RacersReunion was founded on the idea of preserving auto racing history. I have not been to another track where one can feel the history as much as Indianapolis. My Speedway Report column...
http://speedwayreport.com/history-class-session-indianapolis-motor-speedway/
Indeed. I'm a life-long NASCAR guy, but one with a deep respect for the traditions of Indy. I was blown away by what I found at the IMS museum when I visited it for the first time last November. (As an aside, the open wheel-focused museum even had a car seemingly just for me - the King's #43 STP Pontiac!)
The challenge, however, is the available history and passion for every other Indy race - AAA, USAC, CART, IRL, Champ Car, IndyCar, etc. Steve Shunck is all about Indy car drivers - but I'm not sure if he's all in with other races of the various sanctioning bodies. Robin Miller and RR's Russ Thompson may be the two most well informed people about open wheel racing. Beyond that, though, I don't get the sense anyone really embraces the overall history of Indy car racing near to the level that NASCAR does.
I'd be glad to be proven wrong. But without the Indy 500, the track, the museum, the history, the stories, the lives lost, and the careers made, I'm not sure the rest of that type of racing even exists.
No question that Indy is the anchor of the entire series. Heck, the cars are named after the place. For instance NASCAR Sprint Cup is not the equivalent "Daytonacars." I would love to see more overall Indycar history. Phoenix, Milwaukee, the ties with USAC, etc are all a big part of American racing history.
I was very fortunate beginning in 1995 to spend some time with the late USAC PR Director Dick Jordan (whose office was inside the IMS complex) planning the return of open wheel champ type cars to Richmond when the USAC Silver Crown and Midget divisions came to our 3/4-mile showplace.
I learned a lot and so did Dick, especially when I informed him that the very first winner at the Richmond venue was the incomparable Ted Horn in October 1946 at the track's inaugural AAA Sprint Car race. By the time ole Bill France got around to inventing NASCAR and Red Byron won an April 1948 NASCAR Modified race at our track, Richmond had already staged at least 5 AAA Sprint Car races and 7 ARDC Midget events.
Dick's father-in-law had been left on the steps of a Richmond foundling home as a newborn infant. In the archives of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Dick's wife found the story of an ambulance driver picking up the newborn infant who would become her father. Small world.
That is amazing stuff. Dave, you are a wealth of knowledge. How are you doing?
Patrick, I drove today for only the second time since February. No pain meds for 48 hours. That's a real win for me. Thanks for asking.
Good news. That sounds like a step in the right direction!
