INDY - the highs and lows

[thomas sheehan]

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

[CBS]

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

[Tim Kish]

Originally Posted by CBS

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

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

[Rick Bailey]

Add to the lows

$105.00 for a freaking crew ticket



Sorry.
Rick

[Herbie Null]

Originally Posted by Rick Bailey

Add to the lows

$105.00 for a freaking crew ticket



Sorry.
Rick

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.

[Greg Turk]

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
..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

[Bobby DiDomenico]

Originally Posted by Herbie Null

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.

And when we come for Thursday only, it is $105 a day. Simply inexcusably outrageous in this or any other economy...

[Jack Matyas]

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 .

[chris3racing]

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.

[Jimi B]

Originally Posted by Jack Matyas

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 .

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