I love this track as it is truly a test for open wheeled drivers. During the mid-60s I attended pole day every year when pole day was a huge event! Over the years due to egos and race politics pole day became a shaddow of it's former self.

This weekend I've been stuck inside fighting a serious sinus issue, so I've taken in both the 1st and 2nd day of qualifying. Hour after hour of coverage. What great coverage thanks to VS tv. I really found myself appreciating once again how challenging and exciting 4-fast laps can be. The amount good tech info shared by this tv crew has been really good. I am sure I would never have watched all these hours if I wasn't stuck here but it's been very interesting.

I've had the thrill of driving the track a few times in my MG. Here's a shot from one of our national events in which hundreds showed up.

 

I completely forgot that yesterday was Pole Day at Indy. I've been to Indy many times over the years for practice, the 500, Brickyard 400 and F1.
This was the first year that I didn't catch pole qualifying.

 

Hey Dave - Thought you might enjoy a little trivia from an old timer.
After the war midget racing in our area was hugely popular. I was in high school and my best friend's father was the promoter in Tulsa so we went to all the races. Jack Zink was a friend of ours and he4 talked his dad into letting him built a midget as long as he didn't drive it. He hired Buzz Barton to drive it. Two brothers in Oklahoma City owned an electric company called M&A Walker Electric in Oklahoma City. Walker had two midgets driven by Jud Larsen and Cecil Green.
Walker wanted to go to Indy but couldn't do it alone. So Zink talked his dad into sponcering their car in 1950. Walker wanted Jud to be the driver but he declined as he didn't like asphalt so Cecil Green drove and finished fourth to Johnny Parsons in a rain shortened race. In 1951 he was leading the race when the car broke. Green was killed later that year in a sprint car as was Larsen a few years later.

 

You bet. The Zink name certainly rings at Indy. The dangers during the 50s and 60s were unreal.

In the mid-50s I was always in a neighbor's garage where a much older brother of my friend was a hot shoe at a local 1/4 mile dirt track. Every Saturday I would hitch out to track to watch the night racing and kick tires in his pit.

One of the stories that has forever stuck in my is that of Indy racer Jim Hurtubise. In 1964 after suffering serious burns in an accident in Milwaukee doctors asked Hurtubise how he wanted his hands shaped permanently. "Just make 'em so I can hold a steering wheel." And they did!! And he raced again. Some where in my old moldy collection I've got that whole story that appeared in one of the magazines of the time. Every time I read it, it sends chills up my back. I have a model of his '60 Indy car in my collection.

 

In a late session practice yesterday John Andretti smacked the wall (no surprise to me) but the reason I mention it was Graham Rahal showed incredible driving skill to avoid hitting him and to avoid hitting a wall himself. Outstanding driving; this young kid is REALLY good.

 

^ some of those young guns can flat out drive!

John Andretti on the other hand should retire.

 

Well of course he did -- he's a Rahal -- and a Buckeye!

Seriously, that was some fine drivin'.

 

I also enjoyed all 17 hours of coverage - phew! VS even though most of the other stuff they show is as far as I'm concerned.

Tivo set for the coming weekend events as well. Coverage of carb day on the 22nd I believe.

 

I used to be a huge Indy 500 fan. I went to many qualifying events and to the race for five consecutive years. And then there was the IRL

To me, it is still the greatest spectacle in racing, but it isn't what it used to be.

I can't believe I forgot it was pole day (except I had just got in from Vegas at 2 AM) and was in my garage all day with the Speed Channel showing crap.