Lets have your Indy stories! (1 Viewer)

[JRX]

There are some great stories here! Thanks so much for sharing history with us!

I have thought about this thread for awhile now....and I have to say that most of my stories are not allowed here on the main board...

Seriously, I truly believe that Indy is sacred ground. So much history has been made there. My first trip there I was in awe. The track speaks to me. I hear whispers of days gone by, rumbles in the distance of fuel motors at full song, and the corn field across the street from the staging lanes makes me cry. This is our sport, this is America. Step up and grab a corndog and a beverage. Walking the pits from 7am to midnight I find it amazing what you see, hear, and smell. Aside from nitro warm-ups, the most overpowering smell in the pits is at the end of the day. The crowds are long gone, the track silent, but walking the pits you catch the sweet smell of parts cleaner. The first time I smelled it...WHAM - it knocked me for a loop. Often subtle, it adds an exclamation point to the day. The temperature drops quickly in central Indiana, the dew forms, and a sleep deprived, sunburnt, and sore footed view of Indy is something special as another day is in the books. Now it's off to the hotel for a quick shower and then it's off to enjoy the nightlife with a beverage or 12. Hopefully 2-3 hours of sleep will be enough.

The Drag Racing is why we go, but aside from that - it's about the people. I have made so many friends there. People from all over the country. Racers, message board addicts, and even the gals working the parking lots. Every year the smile from a familiar face says it all. A few years ago several of us started sitting together downtrack. I look on this as one of my favorite things to do. So much is left unspoken, it's understood.

We are there enjoying the racing, and each other. This is what it's all about.

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

There are some great stories here! Thanks so much for sharing history with us!

I have thought about this thread for awhile now....and I have to say that most of my stories are not allowed here on the main board...

Seriously, I truly believe that Indy is sacred ground. So much history has been made there. My first trip there I was in awe. The track speaks to me. I hear whispers of days gone by, rumbles in the distance of fuel motors at full song, and the corn field across the street from the staging lanes makes me cry. This is our sport, this is America. Step up and grab a corndog and a beverage. Walking the pits from 7am to midnight I find it amazing what you see, hear, and smell. Aside from nitro warm-ups, the most overpowering smell in the pits is at the end of the day. The crowds are long gone, the track silent, but walking the pits you catch the sweet smell of parts cleaner. The first time I smelled it...WHAM - it knocked me for a loop. Often subtle, it adds an exclamation point to the day. The temperature drops quickly in central Indiana, the dew forms, and a sleep deprived, sunburnt, and sore footed view of Indy is something special as another day is in the books. Now it's off to the hotel for a quick shower and then it's off to enjoy the nightlife with a beverage or 12. Hopefully 2-3 hours of sleep will be enough.

The Drag Racing is why we go, but aside from that - it's about the people. I have made so many friends there. People from all over the country. Racers, message board addicts, and even the gals working the parking lots. Every year the smile from a familiar face says it all. A few years ago several of us started sitting together downtrack. I look on this as one of my favorite things to do. So much is left unspoken, it's understood.

We are there enjoying the racing, and each other. This is what it's all about.

Damn, Dude! You're chokin' me up, here!

Although I agree, wholeheartedly. Indy is a great place.

Sean D

 

[merc49]

Well, John Rogers, I declare this thread officially closed. What more could anyone possibly add than that.

Folks, thanks for all of your posts.

Of course, the thread will remain open, and of course we want to hear your stories.

I am now just speechless.

Bob

 

[Toejam]

There are some great stories here! Thanks so much for sharing history with us!

I have thought about this thread for awhile now....and I have to say that most of my stories are not allowed here on the main board...

Seriously, I truly believe that Indy is sacred ground. So much history has been made there. My first trip there I was in awe. The track speaks to me. I hear whispers of days gone by, rumbles in the distance of fuel motors at full song, and the corn field across the street from the staging lanes makes me cry. This is our sport, this is America. Step up and grab a corndog and a beverage. Walking the pits from 7am to midnight I find it amazing what you see, hear, and smell. Aside from nitro warm-ups, the most overpowering smell in the pits is at the end of the day. The crowds are long gone, the track silent, but walking the pits you catch the sweet smell of parts cleaner. The first time I smelled it...WHAM - it knocked me for a loop. Often subtle, it adds an exclamation point to the day. The temperature drops quickly in central Indiana, the dew forms, and a sleep deprived, sunburnt, and sore footed view of Indy is something special as another day is in the books. Now it's off to the hotel for a quick shower and then it's off to enjoy the nightlife with a beverage or 12. Hopefully 2-3 hours of sleep will be enough.

The Drag Racing is why we go, but aside from that - it's about the people. I have made so many friends there. People from all over the country. Racers, message board addicts, and even the gals working the parking lots. Every year the smile from a familiar face says it all. A few years ago several of us started sitting together downtrack. I look on this as one of my favorite things to do. So much is left unspoken, it's understood.

We are there enjoying the racing, and each other. This is what it's all about.

John I don't think anyone ever put Indy in perspective like that. The Fact that this is your one and only race per year means you look forward to this weekend like no one I know! Going to as many races as I do it's easy to take for granted what some race fans only see once or twice a year. As thus you lose to very images that made you a fan in the first place.

 

[Eracer]

1972 we won class E/S
Image of Charby Wagon - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

 

[merc49]

1972 we won class E/S
Image of Charby Wagon - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Rich, is that Wenzel's Camaro next to your wagon? A class win at Indy is heady stuff my man! I know it's 36 years late, but congrats!

 

[TJ]

Was helping B Fanning in 93 INDY and we were the pair before the 'Bud Shootout' was to be live and Brent set up a chute pack full of cow manure (his car was painted like a holsteen cow-his business) and his intentions were to drop the manure on the start line after he fully staged but the spring loaded chute failed and the manure fell onto his wheelie bars and he took the crap down track spreading it in both lanes.
The NHRA were pissed as the clean-up delayed the entire live coverage and even got us kicked out and his license suspended. NHRA gave his license back after the race.
I know Force was in the final and won and he came over to the pit area and had some beers and laughed about the situation.
The stunt worked for publicity as Brent Fanning made Sports Illustrated the next month and was the only drag racer to make it in the publication since Shirley in the 80's..
A great memory.....for many-

 

[.]

Was helping B Fanning in 93 INDY and we were the pair before the 'Bud Shootout' was to be live and Brent set up a chute pack full of cow manure (his car was painted like a holsteen cow-his business) and his intentions were to drop the manure on the start line after he fully staged but the spring loaded chute failed and the manure fell onto his wheelie bars and he took the crap down track spreading it in both lanes.
The NHRA were pissed as the clean-up delayed the entire live coverage and even got us kicked out and his license suspended. NHRA gave his license back after the race.
I know Force was in the final and won and he came over to the pit area and had some beers and laughed about the situation.
The stunt worked for publicity as Brent Fanning made Sports Illustrated the next month and was the only drag racer to make it in the publication since Shirley in the 80's..
A great memory.....for many-

That is a great story!

I was told there is a picture of Brent's car and/or the manure in one of the tech buildings on the sportsman side of the track? I never did look for the picture so I don't know if it's true or not....

 

[TJ]

Brian,

There is a plaque/pic of the incident along w/ the Sports Illustrated piece in that office...

The NHRA asked Fanning to come back for many years after that but they stepped away from the NHRA. And after the incident they sold everyone of their t-shirts out of the trailer....when racers could still do that.

 

[clwill]

My indy story has to do with the other race held on a national holiday. For years, when I lived in Ohio, a group of us would drive down to Indy to see the first day of time trials for the Indy 500 (the only day you can win the pole). It's one heck of a party, often drawing more then 100k fans, and it's open seating so you get a lot of different perspectives. One year was especially wild, not sure why, and we got more "perspective" than I was bargaining for...

We knew on the way in it was going to be special when some guys were holding a huge sign out the sunroof of a car in line that said "Show us your tiddies". To this day I still don't know what a "tid" is, but they got more than a few takers.

The infield is especially crazy, with people lining up the day before to get a spot in the infield when they open the gates at 6am. It was very wild this year, again, not sure why. I knew we were in trouble when, at 10am, I'm standing in the beer line (it was 5pm somewhere...) and these two girls were in line in front of us, so drunk they could barely stand up (again, it's 10am). The national anthem began to play and one of them proudly announced to the other: "And YOU said I wouldn't be standing by the national anthem!"

At one point, we saw this huge crowd, chanting and screaming. We pushed our way over, only to find there were probably 150 people gathered around while a couple, well, let's say "had fun", in front of them all. The crowd cheered and security was there supervising...

Word to the wise, parents don't ever let your kids go to the Indy 500 infield...

 

[Toejam]

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.

Wasn't that the same Swamp Rat that Big ran the Fuel through the Chassis? And NHRA almost didn't allow the car to compete?

 

[TJ]

Joe...you are correct...The chassis failed tech in the wing strut area---like the same strut lawsuit currently going on between Kloeber and Powers--- and a few uprights but 'Big' corrected and competed.

Oh BTW---Kloeber has the upper hand on this civil deal!

 

[.]

Wasn't that the same Swamp Rat that Big ran the Fuel through the Chassis? And NHRA almost didn't allow the car to compete?

Yep, thats the one!

If I remember correctly, the NHRA allowed him to run it a 4 races that year but he only made it to 2 or 3 and he was done.


I asked TC where the car had been sitting all those years... "has it been parked in the museum?" He said... "hell no! It wasn't nice enough. It's been parked out back, in a shed"

 

[brain]

Joe-I believe the gentleman you are thinking of was Al Brown. I knew him and his son Tom when we raced out of D1 a few years ago. The last few years he raced at Indy was in a SBC front motored dragster in Super Comp. I even remember him going some rounds one year. I always thought it was cool that NHRA would include him in the pre race activities on Monday. I think the last time I saw Tommy was at the 50th race behind the west side grandstands where all of the nostalgia cars were on display. I'm pretty sure this was after his pop had passed away. Al was a good guy. I miss him.

 

[Toejam]

I knew we were in trouble when, at 10am, I'm standing in the beer line (it was 5pm somewhere...)

I think Chris and I must be related???

 

[clwill]

I think Chris and I must be related???

One year it rained out, we'd been on the road to the race since 4:30am, so we stopped in at the bar across the street from the track, supposedly to wait out the rain. I was fall-down drunk before noon -- never been that before/since... (at least not when I was sober when I woke up)

 

[gerrymack]

I know I'm a little late, but I'll throw in my two cents worth...

I've been to Indy twice, for the 40th in 1994 and the 50th in 2004.

The first I got to take my dad on his first and only overseas trip, and what better place than Indy for the Big Go? He brought me up on drag racing and deserved to see the best. We got there Friday night, just in time for the first ever night qualifying, arrived with our suitcases straight off the plane from Australia!

My great friend, many time Aussie champ Graeme Cooper leased Bernie Cunningham's 'Aussie' Nova to run in Stock, reached the class final (wasn't there for that bit), and went a couple of rounds.

Connie won Top Fuel, beat Eddie Hill in the final, my dad loved that seeing two legends square off, especially Connie, and getting to meet Linda Vaughan too

He died when I was racing in China with our V8 Supercars in 2005, but before then constantly brought up memories of that trip and kept a framed photo of us standing together alongside Graeme and Bernie's car next to his bed.

In '04 I was actually living in the US working with the Cowin team, we qualified in Top Fuel at the 50th anniversary event which was a thrill.

Another great Indy story is from last year, '07, my great friend Graeme Cooper went back and with the help of expat Wally Clark raced again in Stock - this time he won class. I wasn't there, but was on the phone every couple hours and felt part of the team. I've got his Wally sitting here in my family room - a US Nationals class Wally in my own home, one of my most prized possession.

 

[Toejam]

One year it rained out, we'd been on the road to the race since 4:30am, so we stopped in at the bar across the street from the track, supposedly to wait out the rain. I was fall-down drunk before noon -- never been that before/since... (at least not when I was sober when I woke up)

1993 had a lot of rain, as well as "04 when it Flooded the entire city!

 

[merc49]

I know I'm a little late, but I'll throw in my two cents worth...

I've been to Indy twice, for the 40th in 1994 and the 50th in 2004.

The first I got to take my dad on his first and only overseas trip, and what better place than Indy for the Big Go? He brought me up on drag racing and deserved to see the best. We got there Friday night, just in time for the first ever night qualifying, arrived with our suitcases straight off the plane from Australia!

My great friend, many time Aussie champ Graeme Cooper leased Bernie Cunningham's 'Aussie' Nova to run in Stock, reached the class final (wasn't there for that bit), and went a couple of rounds.

Connie won Top Fuel, beat Eddie Hill in the final, my dad loved that seeing two legends square off, especially Connie, and getting to meet Linda Vaughan too

He died when I was racing in China with our V8 Supercars in 2005, but before then constantly brought up memories of that trip and kept a framed photo of us standing together alongside Graeme and Bernie's car next to his bed.

In '04 I was actually living in the US working with the Cowin team, we qualified in Top Fuel at the 50th anniversary event which was a thrill.

Another great Indy story is from last year, '07, my great friend Graeme Cooper went back and with the help of expat Wally Clark raced again in Stock - this time he won class. I wasn't there, but was on the phone every couple hours and felt part of the team. I've got his Wally sitting here in my family room - a US Nationals class Wally in my own home, one of my most prized possession.

Another sweet post. Thank you Gerald.
Bob

 

[JRX]

As I leave the track I can only think of one thing to say, once again...Indy, it's about the people. Thank you all! Pics & stories soon.