Old Indianapolis 500 Pictures

IROC · IROC's Garage

When I was a kid, we lived in Speedway, Indiana for a few years. My Dad had a pit pass one year for qualifying and took these pictures... I found them out in the garage today and thought I would scan them for the fun of it... I believe this was 1977.

IROC · IROC's Garage

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IROC · IROC's Garage

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herr_oberst · 05-19-2013, 03:26 PM

Oh, yeah! Thanks 'ROC!

gorthar · 05-19-2013, 03:29 PM

Awesome stuff!!

Por_sha911 · Por_sha911's Garage

Maybe not quite as old but noteworthy

Doug E · 05-19-2013, 03:33 PM

Very cool ... thanks for sharing Mike. I'll be there next Sunday but unfortunately not in the pits.

Our pics from 1977 at Trenton Speedway look very similar.

gorthar · 05-19-2013, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

Maybe not quite as old but noteworthy

I remember vividly being glued to the TV watching what would turn out to be Porsche's only CART win at Mid Ohio in '89.

herr_oberst · 05-19-2013, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gorthar

I remember vividly being glued to the TV watching what would turn out to be Porsche's only CART win at Mid Ohio in '89.

I remember when Teo Fabi and drivers just like him were household names in my household. I doubt if I could name ten current indy car drivers.

VINMAN · 05-19-2013, 05:12 PM

Great pics! Thanks for sharing!

MT930 · 05-19-2013, 08:11 PM

Excellent Pics

1977
Foyt won that year.

fred cook · fred cook's Garage

My Dad took me to see the Indy 500 in 1960, one of the last years of a full field of Offy roadsters. After the race, they opened the track so that the spectators could walk around it! Our seats were about 7-8 rows above the exit from the pits. Wonder what tickets there would cost now? Anyway, that trip (from Georgia) was one of the greatest of my life! I can still hear the STP NOVI Special screaming around the track!

on2wheels52 · on2wheels52's Garage

Could the photos have they been taken in 1976? I think Opperman was healing up in '77.
Jim

IROC · IROC's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by on2wheels52

Could the photos have they been taken in 1976? I think Opperman was healing up in '77.
Jim

Yes, in fact, we moved in 1977, so unless my Dad went back for the race, the pics were probably 1976. I thought Janet Guthrie was there in 1977, hence my estimate of that year.

I lived in Speedway for about 3 years. You could hear the cars from my house. Back then, things were a lot less formal than they are now. When we first moved there, we lived in some apartments. We came out one evening and there was a pickup truck and trailer out in the parking lot and some guy messing with whatever was under the tarp on the trailer. Me and my Dad walked over and it was Gordon Johncock and his car was under the tarp. A freakin' Indy car in our apartment complex parking lot!! He used to stay in those apartments during May.

Geneman · Geneman's Garage

fantastic pics thanks for posting i too remeber trenton speedway being a jersey boy.. now a wal mart parking lot thanks again frank

Scott Douglas · Scott Douglas's Garage

Thanks for taking the time to scan and share them!
Our dad would take us to Riverside for the Times Grand Prix back in the early '60's. I have pictures somewhere I'm pretty sure.
I had an apartment in Torrance and you could hear them over at Ascot Park on Saturday nites.