The Official Blog of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

This week was an exciting one for IMS! Dan Wheldon was here with the 2012 INDYCAR for a few days of testing. It’s always an honor to have Dan at the speedway, but it was an even bigger honor to have him here in the 2012 INDYCAR. The IMS oval has had the rare opportunity of seeing the complete evolution of the INDYCAR race over its famed 2.5 miles – think about how the cars have changed over the years. The sleek 2012 model looked great crossing the yard of bricks.

2012 INDYCAR

Dan had great things to say about the new car, and the testing program this year. “The evolution lately, over the last few tests, has been phenomenal,” Dan says about the new model.

It was great to see the 2012 INDYCAR on our oval, and we can’t wait to see a field of 33 race around the track next May. What do you think of the new model? Thoughts, opinions, concerns?

Aerodynamics have been a part of the Indianapolis 500 since Ray Harroun designed the first rear view mirror on a race car in 1911. The “wedge shaped” contraption that would eventually be used on almost every automobile built was shaped like that to eliminate the drag of a flat piece sticking up from the car.

Even before that the shape of the Marmon Wasp, built in 1910, had a sleek shape compared to other race cars of the day.  The 1937 winner of Wilbur Shaw was an aerodynamic piece itself.  In 1955 2 cars entered (and almost a 3^rd car for Bill Vukovich, winner of the past two 500’s) that were called, back in the day, “Streamliner”.  The yellow Belond Miracle Power Special designed by Quinn Epperly and the blue and white Sumar Special designed by Frank Kurtis and Chapman Root started out as “fendered” cars.

The Sumar had full fenders and the both cars had enclosed cockpits. Jimmy Daywalt, driver of the Sumar car did not like the fact that he could not see the front tires and complained of being claustrophobic with the “bubble” installed.  After the 1^st day of practice, the team took the “fenders” and the cockpit bubble off of the car.  Jimmy Qualified the car 17^th and finished 9^th. In 1956, Marshall Teague failed to qualify the car. In 1959, the body was put back on the car and taken to Daytona to attempt a “Land Speed Record” run with Teague.  After taking the car up to over 171 mph early in the trials, Teague crashed the car attempting to break the 180mph mark and was killed.  The car was not raced again. It is still in the Root family.

The #33 Belond car driven by Jim Rathmann used fairings rather than a complete body. It also started out as a covered canopy on the cockpit but that was taken off early in the month.  Rathmann qualified the car 20^th and finished 14^th.  It did not qualify in 1956.

The Keck “Streamliner” was designed and being built by Norman Timbs, Quinn Epperly, Jim Travers and Frank Coon and was to have first a Novi motor.  When Lew Welch would not sell the motor to Keck, he wanted to have Leo Goosen build a new V8 Supercharged Offenhauser for the radical new car.  When it looked like the car would not be completed in time for the ’55 race, Keck released Vukovich to drive for owner Lindsey Hopkins. The rest is history.

The Keck Streamliner never arrived or raced in Indy although according to Jim Travers, the car was scheduled to be driven at Indianapolis in 1956 by Jack McGrath.  McGrath was killed in a racing accident in Phoenix in November of 1955. The Keck Streamliner was not completed until 1985 and it never raced.

My dad woke mom and I up early in 1956 and said we were “going for a ride” .  As we neared the area of 16^th and Georgetown, I realized we were headed for THEE RACE.  I do remember the traffic and my dad was not really looking forward to getting his year old Ford all dinged up so I was quite surprised when we actually turned into the infield and pulled up to the 1^st turn infield  area (front row actually).  The rains the week before and up to early raceday morning left the ground a bit soggy but I didn’t care…we were at the track.  It was a good day!

1956 Indy 500

What a thrill to actually be at the RACE and while the pre-race hoopla was exciting, nothing could beat the sound of those 33 cars as they came barreling into the 1^st turn.  You could pick the Novi’s sound out from all the Offys immediately as Paul Russo came through the 1^st turn.  Then, on lap 21, we heard a loud pop and the red Novi was sideways through the turn and against the wall.  I was relieved as Russo climbed out of the car and walked to the inside of the track.   As the race progressed the clear favorite for me had to be the white and pink car of Pat Flaherty.  As he entered the turn, I could see that green shamrock on his helmet. Flaherty ended up winning the event that year and for me, my 1^st race was a memorable experience.  I have only missed 2 since then while in the Army in 1966 & 67.

Novi Vespa

Another favorite of mine, Tony Bettenhausen did not fare as well.  The beautiful blue and gold # 99 Belanger Special ended up on the South Short Chute with a hard hit, ending Tony B’s day.  Future winners including Sam Hanks, and Rodger Ward along with past winners, Johnnie Parsons and Bob Sweikert finished in the top 10 that year. But oh, the sound of that Novi…………..

JR Hildebrand thought he was walking into the Panther Racing garage for just another morning full of meetings, little did he know a huge surprise was in store for him. The conclusion of the 2011 Indy 500 for JR Hildebrand was a rough one, but he never let it show and Panther Racing wanted to reward JR for his professionalism. When John Barnes (Panther Racing co-owner) ran across JR’s dream car in perfect condition, he knew it would be the best way to show his appreciation.

JR has been storing a Trans-Am he got from his dad in high school at the Panther garages. The team told JR they had “fixed it up” and wanted to show it to him. They unveiled the Trans-Am (not in any better condition) to JR and he laughed, realizing it was a joke but still not knowing exactly what was going on.

The "fixed-up" Trans-Am

Just as Hildebrand got a good look at the Trans-Am, the garage door in the back of the shop opened and in came his 1966 Chevelle SS in mint condition. He kept taking off his hat and scratching his head; he seemed to be in disbelief. “This is the greatest thing that has ever happened,” I overheard him say.

JR checks out his new Chevelle

After JR had a chance to sit in the driver seat and get a feel for his new bright red dream, he spoke on the surprise and his Indy 500 experience. He explained that he finds it “silly” that he has received so much attention for his behavior because no matter the outcome of the Indy 500 he would have carried himself the same way. At the same time, he is happy for the positive impact it has had for the team and the National Guard. “This is the coolest thing ever,” he said about his new Chevelle.

What’s your dream car?

Sleeping at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway??!! Despite the action around him, we’ve dug up this photo of Johnnie Parsons taking a nap at the IMS and have an IMS prize pack ready for the best fan photo caption.

So what do you say, how should this photo be captioned?

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Your Caption Here

A year out of high School and living in my 1^st place on my own, ½ of a double 1 house off of Crawfordsville Road and Gerrard (for racing fanatics, behind what would later become Hurtubise’s Muffler Shop) I was close to what I called Utopia, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  Along with my best friend Dave, whose family had connections to the longtime car owner Lindsey Hopkins, we approached May with great anticipation.   In our hands ( our 19year old hands I might add), were 2 season Gate Passes, a Garage Area Pass each AND 2 great tickets to the race in the grandstands (yeah, like 2 nineteen year old testosterone loaded boys could sit still for 4 hours in a grandstand seat when the infield Snakepit was loaded with gorgeous cuties) and we couldn’t wait until Opening Day.

As I recall (and a LOT of time has passed since then), all days possible were spent there at the track.  As Race Day approached, my main entry (Crawfordsville Road) to my “digs” on Gerrard kept loading up with race fans and revelers and soon my 1 room studio flat became a “crash house” for other friends old and new.

Hopkins & Marshman

We partied for 3 days and on race day we had, of course, sold our great tickets and headed for the infield (with new general admission ducats acquired from another source).  We had a great time until the big crash and drifted through the rest of the race in stunned silence (we were race fans too!). I still remember the silence of the crowd and the PA announcements that day………

AJ Foyt - Winner of the 1964 Indy 500

AJ Foyt won the race, the last winning front engine car to do so, for his 2^nd win.

Little did I realize what the Speedway would become to me and the career I would make of it.

To end this series of Fan of the Day we caught a few special people to take pictures with the giant Cholula Hot Sauce bottle. KV Racing Technology driver Tony Kanaan and Indy 500 Festival Princess Riley Hoffman took a few minutes to pose with the Cholula Fan of the Day bottle. It was great of them to show their support for IMS and of course Cholula Hot Sauce.

This May has been a great one thanks to all of the fans. It was great to search for a Fan of the Day and we were never disappointed with the way fans showed their support. Whether it was wearing their favorite driver’s shirt, being an avid autograph hunter, or just pouring Cholula Hot Sauce on everything the fans made this 100th Anniversary even more special to IMS.

We have to send a special shout out to Cholula Hot Sauce as well. They provided every Fan of the Day with an awesome prize pack and, thanks to Cholula Hot Sauce at every concession stand, they provided happy bellies to many hungry fans at this year’s Indy 500.

Congratulations to all of our chosen fans for Fan of the Day and keep looking for more Fan of the Day posts and opportunities when the Brickyard 400 rolls around in July!

To check out more Fan of the Day pictures check out Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Flickr.

Yes, the Indy 500 Fan of the Day program is back and we’re ready to find the best fans Indianapolis Motor Speedway has to offer! This year, Cholula Hot Sauce became a sponsor of Fan of the Day and will award prizes to the lucky fan chosen each day.

We’ve seen how fun, crazy, and excited you fans can be and we’re asking you to bring all those qualities to the Speedway for the rest of May. Winners will receive a 4-pack of sauces, a t-shirt, and a 2ft. tall trophy bottle of Cholula Hot Sauce. Their picture will also be featured on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway website and Cholula’s Facebook page. Love hot sauce? Head on over to their Facebook page and let them know you caught the Fan of the Day!

Firestone Indy Lights practice and qualifying were almost completely washed out yesterday. Fans hung around hoping to see more track action that never happened. Despite the rain, oue next fan of the day seemed to be having a great time with her friends and had her Indianapolis Motor Speedway Centennial Era sweatshirt on. Meet our new fan of the day, Jenny!

How many times have you attended the Indy 500?

Jenny was in Indy for a business conference and was given tickets for the Indy 500 this year. This will be her first time attending the race, and she is loving every minute of being at IMS.

Which 100^th anniversary event are you most looking forward to?

Jenny is super excited for Carb Day and the concerts that will be taking place on the Miller Lite stage.

What is one thing that always brings you back to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway?

This is Jenny’s first time at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but she has learned to love the access to the garages and the pits. She got to meet drivers and get pictures with some of them.

Which current driver would you like to see win this year’s Indy 500?

Jenny and her friends met Paul Tracy yesterday. “He was such a nice guy,” said Jenny.  They got their picture taken with PT and would love to see him win this year.

What is your favorite racing memory?

Jenny has never been to an IndyCar race, but she has great memories from her home in Minnesota. They used to hold snowmobile races every year that took place on racetracks made of hay. Jenny loved attending the race every year.

In your opinion, which food is best with Cholula Hot Sauce?

Tacos

Yes, the Indy 500 Fan of the Day program is back and we’re ready to find the best fans Indianapolis Motor Speedway has to offer! This year, Cholula Hot Sauce became a sponsor of Fan of the Day and will award prizes to the lucky fan chosen each day.

We’ve seen how fun, crazy, and excited you fans can be and we’re asking you to bring all those qualities to the Speedway for the rest of May. Winners will receive a 4-pack of sauces, a t-shirt, and a 2ft. tall trophy bottle of Cholula Hot Sauce. Their picture will also be featured on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway website and Cholula’s Facebook page. Love hot sauce? Head on over to their Facebook page and let them know you caught the Fan of the Day!

Community Day was underway, and so were the afternoon’s autograph sessions. Fans had spent their morning lining up to receive bracelets that would get them into the autograph sessions later that day. Joined by Grace, one of few children across the nation chosen as Scholastic Kid Reporters, I made my way through the line of fans waiting for autographs. We knew this had to be the best spot to find a true Indy 500 fan. Our eyes scanned the line of eager fans when we spotted someone wearing a hat completely filled with collectible pins. We knew Terry would be a great fan of the day. It wasn’t until later that we realized Terry had also been fan of the day last year. Guess it takes a dedicated and true fan to be chosen two years in a row!

How many times have you attended the Indy 500?

Terry first attended the Indy 500 in 1972. This year will make the 37^th time he has attended the race. Impressive!

Which 100^th anniversary event are you most looking forward to?

Terry is looking forward to the running of the Indy 500 this year to celebrate the 100^th anniversary.

What is one thing that always brings you back to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway?

The people and the races that IMS hosts always bring Terry back.

Which current driver would you like to see win this year’s Indy 500?

Marco Andretti was Terry’s answer because he always seems to have a tough time at Indy.

If you could choose any driver from the past to win this year’s Indy 500 who would it be?

A.J. Foyt because he has always been Terry’s favorite driver.

What is your favorite racing memory?

One of Terry’s favorite Indy 500 memories was the 1985 race when Danny Sullivan won.

In your opinion, which food is best with Cholula Hot Sauce?

Terry loves eating corn dogs with Cholula Hot Sauce.