[DeTomaso] Pantera Indy Official

[Dave McManus]

Thanks Michael, but I have two corrections. I was not a "Yellow Shirt"; they
are the Speedway guards at intersections within the track, parking, garage
area, and pit traffic movers. I was an official with USAC at the Speedway
until 1996 when the Speedway dropped USAC as the governing body and the IRL
decided to run their races. I was kept by the IRL until 2 yrs ago when the
"Product Certification" group was pink slipped and our duties were taken
over by the "Tech Committee". Twenty years ago Certification had 160 guys.
In 1996 the IRL reduced our group to about 100. Every year after our group
numbers were reduced. The last two or three years we operated we had 21
guys. It was a neat gig. We used to inspect the cars in the garage at 5:00am
on race morning. Each car took about 45 minutes & then you had to find the
head wrench to sign off. For Foyt, you usually slid it under a door. The
last couple of years, we completed the inspection of each car in about 5
minutes. Not as much contingency money. Anyway, we stayed with the car ( as
assigned) until around 8:00, tugged to the fuel pump, then "Tech
Inspection", then to the respective pit and handed the car to a member of
"Tech". This is where the fun started; we were free to mingle in the pits
and the sea of people that included major sponsors, owners, VIPs, and
celebrities. After about 1-1/2 hours the next step is "Griding the cars on
the front stretch, 3 cars x 11 rows. As I remember, 2 crew members per car,
drivers in the car, three officials per row and a fireman with extinguisher.
Words can not tell how it feels to be but one of twenty some people on the
track with about 400M people in attendance. The feeling of standing about a
foot from the rear tire when the command to start the engines and 33 cars
come to life is a feeling I will never forget. The rib pounding vibrations,
the Goosebumps (every year), running off of the track as the cars roll
forward is exhilarating. It was then to the first turn where our group
gathered to watch the first ten or so laps was tradition. We would then
split up & watch the race from various points. Several of us would check
plugs, oil samples and fuel after the race for the first 12 finishers. All
things change BUT it was a great ride for 20 years.

Indy
Dave

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Shortt [mailto:michaelsavga at gmail.com] 
Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2007 6:14 PM
To: List DeTomaso
Subject: [DeTomaso] Pantera Indy Official

Hello all,

Watching the Indy 500 today, wet mess of a race, but wanted dip a hat to
Pantera Owner and list member
Dave McManus who is one of those official guys in the yellow shirts.
Dry off Dan. Another great race!
-- 
Michael L. Shortt
Savannah, Georgia


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