Just A Cool Day At The Drags…

By John Potts

One of my goals after moving back to Indianapolis from Kentucky was to spend some time at the U.S. Nationals. After an absence of almost 14 years, I was aching to see old friends, smell the nitromethane, and generally soak up the ambience.

I managed to obtain a couple of full-event passes, and DRO Editor Jeff Burk asked if I’d like to do some writing about what I saw. Sure, ten hours of it was going to be televised, but trust me – it ain’t at all like being there.

Got through the gate just in time to hear the call for Super Comp to the lanes for second round. First impulse – stay off the west side, the roads are going to be clogged with dragsters. Second impulse – he said second round, didn’t he? Maybe there’ll only be a hundred or so.

Then came a sprinkle and they sent them back for a while.

Strolling around (actually rolling around on my three-wheel cart), I was very happy with how the place looked. I can remember the Burkster saying years ago that sooner or later NHRA was going to have to realize that new paint was only going so far, and the place needed improving. Jeff, they’ve made some really good strides.

First order was to cover the whole west side looking for teams I knew. Those I saw and recognized weren’t around their trailers for the most part, but it was enjoyable. A lot of “my” old bracket racers are involved in this event. In fact, I have former junior dragsters driving Top Fuel, Comp, Super Stock, and one even running the place.

My driver for the day was Becky, my daughter-in-law, and she said it was time for a funnel cake after that first lap. I opined that there should be a stand in the Winston Concourse. Then I realized there wasn’t any “Winston” anymore, and wondered what they called it. Turned out it was just, “The Concourse.” Well, I suppose that works.

I was a little troubled that there weren’t more people wandering around. Here it is almost noon on Saturday -- which used to be one of the biggest days -- and it looked a little like Thursday. I wondered if it was the threatening weather or the economy. Then I looked at the schedule and saw that the first nitro session wasn’t until 4 p.m., and there was another one later in the evening. So Saturday is almost a repeat of Friday, huh?

Sure enough, the crowd started picking up around 1:30. Just about the time I ran into Antron Brown, who was trying to get back to his pit area and stopping to sign an autograph or take a photo with anyone who asked. Last time I saw him in person he was still on two wheels. Still a nice guy, said he was glad I was back. I said I was glad he was doing so well in Top Fuel.

Found Ray Skillman’s pit area on the east side, just outside the pro pits. Ray is a mega-dealer in Indianapolis, and an old oval racing friend from my American Speed Association days as well as my 15 years at what was then Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Had a good visit, and my principal observation was that Ray is rapidly become the Sportsman version of Don Schumacher. Ten total entries. Three in Comp, Super Stock, and Stock, and one in Super Gas. Used to have one in Pro Stock Motorcycle, too. Turns out Wesley Wells’ help and knowledge is more important on the cars.

I commented on the fact that he had expanded into Comp, and Ray said, “Yeah, we’re still crazy.”

Well, he’s got a good leader in that program in the form of David Rampy.

I suppose it won’t be long before you’ll see as many cars with “Ray Skillman” on them as we used to see that said “Winnebago.”

Antron was really the only big name I talked to, but I didn’t try hard. Don’t get me wrong, I love the pros, but I REALLY love the Sportsman racers. Maybe that comes from helping oversee the bracket program for all those years.

I learned in those 15 years that racers are just racers, and most of them are really good people. I don’t care if they go straight, turn left, or turn left and right, it’s the people who make this racing thing so much fun.

And I really believe the Sportsman racers have more fun than the pros.

Oh yeah, there was a drag race going on, too.

I was impressed with the new grandstand on the east side. Tried to get to the handicapped seating area near the starting line, but was politely told that general admission tickets used the area in front of that stand down track.

To tell you the truth, I’d much rather watch at about 600 feet than at the starting line. I think you see the race develop better from there. And when the pros are running, there aren’t nearly as many photographers in your way. While I was there, I suggested digging a two-foot trench behind the wall for the photographers, just low enough so they could shoot over the wall. Nobody took me seriously, but that wasn’t unusual.

We watched about 30 pairs go down in the first round of Comp, one of my favorite classes. I got a kick out of explaining the index system to Becky, along with how you could get hit with a CIC adjustment if you went too far under – assuming they haven’t really changed it. Glad I didn’t have to explain Super Stock and Stock, which amounts to bracket racing where you can dial under, except when two cars in the same class come up and all bets are off – heads up.

Rampy won, Drew Skillman won. Ray red-lighted.

Back out into the crowd to soak up more atmosphere.

Oops, battery getting low. No problem, brought the charger along. Pulled in behind a lemonade stand and plugged into an unused outlet (somebody put a Coke machine in front of the outlet I used to utilize on the side of the west restroom). Thirty minutes and we’re back in business.

On the way out, heard somebody call my name. Turned around, and there stood Janet Kosky. “Mike, get out here!” she yelled. Two old friends from Pennsylvania whom I loved to hang out with. Said they were back for the first time in a while.

Like I said, it’s the people who make it fun.

Well, Jeff, the facility looks great, and there have been some good improvements. The only thing that has degenerated to a degree is the road course, but it’s still a good road for average travel and walking. Just wouldn’t be much for racing, and I don’t think NHRA is much concerned about it.

I want to thank LOR and NHRA for making an old man feel welcome, and people like Ray Skillman, Wesley Wells, Antron Brown, Mike Lewis, Randy and Jackie Shipp, Randi Lyn Shipp, the Koskys, Paul Powell, the incomparable Linda Vaughn, and some I’m probably forgetting for making me feel like I was remembered.