100th Indianapolis 500 Articles on Autoweek

[VoodooBoss]

With the 100th Indianapolis 500 race next month Autoweek has been counting down the 100 days until the race. They post a new article every day. I've been fascinated with the race since I attended the first California 500 at Ontario Motor Speedway back in 1970 as a kid. Hearing and seeing the race cars in person was a mind blowing experience. I've never made it to the Indy 500 but I did get to visit the museum at the track last summer when I was in the area for a wedding. The race doesn't seem to be as big of a deal these days because of the CART and IRL split back in 1996 but I still record and watch the race every year. One of these days I'll make it to the race in person. Anyone going to this years race?

http://autoweek.com/racing/indy-100

 

[302BOB]

Also the Indy 500 doesn't have the familiar driver (family) names like Andretti & Unser that I knew growing up & following the race...that was many moons ago........

 

[Tucson 302]

Rick I agree the 96 split and the rise of NASCAR in the US has kind of made the Indy 500 obsolete. I can remember back when we only had three TV channels and the Indy 500 was a huge event that my dad and I always watched. Wish I had paid more attention!

 

[302 Hi Pro]

My Dad was a big Indy Race fan and I remember some of the early races. The 1964 Indy race with the tragic crash and burn in turn 4 on the second lap is something I will never forget. On that day we lost Eddie Sachs a veteran Indy driver and Dave MacDonald an upcoming star in his first Indy race.

I also remember this race as the year of the big change in Indy car construction. The engine was now behind the driver in some cars and some big names from Europe were setting new records. Jim Clark was on the pole and he was beginning to walk away from the field before the crash. AJ Foyt won the race that year.

I pulled up a few race documentaries from that era and it just amazes me to see what and how race car drivers drove back in the day. No safety equipment, no fuel cells and no limits on the amount of gas a car could carry, (some cars had 100 gallon fuel tanks!). Those cars were a handful to drive. Racing is still dangerous, but we have come a long way since then.

302 Hi Pro

 

[k98dave]

"I pulled up a few race documentaries from that era and it just amazes me to see what and how race car drivers drove back in the day. No safety equipment, no fuel cells and no limits on the amount of gas a car could carry, (some cars had 100 gallon fuel tanks!). Those cars were a handful to drive. Racing is still dangerous, but we have come a long way since then."

Yep I watched that 64 race on ABC Wide World of Sports, plus the special showing on closed circuit TV shown at local theaters for a unheard of $6 admission when the STP Turbine car ran. And lets not forget all those Ford-Vs- Ferrari battles at LeMans.
Me being a old SCCA F&C guy if you look at the tracks back in those days there were no safety bunkers for the workers, just old tires buried half way in the dirt and hay bales! We lost far more workers back in those days than drivers but it wasn't talked about much. Organization like SCCA can be a pain to deal with sometimes but they elevated the safety issues for workers & pit crews as well.

 

[blacksheep-1]

I haven't missed that race since Bobby Unser won it in the Rislone special back in '68. Gotta say, I hate the shifter kart body work and the lack of imagination in today's Indycars.