Semi official cool old Indy car pics thread

[Ovalmeister]

Hey, don't be critical, we welcome ALL pictures here!

It just shows how cameras have changed over the years.
Good shots, though...
ZOOOM

I agree. Don't be shy, post any photos you have, I love looking at them. And everyone else too, there has to be millions of photos out there. We want to see 'em!
Thanks for all the photos so far, brings back GREAT memories at the tracks with my family and friends.
David.

[JagtechOhio]

Amen about the pics, thet're all great. I heard Mario in an interview recently, talking about Trenton: he said that was the first occasion anyone had tried using frony wings on an Indy car. They made some up out of wood.

[Sea Fury]

I don't think I'll ever forget the cheer I heard coming over the TV from the crowd when Vitor went right back out after that fire. It's just a shame his race had to end the way it did not long after.

[DaveL]

Howdy Holmes makes the field, Bump Day 1988

[MichaelP]

I found some more pics from MIS 1981 that I'll be posting. Here's the first, Pancho Carter's PC7 at the Detroit News Grand Prix

[flatlander_48]

Some inaugural Michigan 500 1981 pics, shot by my dad

Herm Johnson's pit fire

I was sitting in the stands opposite the pits, but down by the entrance to pit road. I think Johnson's pit was around the S/F line, maybe a bit further. What I remember is first seeing a lot of running around in one of the pit stalls. A few moments later I realized that there was a fire when they started using the fire extinguishers. Then, a few moments after that, realizing that it wasn't just one stall with a problem, it was maybe 3 or 4. It was really scary, considering the number of fuel rigs up and down the pit road. REALLY scary...

[MichaelP]

A few more

[sneva33]

Davey Hamilton Indy 1995

[sneva33]

Paul Tracy Indy 1995

[sneva33]

Scott Pruett Indy 1994

[sneva33]

Found some of Josele from 1982

[sneva33]

More Josele 1982 MIS

[sneva33]

Bobby and Josele from Indy 1982

[sneva33]

Once again, Josele from MIS 1982

[sneva33]

Josele on pit road MIS 1982

[sneva33]

1982 MIS rookie driver Chip Ganassi

[sneva33]

And finally, Mario from RA in 1996 with the IMAX camera mounted for filming of SUPERSPEEDWAY. That just LOOKS like it would be a handful.

[JagtechOhio]

Thanks alot, Sneva,

You just got me in hot water.

I accidently woke up my girlfriend when I saw the Garza photos from MIS and screamed, "There's Ronnie!"

The jaunty young man at the rear wing in #401 is Martin Fox. He came over from Ensign (F1), and in later years was instrumental in fielding cars for Al Unser Jr.

#402 is Ronnie Dawes, crew chief. He has had a long and successful career with Hemelgarn Racing, and was still with them during last year's qualifying attempt with Buddy Lazier. A more ingenious man I have never met.

Dawes is also third man in the huddle in #403. Pictured in the foreground on the right is Clay Filson, who became a valuable member of Truesports and later teams that put Bobby Rahal in front. On the left, pink shirt short hair, I believe that is Marsha Unser.

Fantastic, thanks so much for digging those out. The camera on Mario's car is ridiculous, isn't it? I'd love to see THAT video.

If anyone has similar Garza shots from '82 Phoenix spring race, or the next one at Atlanta, I'll forever be in your debt. Another shot I found has my toolbox in the background, and that's as much as I have for keepsakes. Still got the toolbox, though.

As much as I have been able to learn so far, Josele today runs a sailing school and looks to be enjoying his middle age quite nicely. 1982 did not go so swimmingly. And if someone knows the answer, isn't the #55 car an 82C March? I'm guessing the crashed #50 from Indy was the 81C, and may have not been run again. I think B. Unser also put Josele in an older Penske chassis before the season was through, there was one at the shop before the campaign began. Great pics, thanks again!

Andy

P.S. I drop alot of names intentionally: some people are interested in back stories. Others, like the guys I mentioned, might come to this Forum and do a search which could bring them right to this spot as a result. They'd probably scream just as loud to see these great old shots, and I hope they do. Gotta go, my girlfriend's awake.....

[mwphoto]

Earliest shots I have of Garza
1984 Detroit News 200 at Michigan

[JagtechOhio]

Mark!!! You did me one great turn already, yours is the only photo of the Phipps boy's 80A March I have! It's on my wall, as some of these others will soon be. Thanks for taking the time once again, the generousity of you and all of the other photographers here is magnificent.

I'm thinking of emailing Josele to have him come take a look. He might enjoy some hidden treasure here, too.

[sneva33]

Glad you enjoyed them Jagtech. I did not realize who all of those people were so your input is greatly appreciated. Didn't mean to get you in dutch with the girlfriend!!!!!!

Sneva33 (Dudley)

[sneva33]

[/QUOTE]
Fantastic, thanks so much for digging those out. The camera on Mario's car is ridiculous, isn't it? I'd love to see THAT video.
[/QUOTE]


For me, that is without a doubt the BEST IMAX movie ever made. Paul Newman's narration. Great look at the state of both chassis and engines of that era. Plus a family story about the Andrettis, all being woven around the restoration of an Indy roadster, what's not to love?

[mwphoto]

Moving on to the Michigan 500 in 1986

[flatlander_48]

The camera on Mario's car is ridiculous, isn't it? I'd love to see THAT video.

Superspeedway is available on DVD. I've seen it in an IMAX theater (MOST = Museum Of Science and Technology in Syracuse) and have the DVD. It IS extraordinary. Mario said, in the liner notes I think, that they had the boost dialed up on that car but they never told anyone this when they ran it. He could walk away from anyone on the straights, but the other drivers never knew.

[indyrjc]

Moving on to the Michigan 500 in 1986

Here's Chief Mechanic Mark Bridges (back to camera) talking to engine genius Mike Fanning. Bridges was a co-chief with Bignotti on Sneva's 1983 win and Fanning got his Super Bowl ring as the Cosworth builder for Rutherford in 1980.

[9rows]

And some of my Indy shots:

i like this one

....a lot

[MoparsRule]

Great photo!!! And notice the "fairing" just behind the popoff valve on the engine cowling. While it looks like a streamlining attempt it was really a horsepower tool. A high pressure area formed between the fairing and the popoff valve which allowed the team to run several more inches of boost than the rules allowed before unseating the valve. Penske's team also figured this out and ran their own smaller version of the fairing. USAC never did figure it out and CART didn't either until the whole issue came to a head the next year at Michigan. Pancho Carter's old Alex Foods PC-7 qualified way faster than it should have run by simply mounting a piece of bent aluminum around the base of the popoff valve with a big radiator clamp (he ended up winning the race after the front runners had problems). By then the cat was out of the bag and the rules changed although people still found ways to override the valve.

If the IRL does end up going to turbocharged engines I would hope they would constantly monitor manifold pressures using an available telemetry channel on every car. Electronic monitoring could be used today to stop this kind of rule bending. Otherwise turbocharged engines will be a complete joke.

Incredible. Thanks for the explanation.

[MoparsRule]

I snapped this at Michigan in 1981. Not Indy Cars but I thought it was interesting. At the time, 4 future Indy Car drivers: Hickman, Halsmer, Unser and Andretti. During the Super Vee undercard to the Indy Car race.

No wings... most excellent.

[roach]

No wings... most excellent.

And even with no wings they didn't lift going into three . (But they sounded like a swarm of angry bees coming down the backstretch.)

[sneva33]

Here's Chief Mechanic Mark Bridges (back to camera) talking to engine genius Mike Fanning. Bridges was a co-chief with Bignotti on Sneva's 1983 win and Fanning got his Super Bowl ring as the Cosworth builder for Rutherford in 1980.

Hi indyrjc,

Wasn't Fanning also with the Bignotti-Cotter team for the '83 Indy win? IIRC he finally solved their engine problems very late in the month since they had gone through engines like crazy during the month. At least I seem to remember reading something about this. Do you have any further info?

Thanks,

Dudley