The Official Status Update Thread: Part 91 - Snowmageddon 2 (The White Death)

[GregD]

Morning INGO

CM, Doesn't Goodnight still run?

 

[churchmouse]

I have no idea. I am far removed from that circle these days. I can not go and watch a race having participated from sportsman to Professional level. Most of the guys I ran with have retired/quit/or passed on. The ones left are spread out and we do not see much of each other these days. I truly miss the race track.

 

[jagee]

This car looks familiar. When did he run???

We were in college together around 05 and 06, he was racing then, but as far as I know he is still running. Like I said I haven't talked to him in a while.

 

[GregD]

I haven't been to a race in about a year, but was thinking he was run. I'll see if USAC still has the results from last year.

 

[churchmouse]

Now I am in dreamland from the days spent racing or just getting ready to go. Looking out the window from my desk at the snow, knowing I would have used the snow time to work on whatever project we were getting ready to run that spring.

The fella on the left in the pic was Billy Bignotti son of George Bignotti. Any race fans will know who George was. Those guys were my "In" to open wheel at all levels. Indy all the way down to the midget in the pic. George taught me how to "Read" a rule book to my advantage. I miss them both terribly.

 

[GregD]

Jagee, Yes he is still running.

CM, you are right, George is well known.
Care to give more info on your time running?

 

[jagee]

Jagee, Yes he is still running.

CM, you are right, George is well known.
Care to give more info on your time running?

I thought he was. The picture I stole was posted to FB last year, but he just recently had a baby, well not him, but you know...so I wasn't sure if he got out of it or not

 

[Caleb]

I feel off today...meh...

 

[churchmouse]

Jagee, Yes he is still running.

CM, you are right, George is well known.
Care to give more info on your time running?

I started working around George in the early 80's as a weekend warrior. One of the cars in the 500 museum I worked on with the likes of Ed Stone and a cast of other great mechanics. May was my time. I quit more than a few jobs to get the time off to be involved. My best finish there was with The Machinist Union and Rich Vogler at the wheel. We ran 3rd for a long time and fell to 7th overall haveing ran out of fuel due to idiot doing the fuel numbers.
I continued working with teams at the speedway until the 2nd year of the IRL and decided that kit car spec racing was not for me. All through those years I ran with or in the midget pictured and had my own drag racing effort.
In the mid 80's I ran on a team with the Blond fella in the pic (his dad owned the midget) owned By Rick Hendrick Based out of Indy. Look up GTP Corvette. If you get on the right sight I am in some of those pics.
Our last effort was a 3 car drag race team that I and my son ran. We sold everything in 09 due to wife loosing her job.
I have been involved in and around racing since I can remember. I truly miss it.

 

[jagee]

I started working around George in the early 80's as a weekend warrior. One of the cars in the 500 museum I worked on with the likes of Ed Stone and a cast of other great mechanics. May was my time. I quit more than a few jobs to get the time off to be involved. My best finish there was with The Machinist Union and Rich Vogler at the wheel. We ran 3rd for a long time and fell to 7th overall haveing ran out of fuel due to idiot doing the fuel numbers.
I continued working with teams at the speedway until the 2nd year of the IRL and decided that kit car spec racing was not for me. All through those years I ran with or in the midget pictured and had my own drag racing effort.
In the mid 80's I ran on a team with the Blond fella in the pic (his dad owned the midget) owned By Rick Hendrick Based out of Indy. Look up GTP Corvette. If you get on the right sight I am in some of those pics.
Our last effort was a 3 car drag race team that I and my son ran. We sold everything in 09 due to wife loosing her job.
I have been involved in and around racing since I can remember. I truly miss it.

My great uncle used to own an Indy car team or two back in the day. He owned the team when Ken Schrader raced Indy car for 1 year, his last team was 2000 (I think) Andy Hillenburg was the driver they got like 28th at the 500, I think.

 

[churchmouse]

My great uncle used to own an Indy car team or two back in the day. He owned the team when Ken Schrader raced Indy car for 1 year, his last team was 2000 (I think) Andy Hillenburg was the driver they got like 28th at the 500, I think.

I think I know your uncle. Kenny S. is a great guy.

Pic is our qualifying pic from I think 89 with Volgler. Most of the people in the pic never touched the car. There were a lot of "There for the party" folks on board.

I am 6th from the right in the sunglasses. 4 of us built and ran the car.

 

[jagee]

Yeah, my uncle (Usona P.) is no longer with us, but my great aunt still goes to visit the Schrader's and used to babysit the kids. Ann would fly her out to N. Carolina so they could hang out together. Back when I was a little kid and too young to be in the garage area at the track, but uncle wrapped me in a blanket and passed me through the barbed wire fence to Kenny so I could hang out with them. I barely remember that...

 

[Caleb]

Yeah, my uncle (Usona P.) is no longer with us, but my great aunt still goes to visit the Schrader's and used to babysit the kids. Ann would fly her out to N. Carolina so they could hang out together. Back when I was a little kid and too young to be in the garage area at the track, but uncle wrapped me in a blanket and passed me through the barbed wire fence to Kenny so I could hang out with them. I barely remember that...

Sounds like an awesome uncle!

 

[GregD]

CM, what a time you had. The kit cars did ruin Indy. It was interesting to see what someone might build over the winter.
Thanks for shairing.

 

[churchmouse]

We used to sneak my son into the Garage area as well. He hung out with some of the teams that used to be based out of the speedway all year. AJ Foyt, P.I.G. racing and some others.
We used to have some great cook outs in those days.
Man i am misty eyed now. Must be the weather.

I did meet your uncle. I am sorry to hear he has passed.

That age of racing is long gone.

 

[jagee]

We used to sneak my son into the Garage area as well. He hung out with some of the teams that used to be based out of the speedway all year. AJ Foyt, P.I.G. racing and some others.
We used to have some great cook outs in those days.
Man i am misty eyed now. Must be the weather.

I did meet your uncle. I am sorry to hear he has passed.

That age of racing is long gone.

Thanks.

I'm too young to really remember anything from those days of racing (born in '87) and when uncle Usona was racing in 2000 I wasn't really interested. Now I've got some friends that run Harley's...I usually try to get to Bowling Green to watch them but haven't been in a year or two...got married last year so some of my habits and spending has changed.

 

[churchmouse]

This is the last car we built in my shop. It was 2nd car for Plyadel Racing. Phil Geebler drove it and tried to pound the wall down with it.
Last "G" Force to run in the race. The exact year escapes me but it was around 06 I think.



Yes, we drove it around the block....neighbors love us, really....

 

[jagee]

This is the last car we built in my shop. It was 2nd car for Plyadel Racing. Phil Geebler drove it and tried to pound the wall down with it.
Last "G" Force to run in the race. The exact year escapes me but it was around 06 I think.



Yes, we drove it around the block....neighbors love us, really....

That is awesome! I want to be your neighbor...

 

[SkullDaddy.45]

This is the last car we built in my shop. It was 2nd car for Plyadel Racing. Phil Geebler drove it and tried to pound the wall down with it.
Last "G" Force to run in the race. The exact year escapes me but it was around 06 I think.



Yes, we drove it around the block....neighbors love us, really....

I smell a INGO racing team! CM, you do all the work, and we'll take our picture with ya when your done!

 

[jagee]

I smell a INGO racing team! CM, you do all the work, and we'll take our picture with ya when your done!