[DeTomaso] Pantera Indy Official

adin at frontier.net adin at frontier.net
Tue May 29 14:36:27 EDT 2007


During the late sixties and early seventies (when I wasn't "over  
there") I voluntered for SCCA.  TransAM, CanAM, Formuala 5000 during  
the "great years" - Laguna Seca and Sears Point.  Epic battles between  
"Capt. Nice" and Parnelli (he had a qualifying car and a race car!);  
watching the Team McLaren dominate - who's turn to win?  Bruce or  
Denny? - when they showed up w/ a chebbie pickup and a flatbed trailer  
for each car . . .until the 917s started spoiling all the fun.
Skinny little kids - Mario w/ pointy side burns and that Jody guy  
(Scheckter) before they both became world champs - and that Penske  
kid, bending rules and winning races.

Whew, the old guy needs to rest a while . . . thanks for the reminder!

David in Durango





Quoting cengles at cox.net:

>
> Dear Dave,
>
> Thanks for sharing your experience. I had a taste of Indy years ago   
> when a friend, who was an AP Indy photographer invited me to Indy   
> for Qualifying weekend and promised me that he could obtain fake   
> credentials that would permit me to appear to be an AP photographer   
> and *roam* all over the pits to shoot photographs. He did as he   
> promised. He was a prince. I had a wonderful time, but it was only a  
>  sample of the special time you've had.
>
> Warmest regards, Chuck Engles
>
>
> ---- Dave McManus <dave at damardirect.com> wrote:
>> 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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>>
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