Hitman's Pontiac Trans Am Forum
Trans Am Photos => Trans Am Photos => Topic started by: jjr on March 29, 2007, 09:12:34 PM
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Something a little different...
"Actual Pace Cars"
(http://www.301garage.com/TAC/1980_I_a.jpg)
(http://www.301garage.com/TAC/1980_I_b.jpg)
(http://www.301garage.com/TAC/1980_I_c.jpg)
(http://www.301garage.com/TAC/1980_I_d.jpg)
Joe R
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Very nice! Thanks for the pics. Glad to see I'm not the only one with an Indy.
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Excellent, thanks for posting. I know there's someone on TAC asking about a car and whether it's an actual pace car.
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Nowdays they get somebody trained in driving the pace car to do that job. Back in the day it was a "plum" assignment handed out to whichever dealership landed the delivery and prep jobs for the cars used by IMS for the month of May. That all ended when a local dealer drove off the track into the pits at the end of the parade lap and crashed into the press box because he misjudged his speed. I'll dig around and see if I can find that shot, taken by a photographer IN the press box seconds before impact... :o :o
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There's always someone who ruins it and usually unintentionally. Would love to see the pics, as long as no one is bleeding.
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Yep, not gonna repeat the "dead deer" fiasco from over on TAC... ::) ::) :-\
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hehehehe... hhahahahaha... that was a good thread, I don't care who ya are...
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Still looking for the pic, but here's the skinny on the event from Wikipedia:
"Automakers compete for the prestige of having one of their models selected as the year's pace car for the publicity. In 1971 it backfired for Chrysler Corporation and local Indianapolis-area Dodge dealers. Eldon Palmer lost control of the Dodge Challenger pace car and crashed into a photography stand, injuring several people. The blame for the crash was never fully determined, as officials realized that an orange cone (or perhaps an orange flag), which was to identify Palmer's braking point, was accidentally removed."
I'll see if I can find that pic...
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Still no pic, but more of the story...
"Eldon Palmer is the owner of automobile and truck dealerships in the Indianapolis, Indiana area.
He is perhaps best known as the pace car driver for the 1971 Indianapolis 500 race. Palmer was one of four Indianapolis Dodge automobile dealers to promote the Dodge Challenger as that year's pace car, so he was chosen to handle the driving duties.
In preparation for the race, Palmer set up a traffic cone to provide himself with a reference for where to begin slowing the car. This was a sound idea, but someone moved the cone without his knowledge, leading to perhaps the most spectacular Indy crash of the 1970s.
In the car with Palmer on race day were Speedway owner Tony Hulman, longtime ABC television sportscaster Chris Schenkel and astronaut John Glenn. All four were literally and figuratively in for the ride of their lives. When Palmer realized that the cone was gone, he attempted to stop quickly, but lost control of the car, which skidded into a temporary grandstand packed mainly with photographers.
Some 22 people were injured in the crash, yet no one was killed. The occupants of the car were shaken up but not seriously hurt."
Sounds like a big OOPS! to me...
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Ah, nuts! The picture I remember apparently is in the archives of the Indianapolis Star, where you can ORDER it... ::)
I remember it quite clearly -- the occupants of the car were bracing themselves for impact with the most horrified looks on their faces... :D
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Well, you gave it the old college try, I guess that's all we can ask for.
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Great post Joe... cool pics... :)
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very nice, wah wah woo wah