OK more trivia....


Who was the only driver in indy 500 history to start 33rd and finish 33rd?
RG

Dempsey Wilson, 1960.

Also, the Penske chassis is built in Poole England

Who was the most recent to start on the pole and finish 33rd.

This is too easy.

Scott Sharp 2001?

Correct, but not by much. Greg Ray did it the year before driving for Menard. So there were back to back years of the pole winner finishing last.

Does anyone know how many times the pace car has been wrecked during the race? I found this incident on you tube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTNDP...eature=related

Hell, what was he thinkin'? Racin' the cars to the green, except he was on pit lane instead of the track... :kookoo:idea:

I think I read somewhere that there was a cone or something that was supposed to be his braking point, but someone moved it just before the race started.

They way my dad (Johnny Shipman -Assistant Starter Indy 500, 1966- mid 80's)explained it to me was that all month long there was marker at the start finish line and Mr. Palmer was using that as his "reference point to let off and brake". You guessed it, the marker wasn't there and apparerntly Mr. Palmer had the impression that he had to "lead the field across the line". Obvisouly, that resulted in a diasaster that at the time nobody thought would happen. Dad indicated that even the guys on the starting line (Harlan Fengler, Pat Vidan, Jim Beasley (?)) dindn't even realize for a couple of laps as to what was going on at the end of pit road.

I've heard the rumor that the Palmer family still has that car in it's possesion and stored away.

Bill Shipman