Pat Vidan Info

[MS]

Does anyone have any biographical information about Pat Vidan? I know he flagged the Indy 500 from 1963 - 1979. Did he flag any other Indy Car or USAC races? Was he a former driver or mechanic? What was his day job outside of racing? I know he's no longer with us but when did he pass?

While I remember images of late 70s Indy 500, Vidan had already retired by the time I really started to follow and remember Indy 500s.

Thanks.

[Niseguy]

From Oilpressure

Pat Vidan
One of the most entertaining aspects of going to Pole Day as a kid was watching the acrobatic movements of the starter, Pat Vidan. His gyrations were a show themselves. Every driver making a qualifying run would be greeted by Vidan, decked out in a dapper white sport coat, white shirt, black tie, black slacks and white shoes. By this time, he stood on a one-foot tall wooden platform that was situated between the pits and the track; but before the platform was built, he operated from ground level. It didn’t matter really because he always did his best work ON the track.

Whether it was the start of a qualifying run, starting the race or waving the checkered flag; Vidan would run almost a quarter way onto the track while twirling his flag like a majorette. It was quite the show and he loved doing it.

Pat Vidan became the official starter of the Indianapolis 500 in 1962. He was from Oregon but lived in Indianapolis. He was a weight lifter and owned a bodybuilding gym, with his wife in Indianapolis. Another talent of his was that he was a lightening cartoonist. He had a show that he did at schools, programs and parties with a flip chart and he would draw cartoons quickly as he told a story to accompany it. He apparently was a very intense man and put up with little nonsense.

Tom Binford replaced Harlan Fenglar as Chief Steward of the race in 1974. Much to the chagrin of Pat Vidan, one of Binford’s first acts was to move the starter to a raised platform on the outside of the track. This infuriated Vidan since it limited his “performances”. He retired from his duties five years later in 1979 and moved back to his home in Oregon. He passed away in 1983 and is buried in Indianapolis.

[PHJIndy]

From Oilpressure

Pat Vidan
One of the most entertaining aspects of going to Pole Day as a kid was watching the acrobatic movements of the starter, Pat Vidan. His gyrations were a show themselves. Every driver making a qualifying run would be greeted by Vidan, decked out in a dapper white sport coat, white shirt, black tie, black slacks and white shoes. By this time, he stood on a one-foot tall wooden platform that was situated between the pits and the track; but before the platform was built, he operated from ground level. It didn’t matter really because he always did his best work ON the track.

Whether it was the start of a qualifying run, starting the race or waving the checkered flag; Vidan would run almost a quarter way onto the track while twirling his flag like a majorette. It was quite the show and he loved doing it.

Pat Vidan became the official starter of the Indianapolis 500 in 1962. He was from Oregon but lived in Indianapolis. He was a weight lifter and owned a bodybuilding gym, with his wife in Indianapolis. Another talent of his was that he was a lightening cartoonist. He had a show that he did at schools, programs and parties with a flip chart and he would draw cartoons quickly as he told a story to accompany it. He apparently was a very intense man and put up with little nonsense.

Tom Binford replaced Harlan Fenglar as Chief Steward of the race in 1974. Much to the chagrin of Pat Vidan, one of Binford’s first acts was to move the starter to a raised platform on the outside of the track. This infuriated Vidan since it limited his “performances”. He retired from his duties five years later in 1979 and moved back to his home in Oregon. He passed away in 1983 and is buried in Indianapolis.

Pat was quite a guy!
His gym was located on Main St. in Speedway.

[indysteve]

Pat Vidan is buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, not far from IMS. I have visited his grave several times. Ronnie Duman is buried in the same section (224), just a few steps away. Lots of people with ties to IMS are buried there.

Find A Grave - Pat Vidan

[Stick500]

I remembered reading somewhere (probably Hungness yearbooks) that Pat perfected his unique flagging style working at Oregon midget tracks before moving to IN.

Pat Vidan is buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, not far from IMS. I have visited his grave several times. Ronnie Duman is buried in the same section (224), just a few steps away. Lots of people with ties to IMS are buried there.

Dillinger is in that cemetery too. I want to go there sometime.

[JThur1]

Does anyone have any biographical information about Pat Vidan? I know he flagged the Indy 500 from 1963 - 1979.

As Stick500 wrote, Vidan was a starter in Oregon before heading to Indy. He flagged many races in the Pacific Northwest.

It wasn't unusual for starters to do their work trackside back then. It continued into the 60's/70's before safety issues finally became too pressing.

[indysteve]

Dillinger is in that cemetery too. I want to go there sometime.

I'd be glad to give you an "unofficial" tour if we can make our schedules work when you're in Indy sometime. It's a very interesting place if you like history. If you take U.S. presidents and vice-presidents as a group, there are more of them buried at Crown Hill (4 - 1 president and 3 vice-presidents) than in any other cemetery.

[JThur1]

Not to drift the topic too far, but there at least 115 open wheel racers interred in the greater Los Angeles area, and those are just the drivers that died in racing accidents. Add in drivers who survived their careers and other racing figures...and it really puts into perspective the role of Los Angeles in racing from the 19teens on.

[Doctorindy]

Donald Davidson mentioned last night that Pat Vidan is one of the 2012 inductees to the IMS Hall of Fame.

[PHJIndy]

Donald Davidson mentioned last night that Pat Vidan is one of the 2012 inductees to the IMS Hall of Fame.

Well deserved!!!

[Frank Capua]

Attended Speedway High School with Pat Vidan Jr. where we became friends then while I was attending College near Portland Oregon Pat Jr. moved to Portland before his Father did. Not only did Pat Vidan put up with no nonsense us teenagers knew not to put any on display in front of him. Mr Vidan (as I always called him) was not at all happy with the flag tower... heck he wasn't tickled about the foot tall wooden stand they had constructed for him just inside the pit wall years before the tower was built.

Mr. Vidan was all of 5' 6" of shorter but he had the biggest biceps I had ever seen it was scary to see him in his gym on Main street. Mr. Vidan as well as my Dad & my Grandparents are buried at Crown Hill along with James Whitcomb Riley who is buried at the very tippy top of the hill.

I also got to meet Mrs. Ragsdale who use to hand make Mr. Vidan's flags... a new set for every 500.

[MS]

Mr Vidan in his element:

[SteveE]

A lot of famous racers there. George Amick, Charles Bauman, Forrest Berry, Tony Lee Bettenhausen, Floyd Davis, Jimmy Daywalt, Ronnie Duman, Frank Fox, Harry Hartz, Jerry Hoyt, Jim Hurtubise, Herbert Jones, Chet Miller, Irl Orr, Al Putnam, Paul Russo, Louis Schneider, Harold Shaw, Ray Tellas, Frederick Leon Waltz, Charlie Wiggins and Howdy Wilcox.

[bpratt]

Came across this June 25, 1952 NSSN WMRA report submitted by Jeanne Norman.

"Aurora Speedway, Seattle, Washington. A very fine midget race program was run off Saturday night, June 14th, with clock-like precision by Pat Vidan, a clever and expert flagman from Portland, Oregon.

The colorful little speedsters put on a beautiful performance in lining up for the Offy Main. Pat had the boys first in single file, then by two and lastly, four abreast, in perfect formation."

I've heard that he sometimes would stand on his head while the cars went by him on the parade lap. I've also heard he was a good artist and would do drawings for the fans.