If you read the article on how much I love car magazines, then it should come as no surprise that I also adore car racing.
But I’m picky. I don’t like super car, funny car, stock car, or NASCAR. Granted NASCAR is the current race du jour, I still prefer the Indianapolis 500.
Every Memorial Day my father and I watched the 200-lap race. Although this year the stakes were upped when my MOTHER, of all people joined us. Why? Because she loves Helio – from Dancing with the Stars!
Who knew ballroom dancing would lead her to this?
Recently I’ve noticed that I don’t really recognize names anymore. Some drivers jumped ship to the ‘Other Race’ held the same holiday weekend so rookies came in by the dozens in the late 90’s to Indy.
I grew up with Rick Mears, Michael Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi, Al Unser and Al Unser, Jr., Buddy Lazier, Bobby Rahal, A.J. Foyt, Danny Sullivan, and my favorite – Arie Luyendyk.
So what’s happened to them? Now their sons and grandsons are racing IN THE SAME RACE!
You know you’re old when A.J. Foyt IV is racing and you still remember the ‘original’ A.J.!
There are a few moments that stand out over the years: the 360 spin Danny Sullivan made in the last laps in ’85 (and still won!), Michael Andretti running out of gas and coming to a dead stop on lap 189 as cars pass him, and in ’93 when 33 cars started and only 11 finished.
Things have changed also TV-wise: ABC now pushes back the live picture as commercials run on the left, David Letterman now is part owner with (Bobby) Rahal and ESPN now litters the screen with their logo.
The only thing that hasn’t changed? The number of Andrettis that race every year, my God where do they all come from?
Happy Memorial Day!
picture courtesy of arieluyendyk.com
Filed under: Auto Gallery | Tagged: AJ foyt, al unser, arie luyendyk, ballroom dancing, bobby rahal, buddy lazier, danny sullivan, david letterman, emerson fittipaldi, espn, helio, indy 500, memorial day, michael andretti, race, rick mears
