10-3-2021 Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Man and his car

Dad and Son

Here's the long version of what happened.  Rick drove a couple of test and qualifying days.  On the last day of qualifying, usually they are driving to try to improve their time and starting position.  On this day, Rick's tranny went south, he couldn't get into 4th or 5th and he had to drop out.  He was beyond bummed.  Rick and the other 2 guys who race with him chip in and they have a lot of spare parts including an engine and a tranny.  So at 9AM on Thursday, Rick and Rob and the other 2 drivers rolled up their sleeves and rolled out the mats and began work to replace the tranny.  The guys were focused and uber-serious so Trina and I decided to get out of the way and went back to the RVs.  They worked all day.  At about 3PM, they were finished and Rick got permission to run a practice 1/2 lap.  He said it still wasn't shifting smoothly.  So, once again, they got all serious with mikes and so on and we chicks disappeared.  Finally, they got it as close as they could to functioning well but Rick was not allowed to do another practice run.

Exiting turn 1

On the straight

Pile up between turns 2 & 3 that 
Rick skillfully avoided

Proud Dad
Navigator and Timer

Turn 6B

Anxious Sweetheart

The next day was race day at 8AM.  Rick was out there with a brand-new tranny that had only briefly been tested.  There were 48 cars in the field.  Rick had to use his qual time from the day before the tranny incident which put him back in 17th place.  They started the warm-up laps and all of us were really anxious.  He got 2 warm-up laps and it seemed to be running OK, at least to us spectators way up high in the stands.  Well, the race went shittily because there were so many crashes and yellows but Rick managed to escape mostly unscathed.  The drivers only got 5 hot laps out of 19 total possible and they called the race on yellow.  With 1.5 mins. left on the clock that we could see, they should have let them drive at least one last hot lap but the assholes didn't.  Even still, Rick finished 5th after starting in 17th!  We were so proud! 

Trina and Lindy in the paddock

In the paddock

Then came tech inspection for the top 6 finishers.  This is where they literally dismantle the car to see if everything is legal and to spec.  The 3rd place finisher was disqualified so Rick's buddy moved up into 3rd and Rick moved up into 4th place!  Not bad for the first time at Indy and with a replaced, untested tranny!  We were really, really proud!  What an amazing week!

Trina, Rick, Rob, Lindy & Johnner

My two nephews, Joe and Johnner, Joe’s wife Debbie and my brother George and his wife Ray spent time with us.  Johnner, George and Ray went to the race with us!  It was precious family time for me.  I was bursting with happiness.

The fam:  Lindy, George, Rob, Trina,
Ray & Johnner

The Fan Club

The Man and His Chick

Johnner and Rob

Bench Racing in Noobee
Rob, Debbie & Johnner

Fans:  George, Ray & Rob

In the stands on race day
The Fan Club:  Lindy, George,
Ray, Rob & Johnner

Debbie & Joe

More Bench Racing in Noobee

Now it is Saturday and everyone has departed except Rob, Rick and me.  We 3 will leave tomorrow morning.  Rick will go his way back to WA and Rob and I head out to Kentucky.  And that’s the haps from Indy, race fans!