Top Indy Sportsman Moments

[John DiBartolomeo]

With the U.S. Nationals coming up, we're (Drag Racing Action Magazine - www.dragracingaction.com) trying to come up with some Top Sportsman Indy Moments from any year. Obviously the moment has to be printable, but there's lots of things we can get away with. If you don't want your name mentioned just let me know.

[Nitro Joe Jackson]

well 2 moments for me,
first one was in 1991, Mary Ann Jackson running all those 9.90's in a row picking up the TRW money and finally red lighting to Troy's 200 mph SG in the finals
(the start of timers and down fall of side by side SG racing)

2nd one after 43 years of trying my father Bill Jackson won SG in 2005

[Nitro Joe Jackson]

man i have been sitting back and thinking about how many moments at Indy I have personally witness,
Kalitta's wedge TF car taking out finsh line lights,
Carbone vs Garlits burndown
the fight of photo guys in modified final,
Eldon's FC body going bonkers at the starting line.
Us running the same class (SS/EA) as the killer Chevelle in 1971 (dumb).
Over 200 cars in Modified 1971
Ron Mancini crashing his car after red lighting to Jerry Ault in Rd 1 and Ault almost losing it in finals against Coonce in Modified (I was sitting where eliminator bleachers are now)
Butch Leal showing up in A/G with the Arrow when i was helping Virgil Cates and the Wayne Co Opel GT in B/G
Witness the end of Modified and the first Indy for SG where we got to semi's
I could go on for hours but wont.

[hookdaddy]

How about kids (sorry, i'm old most eveybodys a kid) like Doug Doll Jr & Heather Robalito winning S/C

[MFR440]

Originally Posted by John DiBartolomeo

With the U.S. Nationals coming up, we're (Drag Racing Action Magazine - www.dragracingaction.com) trying to come up with some Top Sportsman Indy Moments from any year. Obviously the moment has to be printable, but there's lots of things we can get away with. If you don't want your name mentioned just let me know.

The thrash in the Warfish Hemi Super Stock pits last year was legendary. Many Hemi Challenge competitors pitched in to change the engine in the Charlie Wescott Sr. Hemi Barracuda to help him make the final round, which he won.

Danny Black clicking the 330 ft. timers with the rear wheels of Jamie Fenner's Stock Eliminator Dodge Demon was pretty unbelievable. That wheelie had to be 400 ft! I think that was 2007?

[jmcarter]

Nitro Joe; I must have been sitting close to you when Mancini put his Dart on the guardrail...pretty hairy given the safety equipment back then. Troy's SG Cutlass was a sad, not top moment; wonder how many millions of $ and thousands of broke racers it's been trying to follow that act. For me, Dyno Don's dry hops behind the line before FC had it's own class (1966?) and not being able to stir the Hemi Colts with a stick (1976?) rank near the top. Just wish I had been there to see Garlits shave his beard!

[Mark Schmidt]

How about the Lingenfelter thrash of that SS Corvette, bringing in a new block by helicopter, only to have a piece of silicone stall the motor in the staging lanes?

[Tim Sheehan]

This is probably a little late for you John but the year my dad won S/G (1989) he hit the TRW 9.90 in round one, qualified #1 and then beat Jerry Thomas in the final. They both went 9.919 but dad had Jerry on the tree .419 to .424. There were 210 cars that year...I miss those big Indy fields!

[voltdr]

Originally Posted by Mark Schmidt

How about the Lingenfelter thrash of that SS Corvette, bringing in a new block by helicopter, only to have a piece of silicone stall the motor in the staging lanes?

Mark, I'm with you on this one. Do you remember what year that was?

[John DiBartolomeo]

Thanks for all your replies. The Indy Sportsman Photo Highlights issue is on the newsstands now.