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Front cover of 2013 IMS Program adorned with
multiple (18?) Drivers 'O Yesteryear's Indy 500's Autographs collected on
Legends Day. (The Tomaso Collection)
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As mentioned in part one of this epic trilogy, it
was a long time ago now that I had the pleasure of briefly schmoozing with 21
past Indy 500 competitors at Mother Speedway, with the following inductees
of the day's Group-1 session being...
DRIVERS - GROUP 1
Joe Saldana, Greg Leffler, Robby McGehee, "King Hiro," (Hiroyuki
"Hiro" Matsushita) "BALLS," (Bill Puterbaugh) Billy Roe*,
Bill Simpson, Eliseo Salazar*, Johnny Parsons*, Jaques Lazier, Kenny
Brack* and Derek Daly.
(* = Autograph previously obtained at prior 2011-12 Legends Day outings;
Drivers listed in order of signing)
Joe Saldana
DOB: Nov 14, 1944
Birthplace: Lincoln, Nebraska
Age: 70
I500 Starts: 2
Best Finish: 15th
Years: 1978-79
Fun Fac
When searching for him upon Zed Internetz, it sez'
Do You Mean Zoey Saldana? Hya! Having never heard of her before...
As Joe, the ex-racing driver; NOT Zoey the
actress; Hooah! Raced in the USAC and CART series between 1977-80, making
31-starts and his most notable claim-to-fame is winning the 1970 Knoxville
Nationals, and then being inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in
2000. His son "Joey The Brownsburg Bullet"" races in the World
of Outlaws...
Greg Leffler
DOB: Dec 27, 1951
Birthplace: Indianapolis, IN
Age: 64
I500 Starts: 1
Best Finish: 10th
Year: 1980
Stats
Can find very little on Greg Leffler, other than his brief Bio says he raced in
the CART Series from 1980 to 1983, making 13-starts along with a single Indy
500 start in 1980 driving the Starcraft RV entry. While Greg's crowning racing achievement
was winning the 1979 USAC Sprint Car championship.
whilst slogging my way thru the IMS's Driver
Statistics webpage, I noticed the name Jason Leffler below Greg's, which
naturally would make Yuhs ponder if they're related, i.e.; Brothers, etc. (Witch
is another festerin' story here in Nofendersville that's continuing to expand,
awaiting Harvesting another day...)
Robin Miller
No, Jason is a Long Beach kid and Greg was raised by longtime
mechanic Paul Leffler here in Indiana...
Alas, unfortunately I know I scribbled 'bout Jason after
his death after his Sprint Car accident...
Robby McGehee
DOB: July 20, 1973
Birthplace: St Louis, Missouri
Age: 41
I500 Starts: 5
Best Finish: 5th
Years: 1999-2001, 2003-04
Honours: 1999 Indy 500 Rookie Of the Year
Fun Fact
Robby was the lucky recipient being forced to
"Sweat" over whether or NOT SMOKE would attempt running for A.J. Foyt
on "Boomp Day!" (2004) Although Tony Stewart would never attempt
making a run for several reasons - including being a "Factory" GM (General
Motors) driver, nee 'Chebbie - while foyt's team had Hondres' (Honda) bolted to
their Backsides... As it was A-L-L part of the Smoke 'N Mirrors that turned me
OFF completely towards watching "Boomp Day" forever again!
Stats
Was totally unawares' until writing this that
Robby was the 1999 ROY, (Rookie Of the Year) probably 'cause I was still NOT
watching TG's Indy Racing League! As McGee rolled off 27th and finished a
commendable fifth, his only Top-10 finish at the Brickyard in his five starts.
McGeee drove for a variety of teams,
including: Conti Racing, Tredway Racing, Cahill Racing, Beck Motorsports,
Cheever Racing, Panther Racing and PDM Racing. As Robby's best finish of fifth
came with the unknown of Conti Racing, and that Boomp Day debacle with PDM
Racing, who's owner I interviewed in;
Hiro
Matsushita
DOB: March 14, 1961
Birthplace: Kobe, Japan
Age: 54
I500 Starts: 4
Best Finish: 10th
Years: 1991, 1993-95
Stats/Fun Fact
I picked this Autograph line solely for the
reason to obtain 'King Hiro's autograph, since I'd actually witnessed him
racing at the little known Pacific Raceways, albeit then Seattle International
Raceway 'Wayback in the late 1980's, as I've still got the ticket stub for
the West Division Atlantics race held
there I attended; YIKES!
Not to mention being one of the countless
drivers I'd personally seen racing at another of my Hometrack's, Portland
International Raceway, where we took great glee in making fun of the legendous
'King Hiro, who I can still recall that Panasonic/Duskin sponsored Dick Simon
Racing chassis poundin' round Tail-gunner Charlie in many CART races. Not to mention having a Hot wheels
replica in a shoebox here at Tomaso Manor!
Yet Hiro was the first Japanese driver to
race at Mother Speedway, alongside another first, Willy T. Ribbs, both rookies
in 1991, with Matsushita
making a total of 4-starts with his
final Indy 500 being his best finish, P10, his only Top-10 finish before Hiro faded
off the motorsports radar after "The Split" before retiring in
2001...
For the legend of how the tag King Hiro was born, along with other
Japanese Open Wheel Racing lore, see; Japanese OpenWheel warriors
Bill Puterbaugh
DOB: June 6, 1936
Birthplace: Indianapolis, Indiana
Age: 78
I500 Starts: 3
Best Finish: 7th
Years: 1975-77
Honours: 1975 Indy 500 Rookie Of the Year
Fun Fact
NO Idea where No
Fenders 'Offical Photographer 'CARPETS came up with the nickname BALLS' for Bill
Puterbaugh; Hya! May be due
to his chrome-dome, eh? As I still remember him wearing a pullover sleeveless
sweater during the autograph session - with Messer Puterbaugh turning the
B-I-G' EIGHT-Oh! after the 100th running of the Indy 500...
Stats
Another driver I was unawares' of being a former ROY. (Rookie Of
the Year) As Messer Puterbaugh
was bestowed this
honour for the 1975 Indy 500 in which he finished seventh, his best finish of
his three race outings at the Speedway, as I just realized this accomplishment occurred
forty years ago, when somebody named "Uncle Bobby" was winning the
second of his three Indy 500 victories...
Bill Simpson
DOB: March 14, 1940
Birthplace: Hermosa Beach, California
Age: 75
I500 Starts: 1
Best Finish: 13th
Year: 1974
Fun Fact
I primarily know about
Mr. Simpson thru his multiple appearances upon Donald Kay's 'lil Autosport
Radio Show...
Stats
Bill Simpson is probably more recognized for
his Simpson Performance Products than his racing career, most notably for
lighting himself on fire to promote his nomex firesuit's durability!
And I was unawares' that he'd begun as a Drag
Racer before his foray into Open Wheel Racing. Making his lone start at Mother
Speedway in 1974 aboard the #18 America Kid's Racing entry.
Simpson was wrongly accused by NASCAR for his
seat belt being a contributing cause to
'Ol 'Ironhead's death, as it was later determined that Dale Earnhardt had used
them incorrectly, which NASCAR settled out of court over Simpson's $8.5m
Defamation of Character lawsuit.
Simpson subsequently created Impact Racing
Products before selling the company in 2010, with his latest endavour being
football helmet design in a company known as Simpson Ganassi Helmets...
Jaques Lazier
DOB: January 25, 1971
Birthplace: Denver, Colorado
Age: 44
I500 Starts: 5
Best Finish: 16th
Years: 2001, 2003, 2005-07
Stats
Although jaques, the younger brother of 1996
Indy 500 winner Buddy may disagree, he appears to have been what's called a
"Journeyman Driver," as Jaques was constantly serching for rides,
although not for lack of trying.
jaques IRL zenith came with Team Menard,
where he won second time out at Chicagoland before ultimately being let go
after filling in for Greg Ray. Was also Robby Gordoun's (Gordon) relief driver
when the Californian had to depart Indy for his "Double" at
Charlotte.
Jaques also drove briefly for Chip Ganassi as
Darren "Dangermouse" Manning's replacement after the Cheepster' had
fired the cheeky Brit. Sam Schmidt, A.J. Foyt and Panther Racing, where he
replaced 'lil Al (Unser Jr.) who'd retired after a lackluster finish in the
Indy Racing League and also got a LUV' tap from Queen Danica at Fontana, which
caused the pair to wreck...
Derek Daly
DOB: March 11, 1953
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Age: 62
I500 Starts: 6
Best Finish: 12th
Years: 1983-85, 1987-89
Fun Fact
While I was joking
around with thee 'Brackster, nee Kenny Brack who said he'd sign an autograph
for one Kroner; Hya! Derek Daly returned to his seat "Justin-time"
for me to say I wanted to have a good 'Ol 'Chin-wag (chat) with him, making
Daly laugh as Brack good naturedly inquired: What's a Chin-wag?
Stats
Derek Daly made his name in Formula 1 racing where
he competed for the likes of 'Ol "Uncle Chopper," nee Ken Tyrrell, where
he drove a third Tyrrell entry in Canada before his fulltime stint there.
Daly started his F1 career with Lord
Hesketh's racing team, Big Mo's (Maurice Nunn) Ensign, Tyrrell, Max Mosley's
March, Teddy Yip's Theodore and lastly Sir Frank's Team Willy.' (Williams Grand
Prix Engineering) Before crossing the pond to Americres' CART/IndyCar series in
1982.
Derek drove for a variety of teams, as I most
notably remember him racing the Provimi Veal
car which "The Flying Dutchman" made famous, along with the Raynor Garage
Doors car before moving onto Sports Car racing.
Derek as the unusual honour of having
finished the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1st and 2nd place driving those all
conquering Nissan GTP-ZXT chassis that Geoff Brabham drove to four IMSA titles,
while also contesting le Circuit de la Sarthe three times, which I remember him
driving for Tom Walkinshaw's dominating Silk Cut Jaguars - where I think Derek
once claimed running 240mph down Mulsanne straight!
While his gift 'O gab led him to colour commentary
roles for CART and Champ Car, where he implored "Grandma to put down that Whiskey
bottle!" Along with sadly calling the 1984 Imola Grand Prix...
To
continue reading the epic 2013 Legends Day Trilogy, see; INDY 500: Tres Legenditos' - 2013 IMS Legends Day Autographs - Group 2
Kudos
to No Fenders 'Offical Photographer and IMS Sherpa Dave 'CARPETS O'Brien!
Who willingly Drags me around Mother Speedway to
A-L-L events, i.e.; Carb
Day, Legends Day and the race...
Tomaso