Forum Activity for @pete-banchoff

Sausage, Chicken and history

General

Johnny, you really paid attention to what your Dad said. You are very, very knowledgeable about the old cars. With that said, it got me thinking about how much we might be missing by not going to Mom, Dad, Uncles, Aunts, Grandma's and Grandpa's etc... and asking them what they remember. Who knows, someone might remember an old photograph they took and a bunch more could be sitting in the attic or basement. If a racing influence or role model is still around sit down, talk and you might be surprised the reaction you get and the story you hear. Unfortunately my Dad and Uncle and the others who got me interested are gone. But I now have Jim, Johnny, Tim, Ray, Robbie, Jeff and so many others I can relive memories with and most important... learn.Yesterday I met up with a fellow Racers Reunion friend about 11:00 am and we looked over a box of photos and clippings I have on loan from my local hero in Michigan and Brian brought up a few pictures (7 albums) of Michigan racers. We talked and reminisced about the 'Glory Days" and talked non-stop about our memories. Soon we noticed it was 5:00 and we needed to wrap up. But what a day with a very good friend who drove an hour to spend with me. At the same time I felt so sad that my Dad didn't see what I saw yesterday. He would've LOVED it!Great discussion, Tim.Pete

Sausage, Chicken and history

General

Jim has been my source for quite a while now. He just knows so much without being a know-it-all. How he remembers all this history 55 plus years ago is amazing. But then, I can't remember yesterday, but I remember a race from the early 60's like it just happened. Something in Jim's mind remembers the passion and fun that used to be in racing. We're all very grateful for that.Thanks Jim.Your friend, Pete

Where were the fans

General

I agree with everyone...and if my memory serves me correctly, I believe that Chicagoland was one of the better drawing midwest tracks. I noticed maybe a 60% crowd??? Wait 'til Indy, empty stands you shall see. The real, loyal Nascar fan is gone.Pete

The NASCAR Hall of Fame

General

I didn't like Darrell when he raced and I don't care for him as an announcer. He's a know-everything and horses around too much. Just my opinion and he would turn the hall of fame into the hall of shame. Bobby Allison needs to go in ahead of Darrell for sure.We had a baseball announcer for the Detroit Tigers pass away recently and when someone asked a reporter what made Ernie so great, the reporter said "Silence". He knew just when to talk and when to let the sounds of the game come through the broadcast. With today's announcers on Fox and TBS it's talk, talk, talk. Fill the air with needless chatter. I use the mute button more and more these days. 2 guys I really enjoy are Phil Parsons and Andy Petree (from espn) and I hope someday they can get together and do something together. At the cutaway car, leave Tim Brewer there. I like his explainations of how things work.

If I was on the Hall of Fame induction commitee

General

Geeze, this is a first. I agree with Johnny. I'm not so sure about Evans and Ingram, but both are worthy. I would go with Fireball Roberts as #4 and maybe Tim Flock??. I'm surprised that the rest of the France's weren't listed. May as well get them all in.

I just read a Short Bio of a R/R member and ------------

General

Johnny, it's cold in the north, but it isn't that bad...really! David is a great friend and I got to know the Kenosha area because my daughter went to college at Carthage by Lake Michigan for 4 years. David loves racing and has been around it for many years and I hope someday to meet him. BTW Johnny, I spent January 1985 or 86 in Minneapolis where the temp got above 0 a couple of times and one day the air temp was -25 AS THE HIGH without the wind chill!!..That's cold!!Your Northern buddy,Pete

I have a Question thats haunting me on this weekends racing

Stock Car Racing History

Great question Johnny. If there isn't enough runoff if a chute doesn't pop then that's just wrong. It's fine as long as everything goes okay, but when it doesn't, it's really bad. Englishtown has had 2 deaths in 3 years and I guess they (NHRA) didn't learn even though they went to 1000 ft. in the fuel classes. Parker was in a alcohol car and ran the Quarter mile at 250...maybe 1000 foot for anyone over 200 mph, but top fuel and funny cars are well over 300 at 1000 ft. Can they even stop?? Probably not at Englishtown.Drag cars are just too fast for the tracks they run on. Roundy-round racing the speeds can be controlled through restrictor plates or reduced engine size and horsepower, etc. and safety walls and safer cars have helped a lot. They also have to slow for turns...dragsters are straight line beasts with horsepower, clutches and tires that HOOK! and the only means of stopping is a chute and a catch fence head on.Maybe an 1/8th mile would be better, but the fans would never go for it. As much as I complain about Nascar, they have made racing safer than it was 10 years ago.

Petition for Raymond Parks

Stock Car Racing History

I authorize my name, Pete Banchoff, to be used on the petition of Raymond Parks for the Nascar Hall of Fame.

Drinking milk at Indy

Stock Car Racing History

Robbie, that has to be the best tasting drink in all of motorsports...in Victory Lane at Indianapolis. Fittapaldi really blew it, do you remember when he won his first 500 with Pat Patrick when he said that he dreamed about this since he was a little boy and cried a river? Then he disrespects the Indy 500 and the tradition of drinking milk after his third win? He said he always celebrated a victory with orange juice, but the first 2 wins were milk!! He was making a statement with the juice and it bit him. This is not just another race, Emmo.

Drinking milk at Indy

Stock Car Racing History

When I was listening to RR radio on Tuesday night one of the guys mentioned a driver at the Indy 500 who didn't drink the milk which is a great tradition. That happened in 1993 when Emerson Fittapaldi broke with tradition and drank orange juice instead. He did drink some milk later, but made sure the citrus industry was first and foremost. You see, Emmo is an orange grower not a dairy farmer. This break from tradition caused lots of booing and he never did live it down. He tried to explain himself and apologize, but fans and the Dairy Council never forgot. Even at a public drivers meeting in 2008 he was booed being the pace car driver. Fans have long memories when traditions are broken, especially at Indy.

The first driver to drink milk in Victory Lane at Indianapolis was Louie Meyer in 1936. He usually drank homemade buttermilk after a race to refresh himself, win or lose. Drinking milk in Victory Lane was kinda hit and miss until 1956 when it was mandatory.

1936 was a year of many firsts at Indianapolis. Louie Meyer was the first 3 time winner. It was the first time the Borg Warner trophy sat in Victory Lane. The pace car was awarded to the winner for the first time.

I know this is open wheel stuff, but I thought I'd share it with you.

Pete

updated by @pete-banchoff: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM