A Look Back At Memorial Week Racing

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  • CIRF
    Senior Member
    • Jul 2007
    • 8122

    #1

    A Look Back At Memorial Week Racing

    We saw 4 races in 5 days starting on Wednesday night and every one was extremely entertaining. With the threat of rain each of the 4 events we were a bit anxious when we left home on Wednesday morning but all came off without a hitch or a glitch.

    Wednesday night at Terre Haute was a typical USAC wingless 410 sprint show. Full field of high quality cars, a very good crowd, beautiful weather and MONSTER sliders by eventual winner and defending USAC National Sprint Car Champion Robert Ballou. We were fearful that this first night of our Indiana Memorial Day Week would make the remaining 3 anti-climactic but that should not have been a concern.

    Thursday night found us at The Indiana State Fairgrounds dirt mile for the 63rd running of The Hoosier Hundred featuring the gorgeous USAC Silver Crown cars on the Indy Mile. Kody Swanson (this won't be his only big win over the Memorial Day Holiday Weekend), crew chief Bob Hampshire and the DePalma team really have the Indy Mile figured out as evidenced by Kody's 3rd Hoosier Hundred victory in as many years. A blanket could be thrown over the top 7 or 8 cars throughout the 100 mile event. Another full field would do battle with Shane Cottle 2nd, Jerry Coons jr. 3rd and 100th Indy 500 qualifier Bryan Clauson was 4th. Great racing all 100 miles with 5 lead changes among 4 different drivers.

    We took Friday off as opposed to our original plans of going to the asphalt Silver Crown race at ORP.

    Possibly the best racing we watched all week was on asphalt, which we aren't a big fan of. However, the Little 500 on the highbanked 1/4 mile up at Anderson Speedway was once again a spectacle of spectacular racing. 11 rows of 3 for 500 laps with 2 mandatory pit stops that potentially could be done under green flag conditions makes for a crazy and extremely entertaining show. Kody Swanson (remember him!), driving the Hoffman Racing 410 wingless sprint car fought off Dave Steele and Jerry Coons Jr. right down to the checkered flag after 500 laps. The Little 500 is a race that EVERY race fan should experience!!

    Then there was the big one, the 100th running of The Indianapolis 500 on Sunday. There isn't much more that can be said about the epic 500 mile race except that it was once again a race that was so entertaining and exciting that it will not fade from memory of all who saw it anytime soon.

    We don't remember attending 4 consecutive races that were as entertaining as the 4 we were fortunate enough to have had the privilege of attending. I really hate to wish my life away but Memorial Day Weekend can't roll around quick enough!!
  • Just The Tip
    Senior Member
    • Oct 2008
    • 231

    #2
    Glad you had a great week of racing CIRF. Sounds like you weren't dissapointed with any of the races. I may have to schedule this week off from work next year. I always try to hit the ISW shows but I've always wanted to see the Hoosier 100 along with the little 500.

    Comment

    • CIRF
      Senior Member
      • Jul 2007
      • 8122

      #3
      Originally posted by Just The Tip View Post
      Glad you had a great week of racing CIRF. Sounds like you weren't dissapointed with any of the races. I may have to schedule this week off from work next year. I always try to hit the ISW shows but I've always wanted to see the Hoosier 100 along with the little 500.
      Thanks, JTT. It was better than we'd ever hoped for!!

      Do it next year JTT. Don't wait. I can just about guarantee that you won't be disappointed. If you can get the time off try to make it to Terre Haute for the Hulman Classic on the Wednesday prior to Memorial Day Weekend in addition to the other races you mentioned. That show at THAT is consistently some of the best sprint car racing we see all year. The Hoosier is worth the price of admission just to watch the Silver Crown cars hot lap on a Mile dirt track and naturally the Little 500 is an event like no other and is great every year.

      If you're at Terre Haute for ISW this year we might cross paths. Due to career obligations the THAT ISW show will be our next race. Already looking forward to that!!

      Comment

      • Clayton_Wetter
        Banned
        • May 2007
        • 16671

        #4
        Originally posted by CIRF View Post
        We saw 4 races in 5 days starting on Wednesday night and every one was extremely entertaining. With the threat of rain each of the 4 events we were a bit anxious when we left home on Wednesday morning but all came off without a hitch or a glitch.

        Wednesday night at Terre Haute was a typical USAC wingless 410 sprint show. Full field of high quality cars, a very good crowd, beautiful weather and MONSTER sliders by eventual winner and defending USAC National Sprint Car Champion Robert Ballou. We were fearful that this first night of our Indiana Memorial Day Week would make the remaining 3 anti-climactic but that should not have been a concern.

        Thursday night found us at The Indiana State Fairgrounds dirt mile for the 63rd running of The Hoosier Hundred featuring the gorgeous USAC Silver Crown cars on the Indy Mile. Kody Swanson (this won't be his only big win over the Memorial Day Holiday Weekend), crew chief Bob Hampshire and the DePalma team really have the Indy Mile figured out as evidenced by Kody's 3rd Hoosier Hundred victory in as many years. A blanket could be thrown over the top 7 or 8 cars throughout the 100 mile event. Another full field would do battle with Shane Cottle 2nd, Jerry Coons jr. 3rd and 100th Indy 500 qualifier Bryan Clauson was 4th. Great racing all 100 miles with 5 lead changes among 4 different drivers.

        We took Friday off as opposed to our original plans of going to the asphalt Silver Crown race at ORP.

        Possibly the best racing we watched all week was on asphalt, which we aren't a big fan of. However, the Little 500 on the highbanked 1/4 mile up at Anderson Speedway was once again a spectacle of spectacular racing. 11 rows of 3 for 500 laps with 2 mandatory pit stops that potentially could be done under green flag conditions makes for a crazy and extremely entertaining show. Kody Swanson (remember him!), driving the Hoffman Racing 410 wingless sprint car fought off Dave Steele and Jerry Coons Jr. right down to the checkered flag after 500 laps. The Little 500 is a race that EVERY race fan should experience!!

        Then there was the big one, the 100th running of The Indianapolis 500 on Sunday. There isn't much more that can be said about the epic 500 mile race except that it was once again a race that was so entertaining and exciting that it will not fade from memory of all who saw it anytime soon.

        We don't remember attending 4 consecutive races that were as entertaining as the 4 we were fortunate enough to have had the privilege of attending. I really hate to wish my life away but Memorial Day Weekend can't roll around quick enough!!
        Hope Litey read this post. Maybe he will become permanently comatose.

        Comment

        • CIRF
          Senior Member
          • Jul 2007
          • 8122

          #5
          Originally posted by Clayton_Wetter View Post
          Hope Litey read this post. Maybe he will become permanently comatose.
          Sometimes is appears he already is!! LOL!!

          Comment

          • old fan
            Banned
            • Jan 2016
            • 4191

            #6
            no we know you 2 are preaching to the choir GOOD GRIEF we know those events are good tell us something we didn't know

            Comment

            • Clayton_Wetter
              Banned
              • May 2007
              • 16671

              #7
              Originally posted by old fan View Post
              no we know you 2 are preaching to the choir GOOD GRIEF we know those events are good tell us something we didn't know
              We don't know how your "DEPENDS" are working out. Could you please inform us?

              Comment

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