J.C.'s first 500
"My first Indy 500 was in 1964, although I had been going to quals'
since '56. (I was born in '54) My father was a member of the safety
patrol at the track and for years track employees could bring their
families to the track for free. After begging to be allowed to attend
the race for two or three years I scraped up the money needed to buy
a ticket in Grandstand G. Dad relented and said I could go with him.
Going to bed that night was hard, and getting to sleep was harder. I
still wasn't sure that Dad wouldn't "forget" to wake me."
"My first of many racedays dawned clear and bright and as we walked
from the Coke lot down the outside of the track my head seemed to be
mounted on gimbals. When we got to the grandstand, my father took
me half way up the stairs on the west end of the stand and pointed to a
steel I-beam that stuck up through the concrete. That, I was
informed, was my seat. The I-beam had been topped with a board to
prevent someone from hurting themselves and proved to be a perfect
seat. There was no one in front of me, and I could stand up without
blocking anyone's sight line."
"As I'm certain you know, the '64 500 was NOT a picnic in the park.
The death of Eddie Sachs and Dave McDonald on the second lap and the
column of smoke alongside of the tower is something I will never
forget. I have never since that day heard the track so silent on race
day. Even now when they are going through the the "Honors" part of
the pre-race, you can hear noise. Not that day. Tom Carnigie was
speechless and when he was able to talk his only comment was "There
has been a very bad accident in the front straight". Sid Collins (radio
voice of the 500) was on the mike and described the crash live then
broke down on the air. I had seen cars spin and crash, applauded as the
driver climbed out to wave to the crowd before the trip to the infield
hospital, But I had never experenced the death of a driver."
"Eddie Sachs made it an annual tradition to march with the Purdue
Band on race day and had signed an autograph for me as he came past. I
still have that autograph and will never forget my education that day.
Indy is fast cars and crowds, but it is also 33 people risking death in
the pursuit of a dream."
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