Hey, Wouldn't It Be Fun ???????

[Dick Ralstin]

This what happens when you can't sleep on a Sunday morning and you are staring at a blank computer screen ---- but wouldn't it be fun.

I am sure somewhere in this wonderful country there are 33 vintage, 1957 to 1966, roadsters that have raced at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

What kind of thrill would it be to see 33 of these beauties lined up for one more start on the 2 1/2 mile squared oval, but with a wee bit of a difference.

There would be no Foyt, or Mario, or Rutherford, or Parnelli doing the steering. Sitting proudly in the cockpit, with their heads and arms in plain view, would be Castroneves, Hornish, Tracy, maybe even Danica, and 29 other hot dogs from CC and the irl.

I wish we could also invite Stewart and Jeffy from NASCAR land but I am afraid that wouldn't really be fair.

Now we wouldn't expect them to go 500 miles racing these brutes, maybe their arms and hands could stand 250 miles holding on to a real steering wheel.

Anyone care to predict what the first few laps would look like and if you want to stck your neck way out what would the field look like coming out of the fourth turn on the 99th lap.

I would buy a ticket to see this one.

[Turn13]

I don't think weighing 100 pounds would be much of an advantage

[fivehundred2go]

And quickly fading to the rear of the field is ....

[mac miller]

HA! Getting the 33 roadsters together would be relatively easy.... The tough part would be getting the track. TG has virtually no knowledge or interest in the history of the track or race. It has been like pulling teeth to get him to, grudgingly, allow 2 or 3 parade laps by the vintage cars on "carb day".

Imagine what a vintage race car meet they could have at the INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY. It would, instantly, be the most important vintage meet in the world and bigger than the Monterey Historics and Goodwood. It might even be bigger than the current version of the INDY500.
Unfortunately, it will never happen under the current conditions.

I will post a Fantasy Indy 500 starting grid using '55 thru '63 Indy roadsters driven by '80 thru '05 drivers.

I will make it similar to my Eldora Dream USAC feature and my Winchester Dream USAC feature that I posted a year or so ago......if you remember those.

Give me a few days to figure this out..... This should be interesting.

[beej]

IF Castroneves could endure and win I bet he would not have the energy to play like spider man and climb the fence

I bet there would not be the now overused doughnuts or worse the " wall bump"after the checkers

I bet no one would be wearing earplugs to soften the high pitched whine during the race, but rather everyone would be soaking up that wonderful growl of the beasts

I bet the start of the race would be a thing of beauty with 3 abreast and all lined up in formation,

I bet I miss those days very much

[aXe]

HA! Getting the 33 roadsters together would be relatively easy.... The tough part would be getting the track. TG has virtually no knowledge or interest in the history of the track or race. It has been like pulling teeth to get him to, grudgingly, allow 2 or 3 parade laps by the vintage cars on "carb day".

Imagine what a vintage race car meet they could have at the INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY. It would, instantly, be the most important vintage meet in the world and bigger than the Monterey Historics and Goodwood. It might even be bigger than the current version of the INDY500.
Unfortunately, it will never happen under the current conditions.

I will post a Fantasy Indy 500 starting grid using '55 thru '63 Indy roadsters driven by '80 thru '05 drivers.

I will make it similar to my Eldora Dream USAC feature and my Winchester Dream USAC feature that I posted a year or so ago......if you remember those.

Give me a few days to figure this out..... This should be interesting.

As much as I love these Vintage race cars. I also think Tony knows more and cares about the vintage cars than you give Him credit for. Downgradeing the Guy wont help in getting vintage cars more time at the speedway.
I dont blame Tony in the least on this one. There are to many of these old cars around with frustrated older than reflex's can keep up with Drivers around! Read the news to many are killed or even worse use up those vintage machines!
Why cant you old guy realize Your time has past! These cars are not meant to RACE now ! They are for the most part irrepalceable "SHOW CARS" now!
Darn this always gets My dander up. Watching a few over drive Vintage cars all over this country. Now then why do you guys insist on updating the braking systems and shock types on these cars?You just ruin their Historic value in My eyes.
Now that said lets get a campaign going to have one Vintage Race Car day in the month of May? Boy wouldnt that be neat? We could end up haveing a meet like the one over in europe? Just dont let try them RACEing speeds in these cars!!!! Boy would that be a hard job trying to lasso these old farts into some sane speeds in these cars.
How about a write in campaign? Send and e-mail to Tony requesting some more time for a vintage get together there in the month of may? Last years was a great get together lets try for a bigger one next time.Oh How bad did that car end up that hit the wall there? He couldnt avoid another cars oil on the track and hit the wall I was told? At the speeds some of these guys want to drive their cars that could have been tragic!
aXe

[mac miller]

There are to many of these old cars around with frustrated older than reflex's can keep up with Drivers around! Read the news to many are killed or even worse use up those vintage machines!
These cars are not meant to RACE now ! They are for the most part irrepalceable "SHOW CARS" now!
aXe

You are correct, axe, there have been several old drivers that have died in vintage race cars but there have also been some drivers, like mario, who have suffered a worse fate. They have lived to become nasty, bitter, irrelavent old men who still try to draw attention to themselves........
There is nothing more useless than an old race car, that doesn't run, sitting in a museum or in the back of someone's garage. I learned many years ago that the bits and peices of these old cars are not irreplacable. If they could build them then, we can build them now.
In the past ten years there have been almost as many new Watson Roadsters built than there were in the 50s, many of them by A.J. Watson, himself. I have built close to 40 new Watson Roadster bodies in my shop.

Don't be so noble, axe, old race cars are to be run, heard and enjoyed.... not fretted over!

[KnockOff]

"TG has virtually no knowledge or interest in the history of the track or race."




Yeah, I heard that too. I wonder who twisted his arm to ship this one to Goodwood and drive it?

[skypigeon]

Looks pretty obvious to me. Sure, have a "retro race," but not in the actual cars! Put 'em in replicas. Even a detuned Offy knockoff can have a sweet song and be a bear to drive...

[Turn13]

"TG has virtually no knowledge or interest in the history of the track or race."

No fair - mac's comparing the owner of the Flag Room to a table or two of its most learned customers. Nobody compares favorably in knowledge and interest to those people

[Dick Ralstin]

Hey Axe, Mac Miller & Turn 13,

You can bet your last bottom dollar Tony is never going to allow today's race fans to to see, hear and learn what the Indianapolis 500 of the 40's, 50's, and early 60's was like.

For today's fans to even see there was a real live human driving those cars would cause such a shock there would have to be first aid stations in every grand stands.

And for today's fans just to hear 33 Offys, well maybe 32 Offiies and one Novi, come out four heading for the green flag, well the first aid stations wouldn't be able to handle the crowd.

I don't give Tony much credit for anything, but I give him credit for having too much sense to let today's fans ever have a chance to see what they missed.

[Marc P. Gregoire]

I'm sure somebody can take a set of dimensions from an older chassis, go to Bob East with a cheque and get thirty-three identically prepared roadster chassis and bodies made, as well as going to Gaerte and doing much the same for the engines. Hoosier could produce period-style tires. Paint them up, bring them to the track, turn them loose. Kind of an IROC in real race cars. Run them at Indianapolis, Phoenix and Milwaukee.

I'm wondering what the effect of the modern pavement on the track would do for the speeds.

[cleanupcrew]

there already exist enough of Watson's repliroadsers to do this if someone really wanted - and I think it would be fun to see a "demo" run of something like this

but a number of problems exist

first, Dick - the Speedway already has a demonstration of this very thing - and on more than one occaision

throughout the month of May - on most every practice day if I remember - they stop things mid afternoon and pull a couple of the beauty's out of the museum and run them on track - often with one of the old timers behind wheel

they also have a bigger demonstration with many cars on track later in month - usually Carb Day if I remember - unfortunately this invariable causes a bit of a mess - this year I eblieve we had two cars in the wall and couple others puke crap all over track

I think its pretty grossly unfair, when you look at the time, effort and expense the SPeedway puts into collection and restoration of these old beauties, to attack Tony about it

another problem is safety - Dick, I think you have to agree that the "world" would never accept the safety record of the old days - when we were running this spectacular beasts - in todays politically correct world - where no one takes responsibility for their actions and its always someone elses fault - the risks would just be too great to be acceptable or doable

last - and somewhat related to each issue above - is the whole age thing - this cars represent a different place and time - a different world - just like you wouldn't think of strapping your elderly grandfather into a race car (unless he's Paul Newman - or that ex-fighter pilot Atlantic driver ) - we shouldn't expect to put the cars from a dfifferent time on todays tracks

as much as I agree with Dick that it would help - we simply have to find another way - I'd love to see a "field" of the historic cars do some demo laps with current driovers behind the wheel - and think that would be a fantastic idea - but just don't see the ability to "race" em

[aXe]

You are correct, axe, there have been several old drivers that have died in vintage race cars but there have also been some drivers, like mario, who have suffered a worse fate. They have lived to become nasty, bitter, irrelavent old men who still try to draw attention to themselves........
There is nothing more useless than an old race car, that doesn't run, sitting in a museum or in the back of someone's garage. I learned many years ago that the bits and peices of these old cars are not irreplacable. If they could build them then, we can build them now.
In the past ten years there have been almost as many new Watson Roadsters built than there were in the 50s, many of them by A.J. Watson, himself. I have built close to 40 new Watson Roadster bodies in my shop.

Don't be so noble, axe, old race cars are to be run, heard and enjoyed.... not fretted over!

Boy it seems money can buy anything now a days but HISTORY, Anf there sure isnt any in those NEW copies, The history that is. That is irreplaceable! Some day with that way of thinking this History may all be gone or confusing and LIES will prevail about them. Who has the real Indy winning cars? Who knows there are several arguments going on now about that. Although there is a place where you can see some of the REAL winners. I wonder Who has charge of those?
Oh yea one more thing With the utmost respect for AJ Watson, Who the heck are you trying to fool with a foreign twin cam engine made by the hundered of thousands in a foreign country put in a AJ copy and trying to pass off as a vintage car? The real fans shouldnt have to be fooled. These new cars should not be run with the REAL vintage cars imho!! If they are there sholud be someone telling the average fan just what they are looking at. You know there are probably thousands of Metal shapers today with the new aids for metal work who can produce copies yes copies but they shouldnt be able to usurp the real cars and their history. Tough deal here for you wanna be AJ Watson type's but its the truth. Nowadays Money can buy just about anything but what Were you doing when AJ was building his Real Roadsters that actualy RACED for real.
Funny thing about this quote from you, Have you looked in the mirror lately?
"like mario, who have suffered a worse fate. They have lived to become nasty, bitter, irrelavent old men who still try to draw attention to themselves........"
But then again You dont have the same credentials as Mario.

aXe

[mac miller]

Boy it seems money can buy anything now a days but HISTORY, Anf there sure isnt any in those NEW copies, The history that is. That is irreplaceable! Some day with that way of thinking this History may all be gone or confusing and LIES will prevail about them. Who has the real Indy winning cars? Who knows there are several arguments going on now about that. Although there is a place where you can see some of the REAL winners. I wonder Who has charge of those?
aXe

Not to worry, axe, virtually all of the history and most of the cars that made that history are safe and sound in the possession of museums and legitimate collectors........ more of these cars are being restored every year...
Many of these cars, that exist now, truely were lost back in the late 60s/early 70s, being chopped up as sprint cars, super mods,etc, but through the efforts of historians, wealthy collectors, museums and people like me and many other craftsmen, most of these cars were located and restored.
While some of you may be subject to lies and confusion, those of us who know, understand and respect the true history of these cars know where the cars are, which cars are which and the real cars from the new ones.
I can assure you that there are virtually no replicas out there that are being falsely represented as the real thing because there are too many of us who know. We are all very fortunate that some wealthy guys are having new running cars built because many more people have a chance to see, hear and enjoy them than ever before.
There are many phoney elitists out there that are way to busy worrying and fretting to have any fun, but I'm just having a great time restoring original cars and building new ones........ You should try it sometime!