Event Coverage INDY 500

I know that a lot has been written on the Indy 500 and its drivers and crews on the H.A.M.B., the annual automobile race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Speedway, Indiana. 500 miles around and around, go as fast as you can and then turn left. I have been to the races several times, to the track and facilities many more times. My Pop was station at Bunker Hill AFB and took myself and my brothers to the qualifications events and even had AJ Foyt at our house on base for a cook out. In my garage I have a 1953 Chrysler that was used as a tow car hauling a race car to the track. So I guess you can say, I have a slight connection to the event. That connection change with the entry of the rear engines race cars. I know faster, better handling, safer, and so on and so on. But you know, the event with the front engine cars was all USA and I feel that the rear engine cars are more of a European design and belong on the Formula 1, 2, 3 race tracks and events. It would be great if the new owners said, "get those rear engine car off the track and bring back the front engine cars.

 

Yes I agree. But the Indy 500 was made on speed with some restrictions as we know. In the 30-40’s Maserati’s competed and won with their front engine cars that matched the “European” design of the day and fit in with the USA.

 

The part that frosts me is the "Push To Pass". I kinda liked it when the drivers pushed the throttle to pass and they ran as hard as they could most of the time. No one was keeping track of how the drivers were managing the horsepower.

 

Is that A.J. Foyt I hear talking. You are definitely living in the past. This reminds me
of Foyt's unkind comments about European drivers at the first race held at Ontario
Motor Speedway, The Questor Grand Prix, in 1971. I could be wrong but it seems to
me that Foyt referred to the European racers as long haired sissies. The race was
was dominated by the Europeans and Foyt DNF'd (at least in the first of two heats).

Anyway, the first rear engined car appeared in 1963, so they've been on that track
longer than the old guard. Consider that American great Dan Gurney built a quality,
winning rear engine car right here in the U.S. of A. Time marches on.

 

I'm an Old Timer, went to the qualifying weekend several times 50's/early 60's with my Father, sometimes we stayed for the race, Anderson's little 500 for sprint cars was 10X better than Indy, when the rear engine advancement came in I lost interest as my Father did. The Novi cars screaming around is a great memory for sure. I saw several races at WI. state fair park through the 60's, by then I was busy racing myself, got married, had kids, started a business, as a older adult, I've never really been a big time fan, a participant for many years, to this day the rear engine cars do not interest me. I tend to like old school dirt racing, Midgets/ Sprint cars, owned and raced them and will say today's bodywork on these cars make them fugly IMO. Everyone should go to the Indy 500 1X because it is a spectacle/happening as is the Daytona 500, NASCAR has lost my interest also, but as I stated, I'm an Old Timer, happy with my life, playing with my old car hobby and enjoying retirement in general

 

If you enjoy the front engine cars you should attend the Miller event at Wisconsin State Fair park. One of the oldest ovals in the country with vintage Indy cars making laps. Its like turning back the clock. https://harrymillerclub.com/entries/

 

A few years ago I went to Toledo Speedway for Super Mods. If you haven't seen a Super Mod, it is pretty much what the '60's front-engine Indy Roadsters evolved into. Tube chassis, big V8 offset to left and angled over, driver offset to right sitting in front of rear axle and next to driveshaft. Wicked fast. Like 170+ lap at Toledo. Really cool.

And push-to-pass is only used on street and road courses, not used on ovals. They are generally flat at Indianapolis. That's why passing is difficult, all the cars are running close to same speed. Passes take a few laps to set up. It is a very strategic race, which I enjoy. But the "casual fan" wants endless passing.

 

Went there several times, also I got to go to Dave Uihlein's private race car museum. Love the old iron and as a Pattern maker/ Tool & Die maker I appreciated the quality of castings and machine work from the old days, amazing work IMO

 

Indy in the 50's and early 60's was really something. Guys who started in midgets and sprints could move up to the champ cars and possibly get a ride at Indy. Listened to all the races on the radio before any were televised. Although, Champaign, Il used to have a filmed hi-lights the night of the race. Don Branson was a local boy and they always followed his exploits at Indy.

 

There was a time when Indy held some attraction for me, not sure whether it was the politics or just the continuing technology that soured me on it but I would much rather watch a current generation asphalt Super Modified run, they seem to still have a bit of grass roots engineering about them, at least compared to Indy and Formula 1.
Watched a Super Modified race many years ago at Mesa Marin (Bakersfield) and let me tell you those are my idea of a hot rod.

 

I've often wanted to make it to Oswego for one of their big Super Modified events.

 

I agree DDD. I bet with the right gearing Super Mods could match speeds with Indy Cars at the Speedway. And that would be cool, until there was a crash. Modern Indy Car safety is incredible. But the costs are insane.

 

Once upon a time the 500 was at the top of my bucket list with different types of cars and drivers, now have no desire, stopped watching it on TV when they took it off Memorial Day - the men in my family used to start talking about the Race after Christmas and plan our Memorial Day activities around it, now nobody mentions it - last time I tried to watch it the commentators talked over the sounds of the race incessantly for 500 miles with some of the most inane comments I've ever heard - if they just miked the crews and let me hear them and the cars

 

While it was a rite of passage when I was a kid in the fifties, the advent of foreign cars and foreign drivers killed it for me. It has nothing to do any anti-anything feelings, it's just that it was the quintessential American event. Had it historically taken place in California or New York even, I wouldn't have a problem, but Indianapolis, Indiana? Give me a break.

I think I'm going fishing that day if the weather is nice.

 

That has pretty well ruined watching any racing on TV as the commentators egos let them think That the whole event is about them rather than the actual race.

Add me to another guy who always listened to the race on the radio, often the car radio as my family either carried flowers to the cemeteries to decorate graves or on the way to a picnic at a park where we had a big family picnic. I lost interest in later years after the roadsters went away.

 

I'm trying to keep the memories alive with this long term champ car build:

 

The Miller Reunion mentioned above is the place to see old front engine Indy cars. It is, however, not a race, just exhibition laps.
If you go, find old #66, a Ford that completed the 1934 race. My friend Rex is the current driver. It is a two seat car and Rex will be more than happy to let you ride shotgun. Bring your nerve and have fun.

 

I don't mind watching the race on the tube... Just pop open a cold one er two, kick back and relax.....

 

As a local we get three options... show up on race day, listen to the radio, or watch it 6 hours later that night. I completely understand the older guys mentality of "its not like it used to be." On the flip side, its still one of the coolest events in the world. Watch the 4 part interview with David Letterman on youtube. He describes it better than anyone could.


Put your butt in the stands on race day, and i'll bet you $100 if you don't get goosebumps.

 

Dang - you heard a Novi ? They say it had a sound all it's own.....

 

Anyway, the first rear engined car appeared in 1963, so they've been on that track
longer than the old guard. .[/QUOTE]

To be historically correct, one of the first rear engine cars at the speedway was the Gulf Millers from 1938 and the 1949 Rounds Rocket was rear engine. I am sure there may have been a few more but these come to mind.

 

The first rear engine , European design, was in 1961 with Sir Jack Brabham and his Cooper, 1962 saw Dan Gurney driving Mikey Thompsons Harvey Aluminum Special rear engined Buick powered. Gurney got Ford and Lotus together for 1963 and the "rear engine revolution" began in ernest. The first rear engine entries, I believe we're the Miller Gulfs of 1941 that were badly burned in the early morning fire in Gasoline Alley on race day 1941.

 

I'm in favor of a new Indy Roadster series based on the Watson style of the late 50s.

 

That's a nifty idea but I wonder what would be used for engines. I couldn't warm up to what they are using these days at Indy. Now if they were using small block V-8's I could get with the program!

 

LMAO...that formula works for a lot of stuff on TV...certainly gets me through the wife's American Idol fixation on Sunday nights

 

From the time I could find coverage of the Indy 500,on the radio,I always tryed to tune it in,an enjoyed.
Ya in a way things got better when we could see it on TV. Looking back,even just hearing on the radio was amazing.
For good number of years,I'd use the car radio,it would pick up the broadcast better in Miami Fl. , even when house radio would not. So yup,sat in the car,parked in the shade enjoying the race.
Means def things to others,but I kind of wanted to do it my self some how.
I had never been too Indy, tell in 1984 our News Paper here in Miami Fla. had a add, by Dupont, telling of world land speed record for Human powered craft.
Club rules were from HPVA=kind of a pedal bike club ,to be on
Indy 500 track*. With a $10,000 first prize up for grabs.
There were a lot of rules,of what you could or could not do. Too race for the prize!
OK,lets go race on the Indy 500 track for real !!!!!
Who can say: "I raced with my own stuff around Indy !!" Me.
Did some info hunting,and designed my own Human Powered racer.
Yes ,I ride normel pedal bikes to keep in shape for driving my local oval track stockcar Late Model Mods,anyway !
Beside me design n build,for that fun,the 18yo kid Carlos,down the street was even better/faster then me at racing 10speeds,so roped him in as another powerhouse rider for my design, I build same way I do race cars an hot rods. At home with what's around to use an pick up what I can,test around the block!.
We went to Indy * with a borrowed pick-up truck n pedal racer,for the race,check in at race sign in HeadQ!
But big group already there{ was 85 entered it turned out,from all over the world,most of the big engineering "U"s n Collages had taken this on as challenge. MIT was there with a tractor trailer an a number of others as well,Ga. Tech ect.
Those big collages had windtunnels an lots of other stuff,plus even hired riders as power from USA Olympic bike track team! We found out!
No matter,after the so called smoke cleared at the end,we had put in the 10th fastest landspeed in the world,an out run 75 of those others.
We went back the next year,with 2 updated racers + another racer buddy of Carlos,an got 7th an 9th fastest . That was fun,but the 3dr year it was moved out west,so ended our INDY 500 track race fun.


Last pick is testing at BP Fla. Valodrom

 

I think a modern version of a front-engine Indy Car would be cool. It would clearly differentiate itself from other open-wheel series. The size would punch a huge hole in the air which would aid drafting and passing. The drag would also help control speeds at Indy. They could run the same V8's as stock cars. Perhaps most importantly it would reopen the path from Midgets and Sprints to the Speedway. And it will never happen. There are too many people reliant on the status quo.

 

I couldn't deal with it.... I head for the den when that happens....

 

Beer makes all things tolerable...you're just not drinking enough of them

 

I've done some V8-6o work for the owner. He always invites me down and have been on the track doing laps with Rex. What a thrill.