more respect everyday
 

Think back about Jan for awhile. First off he got to live his dream, his way. First as a hippy, then as a Jesus supporter. He seen the highest of highs and obviously the lowest too. His trademark leather hat, a hand down from his fallen brother was his favorite thing on earth. As a side note, if I could pick any thing from any racer to have it'd be that beatup hat not some million dolllar car. Anyhow and now I'm no expert but just the fact that he competed in what during it's time was the most demanding racing there was one year after a severe head trama is beyond brave it's really super human. Now my own injury was 5 years ago. I still have a moment of brillance now and then and I think on a rare good day I'm still way fast and a better rider then ever. Problem is them good days dont come along often and how Jan raced after just one year off just blows my mind, I promise you there were days it must have been near impossible and still he strapped in. Odd's are he'd be alive today if he wasnt fearless, and didnt suffer his eventually life taking second major head trama. Always my hero and the original "outlaw" :9:

Re: more respect everyday
 

Jan was one of my favorites growing up. I feel privileged that I got to see him and Kenny Weld put on some fantastic battles back here in the east. I always felt his life story would make a good movie.

http://davidm.smugmug.com/Other/80/B...88_ZDVNV-L.jpg

Re: more respect everyday
 

Never had the honor of watching him race live in person...missed it by one year age wise...but thanks to the internet and Dick Wallen I have got to watch him work his magic.....

And thanks to Indy Screen Print I have a really nice shirt with the Bogar car on the back of it.

Re: more respect everyday
 

I think this is a really good tribute. I also think "The Rain Song" was an excellent choice as background music.

Jerry

Re: more respect everyday
 

wonder what happened to that old hat :11:

It's in the Hall of Fame.One of my favorite exhibits.
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Re: more respect everyday
 

A photo that I took of Jan at IMS in 1975.

I have a picture of it under glass. I use it for my twitter profile picture.

I would have never thought a hat would validate an entire place, but seeing it at the Hall of Fame went a long way toward that.
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Re: more respect everyday
 

Another of Jan. From the 500 back in 1976.

Re: more respect everyday
 

I met his son Jan Jr at a track outside Atlanta on his 1st night in a sprint car. He looked just like his Dad, had the same type of hat on.
Anyone know where he is now?:11:

Re: more respect everyday
 

we ran a.w.o.l (american winged outlaws) with him ,he raced a few time's with us,but the last i knew he was done racing

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Jan Jr. has run a bit here in the east, but it been a while since I've seen him race. Lincoln 2005.

http://davidm.smugmug.com/Other/Car-...39_F4XNL-L.jpg

Re: more respect everyday
 

At 2:52 and a little beyond, There is a DOWNTUBE Sprinter #2 Anyone know who that was and Who's car? Bout ten to twelve years before Downtubes were even slightly ordinary?

Chuck, not missing the Opp show, But found that unusual.

Re: more respect everyday
 

That's the Ben Leyba/Jack Steck #2 with (I believe) George Snider at the wheel. That day was my 1st trip to Eldora.

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Yep, thats the one, #99. My car is number 9, and my speedway munber was also, I always wanted to be half as good as him. Man thats beautiful, the car never looked so clean on the eastern swing. I used to be the pesky kid that would be planted on his r/r when I was lucky enough to pit some at flemington and reading, there was anoughter track we used to sneak into the pits at, but I cant recall now. I remember as a young man telling the track security at flemington that I was sorry as a kid I used to sneak over the front cate. My dad used to dump us off out front at abt. 2 in the afternoon, and pick us up bout midnight. In between we'd ninja over throw a blanket over the barbed wire and scoot in. Then we'd ninja over under the grandstand and hid till the gates open, run up and claim the best seats in the first turn, flip city as it was known. Anyhow the guy laughed and said were sneakin in huh ? we'd all go up above the covered grandstands and watch you guy's, he said it was a heck of a show and we had them laughing up there for years.