Indiana Open Wheel - Astro dome!

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THEY RACED 3 YEARS THERE! GARY BETTENHAUSEN WON ON SAT NITE AND LEE KUNZMAN SUN AFTERNOON TOM BIGELOW WAS THE POINT CHAMPION! THEN AJ FOYT WON THE NEXT YEAR THEN GARY BETTENHAUSEN THE LAST YEAR!:applaud::checkered:

Originally Posted by SUPERDUKE:
THEY RACED 3 YEARS THERE! GARY BETTENHAUSEN WON ON SAT NITE AND LEE KUNZMAN SUN AFTERNOON TOM BIGELOW WAS THE POINT CHAMPION! THEN AJ FOYT WON THE NEXT YEAR THEN GARY BETTENHAUSEN THE LAST YEAR!:applaud::checkered:

And I wish that they would do it again. I live 15 minutes away, and the joint is just taking up space in the Reliant Park parking lot these days. . . .

Too much cheatin' Everybody started cutting the track inside.

:dologob:

Here is a scan of the program cover, and a photo from the Mel Kenyon web site
http://melkenyon.tripod.com/

http://melkenyon.tripod.com/1969astr...ram484x367.jpg
Mel shown leading the way in the painting printed on the program cover of the First Annual Astro Grand Prix, held in March of 1969 at the Houston Astrodome. This event boosted the popularity of midget racing across the U.S.

http://melkenyon.tripod.com/m_m-68-astdom640x480.jpg
Photo by Jim Chini courtesy of Mike Grieff
Inaugural Astro Grand Prix - Houston Astrodome
USAC Invitational Midget event.
(left to right) Mario Andretti (driving Mel's second midget),
Mel Kenyon, Bob Krohne, Don Kenyon, Chuck Nowiki,
Gene Thomas, Ray Grieff.

My uncle just purchased a car that raced in the astro dome. It was a #99 solar that was AAA registered to John F Farmer. Anyone recall the car? We're trying to find info and pictures to restore the car.

Jason

Originally Posted by D.O.:
Too much cheatin' Everybody started cutting the track inside.

:dologob:

SO THATS WHERE THE WOO DRIVERS LEARNED THAT! :applaud:

Originally Posted by cmakin:
and i wish that they would do it again. I live 15 minutes away, and the joint is just taking up space in the reliant park parking lot these days. . . .

go rent it and do it!

Originally Posted by SUPERDUKE:
go rent it and do it!

Well, with Harris County AND the City of Houston, AND the Houston Sports Authority involved now, lots of pockets to be lined first. Hell, their idea of racing is the Houston Grand Prix (in the parking lot around the Dome and Reliant Stadium) and that is gone. It was never much of a draw, anyway.

Ah Ha, this will probably go better here than where i originally posted in the PRI thread. I am glad others thought it was interesting enough to chime in about. I not sure if it is all accurate, but below is what i remember hearing,

(MOVED)
it was a side note a few pages back, but the Astro Dome was run in '69 and '70. Dad told me quite a few stories about those races, but i am not 100% on the winners. Duke said Gary Bettehausen which sounds right for '69 to me. it seems like '70 was a dual feature deal with Lee Kunzman winning one and Foyt the other. Where is Bitterwind at when we need him, i am sure he knows the answer.

there were a quite a few good stories my dad told me about these races that come to mind, but regarding the winner. My Grandfather and Tattersall actually protested the finish when Foyt won. it was pretty slick and about halfway thru the feature the fast way around was cutting down into the infield thru the corners. By the end of the race most of the feild of cars were running almost the entire lap inside of infeild even down the straightaways. Dad was standing in the infield watching and signaling Tat. I remember him telling me by the end he was standing in the center of the infield next to Andy Granatelli, who i think was the promoter, backed up against the trophy and the cars were so far in the infeild he he felt like they were racing around his feet. Tat never left "the original" racing surface to cut thru the infeild and ran fourth or fifth. Grandpa and Tat protested telling USAC that they should get the win since they were the highest finishing car not to race in the infield. It didn't get far, LOL. But in 1970 i expect it would be a pretty bad deal to take a win away from AJ in the heart of Texas.

Originally Posted by stroud21:
ah ha, this will probably go better here than where i originally posted in the pri thread. I am glad others thought it was interesting enough to chime in about. I not sure if it is all accurate, but below is what i remember hearing,

(moved)
it was a side note a few pages back, but the astro dome was run in '69 and '70. Dad told me quite a few stories about those races, but i am not 100% on the winners. Duke said gary bettehausen which sounds right for '69 to me. It seems like '70 was a dual feature deal with lee kunzman winning one and foyt the other. Where is bitterwind at when we need him, i am sure he knows the answer.

There were a quite a few good stories my dad told me about these races that come to mind, but regarding the winner. My grandfather and tattersall actually protested the finish when foyt won. It was pretty slick and about halfway thru the feature the fast way around was cutting down into the infield thru the corners. By the end of the race most of the feild of cars were running almost the entire lap inside of infeild even down the straightaways. Dad was standing in the infield watching and signaling tat. I remember him telling me by the end he was standing in the center of the infield next to andy granatelli, who i think was the promoter, backed up against the trophy and the cars were so far in the infeild he he felt like they were racing around his feet. Tat never left "the original" racing surface to cut thru the infeild and ran fourth or fifth. Grandpa and tat protested telling usac that they should get the win since they were the highest finishing car not to race in the infield. It didn't get far, lol. But in 1970 i expect it would be a pretty bad deal to take a win away from aj in the heart of texas.

aj was the promoter!