Not long ago today I worked up a sweat doing 40 minutes on the elliptical and a couple miles on the stationary bike.
These days not much can get me away from watching Moody Blues concert videos while I exercise. I tried to start Hill Street Blues over again and that didn’t work. It will, eventually. I tried watching John Steed and Emma Peel again. The English Avengers. You may not know them. You should. They couldn’t do it for me. I am still watching The Moody Blues. It is a slow fade for me. Knowing I won’t see The Moody Blues again. That is odd. The calendar has had a Moodies date on it more often than not since 1986.
Something captured my attention today and gave me a shiver up the spine that I rarely even get whilst watching The Moodies. The fast nine qualifying for the Indianapolis 500.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway. There is not another place like it. I have seen concerts at Red Rocks, the Ryman Auditorium, and the Tanglewood Shed. I have seen football games at Ole Miss, Neylan Stadium in Knoxville, and The Rose Bowl. You could place all of these places inside the four turns of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is a special place.
I wouldn’t know this if it were not for Adam Disque.
Living in Harrison County, a Southern Indiana county that is along the Ohio River and much closer to Kentucky than it is Indianapolis, we get our news from Louisville, of course. We don’t gravitate to the north. Most of my travels to Indianapolis the last twenty years have been primarily for two things…to see The Moody Blues sing and watch Peyton Manning play football.
Adam Disque changed all of that for me. He invited me to go on a field trip with the 4th grade class from Medora Elementary School some years ago. I went. I went back with them. I went back with them again. One time I took my dear wife, Carrie. Looking back, it means the world to me to say I ate lunch with 4th graders under the Pagoda at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Thank you, Adam.
Not that I did not have an appreciation for the Indianapolis 500 and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race and place are hallowed ground for me. I know it better than any other sporting event, except the Super Bowl. It has been a tradition in my family to watch this race. I can go back to remember when we listened to it on the radio live and watched the replay of the race later that night on ABC. Was it delayed to us because we, living in Brownstown, were considered to be in the Indy TV market? I don’t know.
But I do know I watched A.J. Foyt win in 1977 late that Sunday night after we had listened to the race sitting in lawn chairs in the front yard.
Today I watched Ed Carpenter, an Indy native, win the pole position for this year’s race. I hope he wins.
One day I hope to get to the race. Schedules and timing have not been kind of late. But that is okay. Listening to those cars go around that track is one of the most distinctive audible memories I have. Carrie and I went to qualifications a few years ago. It is amazing.
Here are some memorable photos from IMS.
My dear wife, Carrie, and I on the Medora Elem. field trip.
My hero, Adam Disque, and his 4th grade class. Without them, I would not know all I do today about the I-5!. I am forever grateful.
The car that won the first race in 1911. Ray Harroun was the winner.
Learning about the cars.
Iconic.
Yes, I did kiss the yard of bricks and I am glad I did! A.J. Foyt and Pancho Carter and Mario Andretti drove cars on that space. Wow.
I am proud to say I took this picture. The most coveted yard in all of racing.
Thank you, Adam.
One of Gordon Johncock’s winning cars.
Speaking the Indy 500 Rights…
Danny Johnson