Remembering Big Joe

[john oliverio]

Can't tell this story the wayledlft out word Big Joe said it but here it goes. I believe it was 1981 at Indy Joe was running black 65 stick car. What happened everybody was complaining about the hemi cars with light fiberglass, light engine blocks and motors moved back. After SS ran time trials NHRA was pulling all the hemi cars off to the side after the scales. They pulled us off and when I reached where they put us there was all the hemi cars. So any way the got Joe for a light block and told him he was out. Well Joe told the official he came 1200 miles to race. The official said not this race. So Joe said let me bolt a head on the front bumper I want to race but the answer was no. So all the hemi guys are standing around together and Joe comes over and tells us now you guys no these Chevy guys teach these kids to hate us from when they are 3 feet tall. And he was dead serious. He was a great racer but a better person. Always made sure I talked to him at Indy. RIP