Favorite time of the year

[DeputyDog]

I know you uneducated types don't like Indy Car racing or racing in general, but May is definitely my favorite month of the year. The Speedway opens this weekend for practice for the 97th Indy 500. Hopefully I can make it down for a practice day, but if not, I'll be going to the 500 for the 32nd time this year. I first went with my Dad in 1981 and only missed the 1985 race since then. Can't imagine doing anything else on Memorial Day weekend.

By the way, Kribbs, before you say it, I dare you to call this Indy Car driver a pussy. I think he'd still be able to kick some serious ass even as old as he is.

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[BarryBobPosthole]

If you did, you'd likely end up with a '14' imprinted on your forehead backwards.

BKB

[Thumper]

Ha ha! Believe it or not, I have an A. J. story! :D

I "met" him when I was 12 years old (just old enough to get in the pits "legally" in those days). Well, I didn't really "meet" him ... but I was around him quite a bit at Daytona in 1964! (the July race) Since I was out of school for the summer, I spent most of the week there with my dad and the race team. I remember one day I said to my dad, "Gosh, that Anthony guy is a jerk!" My dad came back with, "He's not a jerk son ... he's an asshole ... and don't call him Anthony!" (that's the worst curse word I ever heard from my dad the rest of my life)

BTW ... A.J. won the Firecracker 400 that weekend.

In later years, I hooked up with Bill Stroppe (formerly with Holman-Moody) in the off-road racing gig. Parnelli Jones was the driver for the big truck. We were racing at Riverside one weekend and I heard the story about how Parnelli saved A.J's life at that same track years ago.

Awww heck, don't get me started ... I have TONS of 'em! ;)

[BarryBobPosthole]

Parnelli Jones was quite the legendary racer in his own right. and that's back when Jackie Stewart and all those Grand Prix drivers were killing themselves all over the dang place too. Things was a lot different back then in racing of all kinds.

BKB

[DeputyDog]

I've met AJ too. A few years ago, he was signing autographs at a local car dealership for their 50th anniversary. I took a program from the 1992 Indy 500, which was the last one he drove in. He had pictures that he was signing and giving out, and he signed one and handed it to me, then I asked if would sign what I brought in and when he saw what it was, he asked me to sit down for a picture and he started to talk. He asked about how many 500's I'd been to, and since he'd just recently had a knee replacement, I asked him how the knee was healing, so then he started to tell me all about the surgery and how long he'd put it off. The people running the event were getting mad at him since the line was backing up. He didn't care, he was talking to a fan.

I'd always thought that he'd be fun to just sit around and drink beer with and listen to the stories. His actions that day, just reinforced that with me.

Another legend that is really great with the fans is Mario Andretti. I've met him a races before and he is always willing to pose for pictures, sign autographs, or just talk with anyone that comes up to him.

[Thumper]

Yeah, these guys tend to mellow a bit with old age. I've seen it a zillion times. A.J. was a cocky, scrapper "back in the day". I've seen him around the NASCAR races but never had any personal interaction with him ... other than the first time almost 50 years ago! ;)

We have an annual reunion with the local racers here (Orlando). I remember all the fist fights in the old days ... it was almost a given there'd be a confrontation in the pits after a race. I knew who the "good guys" were and I knew who the "bad guys" were. It's funny as heck to get together with all those old farts now. The same guys who wanted to kill each other every Friday and Saturday night, now sit around TOGETHER over a beer and joke about "the good ol' days".