INDY - the highs and lows
 

We are just weeks away from making our annual pilgrimage to the racing Mecca, otherwise known as INDY. I've had the "privilege" of attending/or racing at INDY since 1968. Over those years, the magic of INDY keeps bringing me (us) back year after year.
There are many highs (and lows), that contribute to us returning. Please share your highs and lows of this awesome event. I'll start it off with a few of the obvious ones.....

high - just qualifying for the ever-so-tuff field

low - having to get there on the saturday before (10 days early) just to beat the bowling green racers to a decent parking spot

high - seeing all the racers/cars from all over the country that don't make it east to often

low - being late and getting parked at the end of the track where our radio won't even pick up the tracks station

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

Highs...
The barbeques......
The chance of winning Indy....
Class Elims....
seeing cars you don't normally see.....

Lows...
Possible teardown
the length of time you're there

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

Rock - would you rather be at work the whole week? - lol

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

Add to the lows

$105.00 for a freaking crew ticket



Sorry.
Rick

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

That equates to only $17.50 a day. What a bargin in this economy, and to top it off your at the Grand Daddy of all races.

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

Highs..... well just an opportunity to win THE biggest race of the year.
usually, maybe not lately...the larger than normal fields...esp COMP
...5 sessions of Pro Stock Qualifying
Lows....DNQing...
...losing in the finals twice..once having someone covered index wise...they were used up we were clean, only to have the wire for the trans brake fall off in the pan prior to staging:(...the other time opponent had 5 red lites in previous rounds...we were used up...the knife to gun fight dealie:rolleyes:
..having Roy Hill drive down the side of your race car with his motorhome in the staging lanes while waiting to tech in , telling me later that every one waved him on as there seemed to be ???? plenty of room.....a$$clown
...going red in the finals of class ruining a chance to qualify
..oiling the track 3 out of 4 runs with a mysterious leak....hence looking like we never ran a race car let alone a Comp Elim car!!!
Need I say more....we are coming back, as we do every year....sometimes I ask myself...WHY..then I wake up!!!
Turkman

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

Highs:
1) vacation
2) a chance to qualify and win the biggest race of the year
3) class eliminations (win or lose)
4) hanging out with friends
5) meeting new people and making new friends
6) seeing cars from other divisions
7) eating and drinking with friends
8) beautiful sunny days
9) competition with the best
10) best car show in the country
11) did I mention eating and drinking with friends
12) HEMI's
13) this race is only 207 miles away
14) and of course, eating and drinking with friends
15) bench racing between qualifying and racing
16) watching stock and super stock
17) trading performance secrets
18) getting a great parking spot
19) not breaking anything
20) and last but not least, eating and drinking with friends

Lows:
1) entry fees
2) cost of fuel
3) getting whipped in class
4) oil downs
5) rain
6) not qualifying
7) tear downs
8) lousy pit spot
9) running out of adult beverages
10) coming home and going back to work
11) not being able to get to minumum weight cause you ate and drink too much with your friends

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

I agree with Chuck, but after winning Indy there isn't anything any better. I know I didn't win but when my father did in 05 and my mother was runner up in 91 there isn't any better feeling then that

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

Chuck, the eating and drinking with friends is first. I hope I am in your 'friend' column. Biggest problem I have is as I approach 67, I can't remember anything anyway, add a couple of cold 'retardents' and memory just doesn't exist. I'm thinking this year maybe some crawfish or non-oiled shrimp etoufee'. Bring that already done so the altitude don't screw it up and do the rice at the track, a good martini, don't get much better. Gotta check my schedule on what night. Maybe some french bread too. I will have to check with my social director. More later.

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

Chuck, looks like the highs out weigh the lows! You are right on.
Jeff, hope to hook up for some adult beverages with the Southland bunch!!!

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

You are welcome. If we run out of beer, they got this new thing. It's a plastic card, and you just give it to them in the store. They actually give you the beer. Life is good.

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

Boy, I like all that eating and drinking with friends! We will have a full bar. Most anything you want. Hey, Jeff, that ettouffe sure sounds good. I think I won't drink as much as we did 2 years ago when neither of us qualified and drank our sorrows away. Larry nor I still don't remember who drove the golf cart home that night!
Patsy

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

Jeff, you are at the top of the list, no one makes me laugh harder than listening to you and Big Stuff tell your stories and jokes ... and your beverages are always icy cold and you never seem to run out ...

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

Joe,
I came so close in 2000 ....

Mon, 4 Sep 2000, 05:04 PM

INDY - Stock Round 6 Eliminations By Larry Sullivan

CLERMONT, Ind. - Results of round 6 eliminations in Stock at the 46th annual U.S. Nationals:

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET--(+/-)-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---(+/-)
12 Jim Schaechter 12.116 -1.134 Q 32 Chuck Beach 11.288 -1.012
N/S Dial: 12.22 G/SA Dial: 11.39
(R Wilkes ) 0.545 12.226 0.036 E3 (J McCormack ) 0.521 11.428 0.028
(D Edwards ) 0.519 12.279 0.089 E4 (B Rogers ) 0.548 11.434 -0.006
(B Rink ) 0.517 12.282 0.032 E5 E5 (G Rowe ) 0.513 11.420 0.030
*****WINNER***** 0.550 12.219 -0.001 E6 0.559 11.388 -0.002

3:57 PM


Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET--(+/-)-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---(+/-)
106 Kevin Stubbs 10.540 -0.760 Q 59 Scott Welborn 11.375 -0.925
A/SA Dial: 10.76 G/SA Dial: 11.86
(J Gower ) 0.502 10.777 0.017 E3 (H Doolittle ) 0.524 11.861 0.051
(K Miele ) 0.530 10.827 0.007 E4 (N Folk ) 0.520 11.443 11.443
(R Turkal ) 0.540 10.760 0.030 E5 (E Waldo ) 0.508 11.881 0.021
0.527 10.775 0.015 E6 *****WINNER***** 0.529 11.862 0.002

Margin of victory = 0.011 seconds (approximately 24 inches).

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

Chuck, I feel your pain. Made it to fifth round in 2005. That's when a Schubeck decides to let go in the lights!

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

Over the years have had plenty of highs and lows at Indy -- most of the lows came while in the employ of the NHRA ................

Got caught coming into the motel at 6:30 am by Dave Danish on a work day -- he made me work extra hard and long that day .........and then told me that if I wanted to play with the "big dogs" I should be prepared to pay .That incident gave new meaning to the "Lady in Red" .

A year later some NHRA staffers "found" me in my room with another lady that had a full leg cast on - took years to hear the end of that .

While getting driving lessons from a fellow worker the rear suddenly went bye-bye on a NHRA rental car in my possession -- more explaining to Danish -- I'm probably the reason for his gray hair .
My first time going to the Ford dealer to work teardown I got lost -- more explaining .

These are just a sample of my NHRA Indy lows -- I could go on and on .............These may be lows but I wouldn't trade the memories for anything .

Highs -- Not many but -- My one and only Indy class trophy in 1975 -- even that had its problems -- while at the AMC dealer for teardown "they" forgot about me and I was there around the clock - 25 hours in teardown ! ! ! And then there was the time "Big Stuff" took me for a ride in his new PT Cruiser - well , thats another story for another time .

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

Don't recall too many lows about attending Indy. The last time I was there was in 1972. Any time you are at Indy will be and experience you will not forget but go expect it to be like it was in 1972. Over the last few years my wife and I have talked about planning to go back one more time while we're still living. Had really thought about it this year, to take our Duster, my son, his wife and my grandson's. I would really like to see the expression on Little Chris and CJ's, my grandsons, faces when they got to that event.

I guess, relative to wages, that things costed about the same then, but we really didn't eat out or stay in elaborate motor homes or hotels. Most everyone brought things to cook, cooler for beverages and either sleep in the truck or a tent and not many of them. I was just thinking it would be interesting to see what the entry fee was for Super Stock at Indy in 1972 an what the concession stand prices were. I believe that gas in Raleigh in 1972 was about 75 cents a gallon.

If you can afford to go to Indy, go and enjoy all that is the drag race of all drag races.

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

I remember that round well Chuck.....We took our $750 checks and went home....

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How about the old week long lodging that you could buy to stay at the old Lions Club park? Had a good shower, breakfast......and the nightly entertainment. Myron Stutes

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

Here are some visual "HIGHS".....

How about the high of making it to and thru the sunday nite round robins of stock and super stock.....
and making into Mondays program... now that's one of the highest highs.

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...oweratnite.jpg

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How about campers at the Clermont Drive-in... (someone already mentioned this one...)

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...-nsign50th.jpg

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How about the highs of seeing the old HURST crossover bridge...

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...isc/Indy67.jpg

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The lows of having to go to the teardown barn...........

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...rdownbarnx.jpg

The highs of passing teardown....

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...08teardown.jpg

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and....Miss Hurst! Linda Vaughn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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how about the highs of getting a "primo" parking spot in the infield....... (my favorite)

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...tsindy08a1.jpg

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How about the high of earning a "class finalist trophy sticker".........

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...ckerindy08.jpg

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The high of winning class and getting the "Wally"....

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...trophyhood.jpg

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The high of visiting the famed "Indy Winners Circle" for a class winner photo...

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...eyin08wca4.jpg

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...yindy06ttt.jpg

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...incircle86.jpg

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

09 was my first Indy actually competing. What an Event!

Highs

Feeling like a little kid for 2 months before getting ready!
Seeing all the bad boys lined up in tech and Garlits pulling right beside me in tech!
Running class!
Meeting all kinds of new people!
BBQ with freinds and family!
Getting a class finalist decal!

Lows
The longest wait and line I have ever seen lol, to get in the gates.
Hurting my motor.
Not qualifying.

I can't wait until Indy 11 I will be watching this year with no car and it sucks ,but the new motor is coming along and will be done next year.

Tim

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

Mr. Tosto.... good luck next year.
I know you'll be back.

another high..... was sitting in the old bleachers at indy (prior to the new aluminum ones). I was sitting three rows in front of the famed "1000 foot club" group of fans. All of a sudden I heard a familiar voice in the group of fans.... it was none other than the voice of Bret Kepner (at that time... i believe he was the voice of IHRA). Even Bret was taking in the pagentry of INDY.

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

Thanks Tom

And as always I forgot to add your pics are always nice especially when you got my car lol..

Bret Kepner is a very cool guy he is our local track photographer.

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

Highs: the "Moroso Racer Appreciation Parties" (a few will remember)

Low: witnessing a careless racer run over another racing family's pet that was tied to their trailer step

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

Pets should not be at a race track. they have no protection for their ears and some racers don't pick up after their dog goes to the bathroom

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

I only went to Indy once, sometime in the early seventies. The only low I remember was the motel running out of hot water when I needed to shower, Brrrr,

The only high I remember was watching the B/SM class eliminations It was waaay better than anything else.

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

The Highs of Indy- Working all week to finish up your new Motor with 0 passes on it,Getting lucky to win class by beating the heavily favored car, having Travis invite you to the Teardown party,Passing teardown and getting the car back together again, collecting your Class Trophy and getting your picture taken. I also seem to meet new friends every year and get to visit with old ones. That alone makes the trip worthwhile. The Lows- Working all week to finish your new motor with 0 passes on it, beating the ---------------Collecting your class trophy and getting your picture taken, then getting beat in the first round of the Eliminator. Even the lows make the trip worthwhile and every Indy is a learning experience whether your are racing or just visiting and I am thankful every time I go.

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

The low....the pollen count seem very high for us hay fever sufferers......The High.....Just being there. The 60's and early 70's were the best times for me.

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

The highs - 6 straight days at the track, that is pure heaven for a hardcore fan like me.
Seeing cars that you may not see again until Indy next year.
Class eliminations in Stock and Super Stock including the Hemi Challenge.
Renewing acquaintances that you have made with racers and fans.
Just being at the oldest, biggest, and best drag race in the world.
The lows - None!
I am counting the days until Aug.30 when I will leave CT about 5:00PM in order to check in to my motel on Aug. 31 about 1:00PM. I will be at the track on Sept.1 before the gates open; hope to see you all there!

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

My biggest low.............Winning class, qualifying #1, and then getting disqualified in teardown for 2 lbs inner valve spring pressure.

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

You just became one of my new favorite old timers hahaha.

Re: INDY - the highs and lows
 

1976 34 cars for 1st round of class C/SM
1977 39 cars for 1st round of class B/SM
Had to win class to run on Monday all that changed in 1978