Re: Remember when we had to leave the pits ?
 

Stock Eliminator 70 Winternationals

Re: Remember when we had to leave the pits ?
 

Another shot at the Winternationalshttp://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...e/crmchar2.jpg

Re: Remember when we had to leave the pits ?
 

1981 u.s nats we stayed at a campground near the track ,what a zoo,we changed a set of lifters in a k/sa 68 chevelle that night with 2 trouble lights till 2am some people never slept at that place.it is a memory i will never forget,good times

Re: Remember when we had to leave the pits ?
 

Back then even the bag boys had to work in the motel parking lot.

Re: Remember when we had to leave the pits ?
 

What was the reasoning behind not being allowed to spend the night in the pits??

Re: Remember when we had to leave the pits ?
 

Security issues I believe. My first nationals was INDY as spectator 1961. Hitch hiked over and slept in a garage across the street under the Drive in Movie screen. Sneaked into the track the first night and picked up by security to take us back out. Beer Burn outs were supposedly done on the road outside the track. Hayden Profitt supposedly ran down the street that night from his Motel to test it out.
Motels trashed by guys working on Motors in the rooms... Sad but interesting history. Touring the Motels was a big deal then when ALL cars went back to the Motels at night..
The entire area outside track was camping and Beer and etc...

Re: Remember when we had to leave the pits ?
 

I remember a story my neighbor Maynard Rupp (Top Fuel) told me when they were in Tulsa for the World Finals. They carried up all of the parts and pieces to build a long block in a second floor motel room. They put the whole motor together and realized the motor was too heavy to carry down the stairs so they took a bunch of matresses from the rooms and threw the engine over the side rail onto the matresses. They also used the bath tub as a parts washer.

Re: Remember when we had to leave the pits ?
 

The reason was ;
NHRA made you leave the pits, BUT when IHRA didn't after a couple of yrs guys said it doesn't make any sence why not let us stay.........
Plus motor homes were coming in to play.

Re: Remember when we had to leave the pits ?
 

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

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.....:D WJ