This just in from Indiana Bureau Chief Danny B; who was Juan ‘O duh LUCKY WINNERS! To earn a very special ride aboard a most unique vehicle out at the Indiana State Fairgrounds; as its scary to think I camped out there nearly 10yrs ago for my very first outing to the Speedway for the ’01 USGP, but I digress...
You see – Danny was taking part in a “One-off” Radio contest to ride aboard a specially modified two-seater Dirt Car Thursday morning, with none less than Sprint Car legend Jack Hewitt behind the keyboard!
As I’m not a fan of Dirt racin’ or Ovals - hence, this is a world I know very little about, albeit apparently with ‘R’s coaxing, Mr. Bernard is trying to recapture Indy’s linkage with the USAC’ers and their Sprint Car devotees, i.e.; the Good ‘Ol Dazes when many of Indy’s Big Names came up thru the USAC Midget ranks.
Thus according to Danny; there was a veritable Who’s Who in the House, Err Fairgrounds, with NO less than SPEED & Versus’s OWR Curmudgeon Robin Miller, Randy Bernard, Bryan Clauson, Tomas Scheckter, Kenny Schrader and the aforementioned Messer Hewitt...
Reportedly the action began with USAC Road-to-Indy Scholarship winner Bryan Clauson taking Randy Bernard around the one-mile Dirt-track for a couple of Hot-laps before Tomas “Rockem-Sockem” Scheckter had fun tryin’ to DARN BLOWN UP Schrader’s Dirt Modified’s tranny, reputedly being a ‘lil rusty upon his Upshifts – or perhaps he was just tryin’ to bed-in the late model’s Half shafts; Hya! As I’m told that Kenny Schrader was Smooth-as-Silk aboard his mount...
Then there was a very clever Photo Op session (besides the Miller-Bernard No Fenders T-shirt) consisting of Clauson driving the two-seater, Schrader in a late model Modified and Scheckter in thee Indy Racing Experience’s 2X-seater, which I didn’t think could run on dirt? As I wouldn’t want to be the lucky mechanics that get to clean her up, eh?
After all of the dignitaries and primping for photo shoots were done, as I’m guessing Mr. Bernard and ‘R most likely ran over to 16th & Georgetown for the days remainder of Indy Rookie orientation - it was time to get down to business, and do the deed; as Danny sez he asked Messer Hewitt to give it some ‘Wellie! As in I wanna go sideways; Yuhs hear Mr. Hewitt! To which I’m told Jack was more then happy to oblige giving said passengers the rides of a lifetime with three NASTY laps ‘round the Fairgrounds...
Thus, if you’re in town for the 500 and are looking for something a little different during the chock O’block Memorial Day weekend, then Y’all might wanna head out to the Indiana State Fairgrounds Friday night May 27th for the Hoosier 100!
UPDATE
Apparently I was desperate for some latest ‘N greatest racing news, thus deciding to attempt listening to my very first Trackside with Kevin & Cavin Podcast of Friday night’s episode early Saturday morning... Hence I found it most ironic that none other then Tomas “Rockem-Sockem” Scheckter was one of the days two guests; Shuzzam! Making me feel like I was getting another dosage of ze KarmicWhip; as Kevin Lee no less asked Tomas ‘bout what he’d done the day prior out at the Indiana State Fairgrounds...
Scheckter noted how he’d gone for a ride in the two-seater Dirt Car with Jack Hewitt at the wheel and although he’d have enjoyed putting it thru its paces, he had to remain calm, cool & collected – reminding himself that Indy was his primary focus... Although Tomas reflected that the Dirt Modified was good fun with it’s 750bhp on tap.
And it was all vintage T-Schek on the interview, talking ‘bout his TWIT-ER battles, FrappaGer-ranimals, hitting little balls, Team Owners, being outspoken, etc. With the day’s first guest being the always enjoyable Mayor ‘O Hinchtown, a.k.a. James Hinchcliffe; as T-Schek’s interview is definitely worth checkin’ out on the May 13th Podcast which you can find by digging ‘round 1070TheFan.com/Trackside/
