Sunday, May 20, 2007

For "anonymous..."

...who is (a) not anonymous at all, but someone I know and very much like and (b) apparently a Hoosier, by current residence if not by birth.

To answer the question, I can't remember going to a car show of any size or description that didn't have at least one race car on display. Yesterday, for example, this lovely Offenhauser-powered 1956 Indianapolis "500" racer, built by Eddie Kuzma and raced by Bob Sweikert (he finished 12th), was there, sitting on its transporter. I was lucky to get this shot; most of the morning it was surrounded by a large crowd of fans...



I was a big Indy "500" fan, at least until about 1965. When the "roadsters" (as cars of this type were called) were no longer capable of winning, I was no longer interested.

One of the worst things about growing old is that your childhood fantasies don't modernize themselves. When I was, say, 10, I fantasized about racing in the "500" behind the wheel of an Indy roadster...I still do.

Baaack home againnnnn...in In-dee-aaaaa-na....

Sheesh.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

:)
Even the flowers are black (purple)and white checkerboard around here right now-the beds are planted for the race.
I've been several times, the last time Ricardo and I almost had heat strokes walking miles to the car and back in hot hot weather, we escaped to the farm for a cookout. Amid the cool breezes we pledged we were done!
However in a year or two we will "truck" back, hopefully he can hook up with a company box!
Even that year, I think it was year before last, we went thru a company that had a car in the race and a huge hospitality suite, etc. But if you are going to watch it from the hospitality suite, why go?
I guess that is a feminine perspective. on the other hand, I can't keep up with who is whizzing by...
1 and 1/2 mile line to the ladies room...

so I can't have a beer....
my hair frizzes,
sunburn,
One day I will share how I really feel about going to the Race with a capital R!

The speedway museum does have "my" car in it, is a green '36 (I think) Cadillac- gorgeous!
lz



I have such an accent- when I speak it is really hefty, itpretty much disappears when I sing.
I cantored a huge Roman Catholic Church for a few years and the director called me Gomer!

Anonymous said...

I can just envision you driving in the 500...
with Hobbes in SOME capacity!

Anonymous said...

My brother and me are opening a custom car restoration business because of our love for the classics. He's been building and re-building cars since we were kids and I just love to drive fast.

Anonymous said...

You are right about the race cars. We saw a couple at the car show that we went too yesterday. It was a lot of fun to look at some of these cars. Of course I fell in love with a couple, and would have loved getting one. One mustang sold when new for $2900. Just try buying it now for that price. LOL
Roz