McGuane - The race: inside the Indy 500

Copyright 2016 by James McGuane

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by Tom Lau

Cover photo credit James McGuane

ISBN: 978-1-61321-915-7

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-61321-916-4

Printed in China

DEDICATION

To the memory of Tony Renna, Paul Dana, Dan Wheldon, and Justin Wilson
four men who chose the racing life.

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

S EEKING COMMENTS and stories from drivers who have won the Indy 500 was well down the list of what I had hoped to accomplish as I set out on this project. In time, I realized that what once may have been seen as a sidebar enhancement to a photo essay had, in fact, become central to the book.

Ive always felt that a journalist or documentarian should avoid asking questions where the answer is already known. That notion seems to have served me well. I can think of no better way to learn of the racing world and the racing life. I greatly enjoyed the experience of talking shop with the entire (living) crop of past Indy 500 winners. There are qualities shared by each: honest opinion and recollection and a sense of humor. None of them carefully measured their words. Each of them has my gratitude for their contribution to this book.

I was also well supported by an elite assortment of individualsthe pros of racing. Many are former Indy drivers who continue in the sport in other capacities.

Stefan Johansson, Pancho Carter, Roger Penske, Lyn St. James, Larry Foyt, Sam Schmidt, Lee Kunzman, Chip Ganassi, Bill Simpson, Sarah Fisher, Michael Andretti, and Scott Goodyear are particular standouts.

Race teams are particularly busy in the pressure-filled month of May around Indy. The teams decision to graciously make time for menotebook and camera at handwas invaluable to me. Thanks is extended to Mo Nunn Racing, Andretti Autosports, Panther Racing, Team Penske, Schmidt-Peterson Motorsports, Ganassi Racing, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, A.J. Foyt Racing, Rahal/Letterman/Lanigan, Newman/Haas, Vision Racing, CFH Racing, Hemelgarn Racing, Cheever Racing, KV Racing (and a lot more).

I was very happy to discover in 2003 that my Notre Dame classmate Mike Griffin was a partner in Panther Racinga top echelon, championship team. Mike has opened many doors, answered a thousand questions with wit and wisdom, and been a durable friend. Thanks, Mike!

I have to recall just how slight my knowledge of racing was as this project began. I was neither a motor head nor a gear head. I was simply a fanearly on, listening to the annual race on the radio, hardly believing that one could drive five hundred miles in a single day. My uncle Jim was a friend of Jim Rathmann and he secured two infield ticketsone for me and one for my brother Frankfor the 1965 race. We got to see Jim Clark win, the first victory in a rear engine car. It was also Mario Andrettis rookie year.

There have been hundreds of people, events, and situations that have given me the courage to call this an inside look at Indy racing. In no particular order, here are some that come to mind and have my thanks:

David StorvickIndyCar Ministry; Uniden/Bearcat Scanner; Hoosier 100; Indy Hostel; Ron HusseyHoughton Mifflin Harcourt Company; Brigid Kavanagh for a gift to Skip Barber Racing/Lime Rock Park; Dick Wolfe; Phoenix International Raceway; Bombardier Racing; Nazareth Speedway; Kika Concheso; Ann Fornoro; Susan Bradshaw; Jane Barnes; Bob Linda; Joe Crowley; Jeff Dennison; Aaron Nelson; Kelby Krauss; Jeffrey Rupple; Hasselblad Camera Company; Ziggy Harcus; Phase One/Capture One/Digital Transitions/Jeff Lin and Allison Watson; Zeiss Lenses; Indiana Oxygen; Lincoln Welding; Holmatro Safety TeamMike Tate; Delphi; Patty Reid; Dale Ratermann; Chuck Brewer; Jeff Troyer. Chicagoland Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway/Eddie Gossage; Joie Chitwood; Randy Bernard; Worldwide Pants; ABC/ESPN; Rodger Ward Jr.; Indianapolis Star; Mark Ferner; Brian Figg; Derek Bell; Danica Patrick; Xtrac/Andrew Heard; Panoz G-Force/Simon Marshall; Dallara/Sam Garrett; Firestone/Jimmy Russell and Dale Harrigle; Toyota Racing Development; Chevy Racing/Chris Berube and Judy Kouba Dominick; Sunoco; and Verizon.

Id like to single out Honda Motorsports and Honda Performance Development for the particular help and encouragement that theyve provided me over the entire course of this book project. I found them to be superb engineers, nice people, and sharp racing competitors.

T. E. McHale of Honda Motorsports has my very deep gratitude.

Parachutist on Race Morning

Its been said of journalists that they learn in public. Im grateful to the many true pros in the racing world who have inspired and encouraged me: Jack Arute, Allen Bestwick, Curt Cavin, Eddie Cheever, Chris Economaki, Scott Goodyear, Don Kay, Michael Knight, Jamie Little, Larry McReynolds, Robin Miller, Paul Pfanner, Dr. Jerry Punch, and Darrell Waltrip.

Friends and family have supported me in ways that they may never know. Thanks to Friends and Family: Sheila, Katie, Meg, Jamie, Brooke, Tom A, Karl, Mano, Judy, Clare, Don A, J OB, Ritchie A, Kevin, Robby, Mary M (Apt 5C), George Griffin, Dede B, Joe Iron, Trudy, Frank, Patty and Joey, Paul Landis, Roy Beauchamp, Paul Goldsmith, Stephen Ives, Roma Agrawal, Shawn Dougal, Eric at Yellow Umbrella Books, Clayton Calderwood, Bill Marcato, Min-o, Pamela Rosen, Joel, Jon Harrison, Bob Wagner, Robert Parker, Rick M, Joanne T, Massamba, Bob Staats, and Jose Martos Gallery.