The 96th running of the Indianapolis 500

It was nice taking my best friend to his first Indianapolis 500. I put him is a very good suite along the main straightaway. The atmosphere before the race was outstanding.  The excitement of all the action before the race, and the people he met he will never forget the power of long standing traditions that span the whole start of the race. The pace laps; to the green flag dropping and this big galoute of a friend could not express his excitement and started to cry, all 285 pounds of his self.  As my friend leaned over as the first lap came swooshing by and said, “Jim, I have waited my whole life to see that.” I stood there and almost started to cry with him. Yes this year’s Indy 500 was the best, I have seen in a long time. From Ed Carpenter (Our Indianapolis driver) almost having a chance to win, to Sato big man move on the last lap. With Sato major move my friends from New York said, “It’s all or nothing baby!”  Then; the ambassador of Indy Car Dario winning! The Race was full of excitement from start to the big bang finish! Mr. Servia that started so far back in the field, to ending up 4^th place; he looked at me and said,” I just need one more lap, my car was so right.”  Yes, my friends I did see 200 laps of fun on May 27, 2012.

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I have wondered; what drives a race car driver even with the danger that can happen at any given time. Whether it is a race itself or practicing for the best speed. Can you even believe emotions; as you are putting your son or daughter in that race car; and not knowing if that would be the last time you would be looking into their eyes? The pain of being a race fan over the years has had me do a lot of research on this very subject. I never wanted to be a race car driver; I have found my play in the racing world. I have interviewed many retired drivers, back when these drivers really had no safety to speak of. What is inside of these drivers whose minds are very strong in what they feel that they were safe for their time? Some of these drivers drove fuel bombs in reality. I wrote a fictional story of three former drivers that passed away at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in very traumatic crashes. These drivers come back later in time as a guardian angels to a young man growing up in Indiana. This young man becomes a race car driver. The time frame is the most powerful time in Indy Car racing. The 1970’s though the 1980’s. There was only one powerful race each year in this time frame in Indianapolis. The vision of this young man going back in time to when the race track was built to the first Indy 500 in 1911. The dreams of a young man to follow him to his fist race, and though his driving career. Love of his family, and the support of his friends.
Jim Gandolf