and getting to see all the big dogs and cool cars compete that I had only read about. 64 car field! Santo Volpe in Bob Phelps '63 Vette, Rick and Dick Hord in the AA/A Vette,
Bob Book in his A/D, Hurley Blakeney's Silent Thunder AA/AT!

Watching Hurley Blakeney in round 1 of Comp. He does his long burnout but gets sideways at about 250' and crosses over into his opponent’s lane. My dad and I weren't sure if that DQ'd him or not. He stops at about 330', opens the door to let some smoke out, and then proceeds to nonchalantly back up. He gets to about 200' and swerves back into his own lane and finishes backing up. Nobody tells him to shut off or anything so he rolls forward and stages. He lost the race but it sure was an eventful run.

 

[.]

Gar actually did that a year or 2 before......was around 302.00......I rember Yuichi getting boored mercifly when he knocked out "Big"

Yes, Garlits did run over 300 a few years earlier but it wasn't in a "Swamp Rat"..... it was in a borrowed car from Gary Clapshaw.

 

[Greggo]

Yes, Garlits did run over 300 a few years earlier but it wasn't in a "Swamp Rat"..... it was in a borrowed car from Gary Clapshaw.

2001 - 50th Anniversary of the NHRA

 

[Toejam]

That year he ran the 4.76@318, I thought that was in SW XXXI. I remember seeing that single strut wing swaying back and forth going down the track! Didn't look to safe to me...

 

[.]

Watching Big Daddy line up against Shirley Muldowney as the first pair of cars in the Friday night session.

And Buster was there on the starting line to "start" Big and Shirley..... Linda Vaughn was standing behind him. I was not at that race but remember watching it on TV like it was yesterday. In fact, I might still have it on VHS tape.

I wish I would have been there for that event!

Brian.

 

[.]

That year he ran the 4.76@318, I thought that was in SW XXXI. I remember seeing that single strut wing swaying back and forth going down the track! Didn't look to safe to me...

You are correct, Joe.

Jerry mentioned Big running over 300 for the first time actually happening a few years earlier..... which is true, but it wasn't in a "Swamp Rat" The race you and I are thinking of is when he went over 300 in a Swamp Rat, then bumped back out by Yuichi Oyama on the next pass. Big Daddy personally went over 300 for the first time ever in a borrowed car a few years earlier.

And if I'm not mistaken, it was actually SW 34 that you and I saw run 318. I was lucky enough to be invited into Big's pit area by TC Tom Lemmons and had an up close look at the entire car while visiting with TC.

Brian.

 

[none]

Just some random memories from 62 and 63 Indy nationals.
What the h*ll is that thing they are using to start the races? A christmas tree!!!!!!!!!!
Pete Robertson doing something he thought up called a "drop" start. Allmost sent the NHRA officials into cardiac arrest!
Garlits being runnerup both years.
Who is this Vodnik kid???????
Garlits jumping into the Bounty Hunter and setting the record at 180mph?
Eddie Hill tearing holes in the starting line with his twin engine dragster with FOUR slicks!
The 50 Quickest stockers on the grounds run round after round non stop until last man standing!
Stone, Woods and Cook lose again to "Ohio" George!
ETC.ETC.ETC.ETC,
Indy has always been a very special race and hopefully always will be.

 

[Super Mod]

We ran modified at Indy in the 78 or 79. Does anyone remember what year it was Dick Moroso had a big party in the campgrounds and the Big Man Clarence Clemons and his band there? Also spent some time at the Guilded Cage

 

[Hank]

early 70's they ran an 8 bike fuel field. joe smith,dave campos on harleys. tc christionsen on a double engine norton called the hog slayer. then russ collins on a triple engine honda called the atchison,topeka and the santafe. he had two young men working for him. they're names were terry vance and byron hines. wonder what ever happened to them.lol how about linda vaughn coming down the return road in the hurst old's bowing to the crowd. now joe, that was the original eye candy at indy!! only the best came to the big go every year.

 

[merc49]

Just some random memories from 62 and 63 Indy nationals.
What the h*ll is that thing they are using to start the races? A christmas tree!!!!!!!!!!
Pete Robertson doing something he thought up called a "drop" start. Allmost sent the NHRA officials into cardiac arrest!
Garlits being runnerup both years.
Who is this Vodnik kid???????
Garlits jumping into the Bounty Hunter and setting the record at 180mph?
Eddie Hill tearing holes in the starting line with his twin engine dragster with FOUR slicks!
The 50 Quickest stockers on the grounds run round after round non stop until last man standing!
Stone, Woods and Cook lose again to "Ohio" George!
ETC.ETC.ETC.ETC,
Indy has always been a very special race and hopefully always will be.

Holy crap Paul! And I thought I was old. These are some memory bank rarities! Describe the drop start for us kids.

 

[James]

Only been to the US Nationals once,the 50th back in 2004 of the "Big Go".
A few memories include leaving with my dad at 4 am friday morning to catch the pro session in the evening,and driving all the way home monday night back to Florida.The awesome Cacklefest.Densham doubling up. Just in general i'll never forget that trip,it was with my Dad who passed away last Oct. RIP Dad!

 

[none]

Holy crap Paul! And I thought I was old. These are some memory bank rarities! Describe the drop start for us kids.

Pete had a lever in the cockpit hooked to a shaft with two cam deals that when he pulled it back the cams would raise the rear of the car off the ground. when the slicks were in the air he would let out the clutch and spin the rear slicks about 150mph, when the light went green he would throw the lever forward, the racecar would take off like a top fuel dragster. The only run pete got to use this setup set a new national record and NHRA within minutes came out with a new rule, "no drop starts"
'Sneaky Pete" was the best, God rest his soul.

 

[jimbo]

We ran modified at Indy in the 78 or 79. Does anyone remember what year it was Dick Moroso had a big party in the campgrounds and the Big Man Clarence Clemons and his band there? Also spent some time at the Guilded Cage

I was there and have the pictures to prove it! Wet T shirt contests were the thing in those years. Great time!
The year b4 at the Holiday Inn Airport we had a wet T Shirt contest in the bar area and the crowd actually ran the bar dry dry of most mixes and beer. Andy my buddy introduced to tequila sunrise's that evening and I'll never forget the grand time had by all! Went back the next year and asked the manager if we could do it again and he said "the president of the hotel chain is here this weekend and I don't it we be a good idea". My comeback was "tell him to come on done he'll have a good time". His comeback was"I don't think she will approve". Nuff said>

 

[merc49]

Pete had a lever in the cockpit hooked to a shaft with two cam deals that when he pulled it back the cams would raise the rear of the car off the ground. when the slicks were in the air he would let out the clutch and spin the rear slicks about 150mph, when the light went green he would throw the lever forward, the racecar would take off like a top fuel dragster. The only run pete got to use this setup set a new national record and NHRA within minutes came out with a new rule, "no drop starts"
'Sneaky Pete" was the best, God rest his soul.

I never saw it, heard about it is all. Good story.

 

[Toejam]

Can anybody tell me who the racer that was featured on NHRA 2 day about 5-6 years ago. This guy had competed in more U.S. Natls than any other racer, the first 40 in a row as a matter of fact! The guy has since died of cancer!