The following piece by life-long Indianapolis resident and sports writer Robin Miller ought to generate some comments. It's worth a read about this time of year...even got Andy Granatelli cited! [8D]
Our family moved to Indianapolis in July 1962, one month after Studebaker
last paced "The 500," and I've been in the area ever since. My younger brother Stanley and I went to the 1964 "500" as high-schoolers on tickets Mom won in a local drawing...and, sadly, we could not have had better seats to see the wreck and feel the heat of the front straightaway mayhem that claimed Eddie Sachs' life that year...we actually choked on the smoke from the fire, our seats were so close, and smelled like it for days. [V]The Indianapolis 500 defines this city and most folks around here pay at least some attention to it. Admittedly, I cannot argue with Miller's observations, here, and feel bad that the event has suffered so in the last decade. The Hulman family is occasionally criticized...but for the most part, they've kept the city on the map without whining and extorting millions of dollars from unwilling citizens the way NFL franchise holders do for new football stadiums and the like: The Hulmans have done it on their own dime, and for that I'll give 'em a thumbs-up! [^] BP
We've got to quit saying, 