History Back Home Again In Indiana. Indy 500 Stories, Photos, Please

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We had a local fellow (Albany-Schenectady-Troy New York area) before I was born that won the Indy race in the early 1950's Mr. Lee Wallard from Altamont NY....on another note...my dad was at the race in 1950 when he was a student at Coyne Electrical School in Chicago what he told me years later there was fatal accident there that year...I have never been to the track but I do miss seeing the old roadsters running at the huge oval track on TV.

MikeC

 

Very sad, Lee Wallard in almost unknown outside the racing world in Capital Region of N.Y. or Altamont N.Y. for the matter!

 

This is one of my prized possessions. Not very many people have these.

 

In my native Athens County, Ohio, there is a small town named Trimble. Somehow a story got started that Trimble Block from the brick plant there was used to pave The Speedway. There used to be a large sign stating such at the entrance to town, but while there have been thousands of Culver Block unearthed and uncovered, there has never been a Trimble Block actually discovered at The Speedway.

 

Lee Wallard won the race in 1951, and I think fellow New York resident Mike Nazaruk finished in second that year. Wallard was seriously burned later in the year, and I don't believe he raced much afterward.

 

I'll post some pre WWII INDY memorabilia later today. Bob

 

Less than a week I believe.
He was involved in the promotion of the Fonda Speedway when it opened in 1953.
However, Fonda was N.A.S.C.A.R. and A.A.A. said they would pull his license if he continued.

 

While speaking of bricks, here is a bit of trivia I was told by an old timer a few decades ago, that being the darker the brick, the stronger the brick. The browns and reds seen in soil colors are actually due to the iron content. Trimble had an especially good clay deposit right there at the plant, at the the base of what was known as "Shale Hill", pronounced quickly so as to sound like "Shell Hill", in the best Southeastern Ohio tradition. Several attempts were made to confirm the presence of Trimble Block at Indy, none being successful.

 

Not many people realize that Halibrand built about a dozen complete cars for Indy, in the mid-sixties. They were somewhat innovated, each using about 50 magnesium castings in the construction (for example, the chassis bulkheads), to minimize weight. They were much lighter than their competitors, a short-lived advantage, as USAC quickly raised the minimum weight regulations. (There was a pretty nice one for sale locally, which I regretfully passed on for around 5000 bucks! Had a Ford V8; can't remember if it was a push-rod or a cammer.)

 

Yes, Eddie Sachs was driving a Halibrand Shrike when he lost his life therebin 1964, "The Red Ball Express".

 

I never knew about the Halibrand and magnesium connection, that had to have had an effect on the fire. Bob

 

I am going to do more on the 48 race.

 

There were 10 different motors in the 48 race. There would have been 11 if Granatelli had not hit the wall in practice, he was running fast enough to qualify. I think 80 cars showed up to try and make the field. We road to the race in a new 48 Buick roadmonster convertible, yellow with red leather guts,and had box seats right across from the pit wall. Does not get much better than that.

 

If you've never been to the Speedway, you will not believe how BIG it is. And when you think about all the drivers who made the biggest sacrifice chasing their dream, you'll get a lump in your throat. The place is amazing. And the museum is terrific.

I went for Pole Day in 1995, the year Penske kicked ass with the Mercedes pushrod engine. Sat way up at the entry to Turn 1. Got there early like 8am. Cars don't get on the track until Noon. Two young fellas drag their cooler up all those stairs, sit down and start drinking beer. Both passed out. At 11 they woke up and left. Never even saw a car run.

 

Man, back in the 50's the cars sure looked like race cars instead of looking jet planes. HRP

 

MY Indy Story. In the 50's, till 62/63 my Dad would take me to the time trails and sometimes we went to the race. The things I remember, sleeping in the car in line on race day, sleeping in car how ever many days we were there as He did not want to pay for a motel, going to a store, lunch meat, bread, milk and we would eat in a restaurant 1x a day, wash up at gas stations. you could walk along the garage fence line and get the drivers attention, get autographs, take some pictures with Mom's Brownie box camera. The sound of the Offy's on those long straightaways was so kool and the Novi was louder than the rest, always my pick, we would be in the infield and even as young kid I noticed what a party the infield was. In late 60's, early 70's worked part time for Ron Hoettells (SESCO racing engines) he was doing some work for Sonny Meyers, I went with Ron, we got into garage area and I met Sony, George Bigotti and other big names. In 1979/80 Stan Fox drove my Midget in BMARA and we would go there qualifying weekend, he would get us pit passes and how Kool that was, got to walk through the garage, met some of my hero's, Stan was everybody's friend, the history, feelings, memories, priceless. I lost all interest in Indy cars when Stan Fox crashed there, career ending closed head injury. I have said this before, I am and have been a very lucky man all my life and grateful I still can recall the memories. LOL

 

I remember Stan Fox's crash. Much like Danny Ongais's. Really bad. That's cool you knew him. Sprint Car, Midget and Super Mod drivers are bad asses. Too bad their path to the Speedway is all but gone now.

 

Your story brought up a memory, back in 70's I would go to Fort Wayne for the indoor midget races, I went with some midget racer guys I did not know that well and what a memory. WE leave Milwaukee, we are in a new Caddy sedan 6 adults, 2 cases of beer in trunk, 1 in car, AS we are cruising along at 80/90 MPH, guys put their beers on a belt, window down/up to get it cold. Ok we get there, 4 out 6 are pretty drunk, myself and 1 other not really big drinkers, I drove the Caddy home, the guys sneak beers in, in their coats, by the time the races started 2 guys never saw a lap, sleeping it off, but on the way home stated how good the races were. A couple of these guys are still alive and I see them at Midget races occasionally and we still talk, I NEVER rode to any races with them again, but raced with/ against some of them in my time, these guys were some characters to say the least.