A.J. Foyt Waves to the Crowd at the Start of the 1970 Indianapolis 500
A.J. Foyt Waves to the Crowd at the Start of the 1970 Indianapolis 500
A.J. Foyt Waves to the Crowd at the Start of the 1970 Indianapolis 500
Posted on: February 8, 2011 | Comments(12) | Gasoline Alley Unplugged |
A.J. Foyt Waves to the Crowd at the Start of the 1970 Indianapolis 500
A.J. Foyt Waves to the Crowd at the Start of the 1970 Indianapolis 500
Comments
There are 12 comments for this post.
Write a Comment
Let me know what you think?
Or is he giving JR and Al the one finger salute?
The tire war must have been at its peak in 1970. Al has Firestone on the pole while JR and Super Tex fill out the front row on Goodyears. Hot Wheels sold a toy of Al Unser’s car that was hinged on the back. You could flip it open and store about a dozen small Hot Wheels cars inside the larger racecar. Mine is sadly long gone, but my cousin Dave still has his!
The 4th Street access break in the outside wall makes me wonder if AJ is saluting the semi-truck load of photographers, jutting out into the south end of the pits by Victory Lane. I believe this was the year Eldon Palmer wound-up crashing the Dodge Pace Car into it after coming in too hot from the Pace Lap. Quite a tragic crash that resulted in many changes to the traditions of a slower time.
If my memory serves me, JR broke both arms at Eldora. He met Betty while in the hospital recovering. I remember him joking once about finding out who your friends are when you have two broken arms and need to go to the bathroom.
Mr. Davidson, thank you – these blog items + your comments
are great ( also, I had the pleasure of meeting you during a Museum visit several years ago )
1970 ! My love for the 500 was absolutely galvanized that year after reading Andy Granatelli’s ‘ They Call Me Mr. 500 ‘ My childhood at that time was ‘ All Hot Wheels – All Johnny
Lightning – All the Time ‘
Thank You !
Eldon Palmer crashed the pace car in ’71
Wow, what a front row! Al was so dominant during that year’s race. I recall sitting in a theater, watching the race, and the groan the audience let out when Lloyd Ruby dropped out after trying to run down Al. Wouldn’t be the last time that would happen. About the wave – I guess was Foyt was “old school” even then, as many of the drivers during the ’50s and early ’60s would salute the fans during the parade and pace laps.
A few clarifications…the pace car crash occurred in 1971, and Rutherford had actually met his wife while at the Speedway in 1963, while Betty was working as a nurse at the first aid station. They were married just about a month later, a few yaers before the Eldora crash.
Look at the variety of front ends of the three front row cars
I went to the Weir Cook airport with Cotton Farmer in 1960 to pick up his buddy Johnny Rutherford, at age 21. It was Richochet Rabbits first visit to the Speedway.
The front row cars are a PJ Colt for Al Unser
a 3 year old eagle for Lone Star J R and a
Coyote of course for AJ
The toy that hinged at the back was not from Hot Wheels, it was from Johnny Lightning – Big Al’s sponsor and a competitor of Hot Wheels! Man that thing was cool – about two feet long! My friend had one, but he kept all his Hot Wheels in it!
Can you imagine the value to a sponsor of a win at Indianapolis? Here we are 41 years later still talking about Johnny Lightning! Corporate America – take note!
Knowing A.J. , I would go with the one finger salute, also.