Speaking of Indy

Check out the pre-entry lists for TAD and TA/FC. Talk about both quality and quantity.
Why would so many people want to torture themselves so much...long drawn out event...1 run per day...ever changing weather...pits that become lakeside property. Because it's INDY!
Since it's been a little slow on the message board, how about sharing your INDY experiences, good and bad?

 

I only have one Indy experience but it was pretty cool. I went in 2004 for the 50th anniversary. I figured the 50th annual, I need to fly out there and check it out. I dont think I have ever walked as much and sat through so many classes as I did from Thursday to Monday. Watched a friend of mine win his class in Stock eliminator. I saw Jeggie win the SS/AA shootout, watched the Bike Clash and Skoal SHowdown live for the first time. Saw old school AA/FA make nighttime passes and saw my first cacklefest on Monday which sent chills down my spine. All in all, an awesome deal. Was cool watching Ashley Force and Shelly Howard battling it out in the final of TAD. Only bad thing about the race was when I said goodbye to Shelly that day and got a hug from her it would be the last time I saw her alive. Almost forgot that I managed to get a Valvoline hat from Newberrys circle picture, thats a hat Ill never wear. One of these days Ill make it back there again. Maybe next year somebody will need some help on a TAD/TAFC.

 

In 2003 I worked for Chris Vandergriff on his T/F car.
Torched heads (and Chris) Q1. Raced Garlits at night Q2 (was very cool). Rained out the rest of the weekend, flew back next week.
Hurt a motor in the pits. Swapped motors and went out and had a blowover.
Picked through remaining pieces and packed it all up. Spectator on race day.
Fortunately Chris was ok.

 

Indy memories

Best of all:
1. Winner circle photo sessions with-
1986 Slick-Meyer-Sumek / Lenco Spl.
1988 Dale Smart /Gary Southern
1989 Tom Conway
1997 The Russell Family /D.R.
2. All the participants of the 1984-1990 (?) Larry Lay hosted NON QUAIFIER/1st ROUND LOSER CLUB parties on Sunday nights !
3. One great story on a Monday after one of the above adventures: Don Woosley came up missing late one of those Sunday nights, and of course the guys were afraid to leave without him. Probably 50 people spent an hour looking for him (under trailers and in every port-a-john on the property) and finally just left.
Well now it's Monday morning, they're all back, said he never showed at the hotel either. So about 11:00 AM they decide to start packing up. Somebody opened the rear big door, and this big pile of rolled up chutes comes unraveling down the door until Woosley fell out and stirred enough for everybody to know he was still alive !!
4. Any Mike Kosky story...........

 

I was there for the for a couple of the infamous Larry Lay parties and Larry showing off his special chef's apron (if you wern't there don't ask) and also the Woosley deal. That's what Ale 8 One will do to ya mixed with God only knows. Those are times I will never forget.
Sure do miss those days.

 

Over the many years I have worked for Zizzo, we never ran at Indy. So when we went top fuel racing, I finally got a chance to race at Indy. We ran pretty good and beat Doug Herbert in round 1, put up a pretty good effort against Larry Dixon in round 2 and came up short.

I got to hang at Wilkerson's all weekend at the 2003 Nationals and they ended up winning it. I got to go to dinner with everyone later...that was a very cool weekend.

 

Just a few off the top of my head:

01: Garlits calling his mom to say "I did it!" (went in the 4's @ 300+). Thanks again Gary Clapshaw! Crewmember gave me an exhaust valve from that run.

03: My first weekend(s) crewing with the TAFC team that won the event.

04: Cacklefest from the tower with The Mongoose pulling dryhops!
Mick Snyder holeshotting Jay Payne

 

Indy!!!

My Wife Laura And I Were Asking Each Other What We Each Wanted For Our 20th Anniversary?? Well We Chose To Go To The 50th
Anniversary Race @ Indy. We Pick A Different Race Each Year And Try To Go But Indy Was Always On The List Of Races To Get To.
We Get There And I Was Lucky Enough To Get To Work With The Bob
Newberry, Right Place At The Right Time!! I'm Kinda Glad I Like To Do The Pan Cause Seems That S The Job Alot Of People Choose To Not Like . Just The Experiance Of A Life Time, We Could Not Have Scripted It Any Better ..to Be Apart Of A Win At Indy Was Something We Will Never Forget..
Scott And Laura Tafc 1350
Thanks To All The Bnr Crew For Letting Us Play.