Remember when we had to leave the pits ?

TOM KASCH · 10-23-2009, 07:04 AM

Just found this picture of us working on our ss/ha 69 Camaro in the hotel parking lot. I remembered going to all the motels in INDY in the 60's & early 70's to watch who was working on their cars.
This must be about the last year we had to leave the pits, don't remember for sure.

thomas sheehan · 10-23-2009, 07:14 AM

great post Tom.

I have several hotel shots that I'll have to dig up.....

I brought this same topic up several times this year at the races.

I vividly remember visiting the hotels to see all the cars (at night after the races).... what I don't remember is .... DID WE LINE UP EARLY "EVERY DAY" TO GET A PRIME PARKING SPOT?... that part I can't recall doing. I am assuming that rigs were so small that we all got good spots no matter hwat time we got there (just guessing).

TOM KASCH · 10-23-2009, 07:17 AM

I remember geting up at 5:00am just to try and get in the pit for a good spot.
& when we got to the gate we were 80th in line, some guys slept out side the gate......

super stock · 10-23-2009, 03:05 PM

In the late seventies we would leave motel in Indy(Nationals) @ 4 A.M. to get one of the 1st. ten free shots in SS. We never were the 1st ones.

sammy christian · 10-23-2009, 03:09 PM

indy '86 saw dick sherman and crew doing major engine work in motel lot. coolest thing i had seen up to that time as a 17 year old .

Bob Mulry · 10-23-2009, 06:56 PM

Hi,

I remember back in the 70's at the WinterNationals that no matter how early in the morning we got into the lanes to get our FREE hit (not a charged qualifying run, but to test the clocks operation) we never and I repeat NEVER got there before Cal & Mary Ann Method.

This happened so many times that we actually tried to beat them into the lanes, but we never did.

I also remember many a fun night working on the race car in parking lot of the Pomona Motor Lodge and fighting off the pimps & hookers.

That was when the NHRA liked the racers, not like now

Bob

cicero819 · 11-24-2009, 08:29 PM

anyone else with pictures from Hotel Parking lot Jamboree, these are from OCIR.

W J · 11-24-2009, 09:45 PM

I remember driving out to the 1967 Indy Nats w/3 good friends. We stayed at some big Holiday Inn in downtown Indy....it was simply wild. From people working on racecars in the parking lot to carting motors/transmissions into rooms for service and even overnight re-builds....Hardly anyone got any sleep for sure---some partying hard and some working hard for tomorrow's qualifying or eliminations.....will never forget those fun days.....

WJ

10-23-2009, 07:04 AM	#1
TOM KASCH VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: TOLEDO,OHIO Posts: 1,735 Likes: 0 Liked 241 Times in 100 Posts	Remember when we had to leave the pits ? Just found this picture of us working on our ss/ha 69 Camaro in the hotel parking lot. I remembered going to all the motels in INDY in the 60's & early 70's to watch who was working on their cars. This must be about the last year we had to leave the pits, don't remember for sure. Attached Thumbnails

10-23-2009, 07:14 AM	#2
thomas sheehan Photographer Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,717 Likes: 24 Liked 77 Times in 30 Posts	Re: Remember when we had to leave the pits ? great post Tom. I have several hotel shots that I'll have to dig up..... I brought this same topic up several times this year at the races. I vividly remember visiting the hotels to see all the cars (at night after the races).... what I don't remember is .... DID WE LINE UP EARLY "EVERY DAY" TO GET A PRIME PARKING SPOT?... that part I can't recall doing. I am assuming that rigs were so small that we all got good spots no matter hwat time we got there (just guessing). __________________ Tom Sheehan SS GT/NA 1046

10-23-2009, 07:17 AM	#3
TOM KASCH VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: TOLEDO,OHIO Posts: 1,735 Likes: 0 Liked 241 Times in 100 Posts	Re: Remember when we had to leave the pits ? I remember geting up at 5:00am just to try and get in the pit for a good spot. & when we got to the gate we were 80th in line, some guys slept out side the gate......

10-23-2009, 03:05 PM	#4
super stock Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 1 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Remember when we had to leave the pits ? In the late seventies we would leave motel in Indy(Nationals) @ 4 A.M. to get one of the 1st. ten free shots in SS. We never were the 1st ones.

10-23-2009, 03:09 PM	#5
sammy christian Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: buffalo,ny Posts: 35 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Remember when we had to leave the pits ? indy '86 saw dick sherman and crew doing major engine work in motel lot. coolest thing i had seen up to that time as a 17 year old .

10-23-2009, 06:56 PM	#6
Bob Mulry VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Coarsegold, CA Posts: 1,017 Likes: 57 Liked 321 Times in 101 Posts	Re: Remember when we had to leave the pits ? Hi, I remember back in the 70's at the WinterNationals that no matter how early in the morning we got into the lanes to get our FREE hit (not a charged qualifying run, but to test the clocks operation) we never and I repeat NEVER got there before Cal & Mary Ann Method. This happened so many times that we actually tried to beat them into the lanes, but we never did. I also remember many a fun night working on the race car in parking lot of the Pomona Motor Lodge and fighting off the pimps & hookers. That was when the NHRA liked the racers, not like now Bob __________________ Bob Mulry 7516 STK A & M Motorsports

11-24-2009, 08:29 PM	#7
cicero819 VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Aylmer Quebec, Canada Posts: 1,086 Likes: 31 Liked 68 Times in 29 Posts	Re: Remember when we had to leave the pits ? anyone else with pictures from Hotel Parking lot Jamboree, these are from OCIR. Attached Thumbnails

11-24-2009, 09:45 PM	#8
W J Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Paxton, Massachusetts Posts: 638 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Remember when we had to leave the pits ? I remember driving out to the 1967 Indy Nats w/3 good friends. We stayed at some big Holiday Inn in downtown Indy....it was simply wild. From people working on racecars in the parking lot to carting motors/transmissions into rooms for service and even overnight re-builds....Hardly anyone got any sleep for sure---some partying hard and some working hard for tomorrow's qualifying or eliminations.....will never forget those fun days..... WJ