1966 start?

[fivehundred2go]

I was watching the ABC 40th anniversary DVD and think I saw something I have never noticed. I always thought the only thing that made it over the fence was A.J. but it appears a tire made it over. I have never heard anything about that before - did one make it over the fence?

I know in the movie "Winning" there is a scene staged showing that and I always cringed as to why they portrayed something like that. Now I wonder?

Anyone know for sure?

[Indy500fanatic]

Originally posted by fivehundred2go
I was watching the ABC 40th anniversary DVD and think I saw something I have never noticed. I always thought the only thing that made it over the fence was A.J. but it appears a tire made it over. I have never heard anything about that before - did one make it over the fence?

I know in the movie "Winning" there is a scene staged showing that and I always cringed as to why they portrayed something like that. Now I wonder?

Anyone know for sure?

Yes all the official films of the '66 crash show a tire going into the spectator area...dont think anyone got hurt...

[hdolan]

I was there...Tower Terrace...what a mess...

[Doctorindy]

You can also notice the pit board men, back then, still used to sit in the grass at the start. Several of them were scrambling for cover in that 1966 race. One could have gotten seriously injured.

Some time after that, they didn't allow them to stay in the grass strip until after the race has begun. They can sit there during the pace laps, but must run back over to the pit area for the start. As soon as the cars are into turn one, you'll see all 33 of them run across the pit lane and take their position in the grass...which is now a trough.

[Race Promoter]

I was nine years old in 1966, sitting with Mom and Dad in the Paddock. I remember seeing the tire go over the fence. I remember my Dad looking through binoculars at the stands saying "They're carrying someone out on a stretcher"
Not an official word, my recollection as an impressionable youngster.