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Indianapolis 500

Indianapolis 500 May 25, 2025

         I watched the complete Indianapolis 500 today for only the second or third time.  Why?  I've had a fascination with Indy Cars for 61 years now.  As a result, I've always liked Open-Wheel Racing (Indy Cars) more than Closed Wheel Racing (NASCAR).  Allow me to explain.

         My father would listen to the Indy 500 every year.  This was before it started being televised in 1965.  Heck, we didn't even have a TV until 1966 (that's a guess here), we never owned a Color TV, those were too expensive, so Black & White it was.  Back to my father for a minute.  He would take a piece of paper and create a table consisting of the top 3 drivers every 25 miles.  At the bottom of it, he would have a list of cars out of the race.

         But I need to backtrack a little bit.  I guess I became an Indy Car fan while we lived in Milwaukee from 1960 to 1962.  The Wisconsin State Fair held a 250 mile race at its One Mile Oval track, and somehow I became a fan of Open Wheel Racing.  Also, I somehow (Don't ask, because I don't remember) became a fan of a driver whose name I heard, Eddie Sachs.  He was my hero, my favorite driver.  We moved to Albuquerque in September 1962.  After the move to Albuquerque, it became almost a custom for my father and I to sit together and listen to the Indy 500.  I always cheered for Eddie Sachs who drove at Indy from 1957 to 1964.  Being 9 or 10 years old, I'd quickly get bored and run out to play with my brothers and friends.  In 1964 though, Eddie Sachs was killed on lap 2 in a fiery crash coming out of turn 4.  Another driver spun out of control and hit the inside wall with a fiery explosion, then slid across the track.  Eddie was behind him and had no chance.  His car hit the other car in the middle causing a second fireball, killing Eddie almost immediately.  Since it was so early in the race, I was still listening as this occurred.  I cried and cried over his death.  I don't think I've cried like that over someone dying since.  Not even the passing of my parents or my three siblings.

         While in the Navy, for one reason or another, I never had the chance to watch the whole race.  While at Motorola, it seemed I was usually traveling, or just had too much going on to sit back and relax to watch it.  Now I do, so it's almost a tradition here now.

         A couple of other notes about the Indianapolis Raceway.  In 1997, I traveled to Indianapolis with a group from the Firestone Plant I worked at.  It wasn't raceday, it wasn't even time-trials.  The drivers were 'practicing', getting used to their cars and the track.  But, we had infield access.  We weren't allowed in the garage area, nor could we meet and talk to the drivers.  Still, it was a special day for me.  And in 2016, I was given an awesome Birthday present.  A day at the Chicagoland Speedway where I was able to drive an older Indycar.  My fastest lap was just below 150 mph!  (The cars had a limiter that prevented them going more than 170 mph).  I had never driven that fast before, nor have I since.  It was a very special day, that's for sure.  Other than the Indianapolis 500, I no longer follow other Indycar races.  The reasons are varied and many really, too much to go into here.  I do look at race results and watch highlights at times, but that's about it.

         Til next time, y'all Love those who Love You, and Write!

Jim