Donald Davidson with Kevin Lee and/or Curt Cavin
-Weeknights at 8-9 p.m. / Weekends at 6 p.m.
Tuesday 5-1-2012
No show. Kevin Lee was still traveling back from the Brazil race and Donald’s history class was finishing up its final night.
Wednesday 5-2-2012
Welcome, brief discussion about Donald’s IUPUI class, brief history of “The Talk of Gasoline Alley”, Bob Harkey, Jim McGee, Sid Collins and IMS Radio Network, man who drove his motorcycle around the track after the in the late 60s/early 70s, Mickey Thompson, NASCAR drivers at Indy in the late 1960s and 1970s, (Dave from Marion) Clare Lawicki and Billy Cassella, (Mike) follow-up on Mickey Thompson’s murder, Elmer George.
Thursday 5-3-2012
Floyd Roberts, stickers put on cars in the museum, George Robson and Hal Robson, history of “Back Home Again in Indiana” (Paul), history about the building of the grandstands, Ed Ames, 1967 finish.
Friday 5-4-2012
Charlie Kimball commercial as the “first” driver to compete in the 500 as a diabetic (also Howdy Wilcox II), Gordon Johncock, more on Jim Nabors and the years he missed (extra details on John Davies’ performance in 1986), drivers returning to Indy after a long period away (Michel Jourdain Jr., etc.), a successor for Donald, Mike Mosley (not answered), Donald thinks about an Indy trivia contest, winner who wasn’t in the race the year before (Al Unser in 1970), was 2011 one of Donald’s favorite?/Sam Sessions (Paul).
Saturday 5-5-2012
(Two hours) Recap of the show format and some items from 2011 (autograph session, “The Photograph,” 20 former winners, etc.), history of the Pole Position Winning Mechanics award dinner, Paul Page, 1947-48 silver car called the Don Lee Special Mercedes-Benz (did not belong to Mussolini), Kentucky Derby/Tony Hulman Classic, more about “The “Photograph” from 2011, Johnny Thompson in 1960 ad the 1960 Ward/Rathmann battle, Eddie Sachs, the 1916 300-mile race, Walt Faulkner, annual silent auction in Lafayette, official margin of victory for the 2011 finish (under yellow), Parnelli Jones in other races with the Turbine? (no), winners who raced against their brother they year they won, Diana Shore’s 1955 rendition of “Back Home Again in Indiana”…list of “Back Home” performers…(again!), World Championship points earned at Indy, Mario Andretti participating in both Indy and F1 races at the same time, MCA Closed-Circuit telecasts, Carl Fisher hot-air balloon stunt.
Sunday 5-6-2012
(Two hours) Bill Homeier, Frank Fiore in 1971, mechanic Mark Bridges, Bronze Badges (Paul from Racine), Chuck Marlowe, Janet Guthrie, Bob Forbes, Didier Theys, Milka Duno, Mauri Rose (Jerry from Delphi), the book “Blood and Smoke” about the 1911 race (Donald says ‘a Horrible book’), other books about the very early years.
Monday 5-7-2012
Pete Halsmer, George Souders, the 33 Super Bowl “Super cars” from February 2012, the 33 winning cars photo shoot that occurred in October 2010, what year did all the prize money cover all the positions, Cyrus Patschke/Ray Harroun’s 75 mph plan, Paul in Racine is involved in other conversation!, Cotton Henning (Jerry in Delphi), Bill Cummings, Donald’s favorite piece of trivia (never a driver named Smith), Lee Kunzman (Paul).
Tuesday 5-8-2012
Eddie Johnson, stories and visitors in the photo shop, Floyd Clymer and the annual yearbooks, earliest film footage of the race with actual sound, Tony Hulman was a frequent customer at a Terra Haute cleaners (wearing a corduroy jacket), more memories of Tony Hulman.
Wednesday 5-9-2012
Eddie Sachs and Troy Ruttman in 1962, the Wood Brothers pitting for Jim Clark’s Lotus team in 1965…and how people overstate their accomplishments, does Donald participate in rookie orientation (no)…rookies interested in the history of Indy, Frank Lockhart, car owner Usona Purcell from Vincennes, George Barringer’s rear-engined car destroyed in 1941 in a fire in the garage area, other rear-engined cars in the early years, drivers in the 500 who drove with one leg (lost limb), gravity feed fueling outlawed, Art Cross, Kansas drivers and the Indy 500, the Last Row Party (Paul in Racine), oldest rookie to win the race (not answered, out of time).
Thursday 5-10-2012
The 1930’s “Junk Formula” / Fronty Ford Special (Frontenac) and taking a spring off of a spectator’s car, 17th & Gent Boyle garage building, Johnny Mantz, John Paul Jr. (Paul), most consecutive years a driver has led a lap, oldest rookie winner, 1972 Wally Dallenbach with fires during three of his pit stops, last car with wire wheels, old bridge over the backstretch, Jim Hurtubise wheeling out the Mallard front engined car in the 1970s.
Friday 5-11-2012
Late qualifying runs in 1968, Statement on the program cover “Pay No More” (to counter the bootleg/alternate programs), Frank Briscoe, Bob Veith, radio broadcasts to download and on YouTube, Tony Hulman and the purchase of the Speedway, Steve Horne.
Saturday 5-12-2012
(First half phone calls portion) Affonse Giaffone in 1997 and other drivers who never took the green flag in their only appearance, Mike Spence, Judd Phillips and Mike Mosley, sprint and midget drivers of recent times, June 1910 first national aviation meet photo found in a restroom (actual event but doctored photo), Arie Luyendyk on opening day in 1989 driving in snow flurries, Donald Davidson memorabilia…the “Trivia Wheel”, Buster Warke, re-answer a question…oldest rookie to win the race. (Second half e-mail portion) Winning drivers who did not lead at the white flag (2006 & 2011), Jules Goux drinking champagne during the 1913 race, Ralph Mulford eating chicken and sandwiches during the 1912 race, origin of the the term “pole position” and misuse of the term “pole” (outside pole, pole of such-and-such row), the Sumar team, details about the movie “Winning” with Paul Newman, Darrel Dockery in 1970, Evel Knievel’s ties to the Speedway, Jim McWithey.
Sunday 5-13-2012
(Two hours) Johnny Thompson (Dave from Marion), Charles Lytle, owner Kent Baker, Donald talks about his mother/family on Mother’s Day, comment about the rookies on the speed chart this week…Sebastien Saavedra’s bump day 2010, female car owners, oldest story in regards to the track, Scott Brayton…1996 pole day…1989 finish hypotheticals, Hagg Drugs store (lap prize donor), corrections from previous nights, first year that the observers crew was part of the track…history of yellow lights, Kenny Moran from Moran Electric…Turn Two Suites, the book “Wall Smacker” by Peter DePaolo…the 1920 finish with DePalma stalling while leading.
Monday 5-14-2012
Kenny Moran and The White Front bar, Jimmy Daywalt, Grant King, Jim McElreath (Paul).
Tuesday 5-15-2012
John Boiling, rookie class of 1965, Norman Batten, rookie class of 1963, famous sponsors from the old days…Bowes Seal Fast…Leaders Cards…Dean Van Lines, Chester Ricker and the starting line panoramic photograph (appearing in both sides of the photo), Merle Bellanger, Basement Bessie, Peter DePaolo.
Wednesday 5-16-2012
Ray Keech, Jack Turner, most influential people at the Speedway during the Hulman era, the attendance on pole day, what era had the highest attendance…why qualifying crowds went down, alternate starters.
Thursday 5-17-2012
(May 17 is Dave from Marion’s birthday), starters/flagmen through the years, IMS Hall of Fame inductees for 2012 (Pat Vidan and Michael Andretti), Donald on the flagstand Thursday afternoon, Coke Lot in the shape of Indiana, milestones in speed records, Swede Savage, “Wee” Wilbur Shaw (incorrect) from the Brock Yates book “Umbrella Mike”, Jeaneta Holder “The Quilt Lady”.
Friday 5-18-2012
Louis “Curly” Wetteroth, Bob Scott, Johnny Capels (Paul), name for the creek that used to be in turn 1…”Dry Run Creek”.
Saturday 5-19-2012
(Pole Day) First pace car (1911), 1977 Walther buying Puterbaugh’s car, drinking alcohol the night before, quick question about the Fast 9 Shootout, Spider Webb, an old racer friend calls up…complaining about pop off valves…the Eddie Sachs interview (Lions Club?), Lou Palmer, Ken Miles.
Sunday 5-20-2012
(Bump Day) Trophies…Borg-Warner, Pole award, Wheeler-Schebler Trophy, Stark & Wetzle Rookie of the Year award, Water from Wilbur (not discussed), the sign painted on the walls this year…first time?, 1949 Duke Nalon & Rex Mays in the Novis (planned to split 1st-2nd place money if they finished 1-2), Jean Alesi and minimum speed requirements, last time a qualifier was in the 2012 mph range, Larry “Boom Boom” Cannon, Don Branson, Danny Ongais in 1987…drivers who won the race without qualifying (none), best finishes for a car the driver didn’t qualify (Sneva 80, Mario 81), Tony Stewart on bump day 2004, mechanics Edgar Elder, Joe Scopa, George Morris, USAC Hall of Fame ceremony, Mike Nazaruk, Johnnie Parsons 1950 engine block crack myth, Mario Andretti driving dirt cars, qualifying speed limits…Jim Hurtubise in the 1970s, A.J. Foyt driving for other owners (specifically in sprint cars).
Monday 5-21-2012
Bob Harkey in 1964 (the 1960 winning car), ASA Gary Poindexter, Ronney Householder, Board tracks, last year with open engine rules (1996), Barney Navaro, the Wing & Wheel logo, Dario Resta, Paul: Dan Cotter.
Tuesday 5-22-2012
Fastest rookie qualifier luncheon, race with most Formula One veterans/F1 starts, Norman Hall, Lee Wallard and the “135 mph Club”, U.E. Pat Patrick, most consistent qualifying laps, 1960 race winning chief mechanic (Chickie Hirashima…not Smokey Yunick), Eddie Sachs marching behind a band in 1963.
Wednesday 5-23-2012
The old 1971-1973 version of the show (winning prizes to stump Donald), the term “Special” for the names of the cars, Jack C. Fox, Bobby Marshman, Bob Fletcher, hottest and coldest races in history, talking about this year’s Last Row Party and autograph sessions.
Thursday 5-24-2012
(E-Mail show only) Schedule of events for the weekend…autograph sessions, etc., favorite part of race morning, Bill Cantrell/Madison regatta, Tony Hulman shipping bricks to Chris Economacki in order to build a house, Bud Kerr, Sam Hanks, the 1976 jet dryer, Scott Brayton only pole winner not to start, Lap Prize Program, Larry Bisceglia, Fred Gerhardt.
Friday 5-25-2012
(Carb Day) Recap of former winners autograph session at the museum, 1968 Botany 500 entry, Hall of Fame ceremonies, Jim Phillipe, 1941 race…Mauri Rose, the pace car has more horsepower than the cars, pace car with least horsepower, will Donald create an on-line library of his Indy knowledge?, 1994 race.
Saturday 5-26-2012
No show (All Night Race party)
Sunday 5-27-2012
Race day post-race show
No Brickyard shows
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