When the rear engine cars came to Indy USAC started to loose their spot in the pecking order of things. It didn't require a driver of great skill to drive one of the new cars but he did need to be a driver with a great backing (MONEY). The guys with driving skills were no longer needed they just needed a guy who new a guy with a lot of money and had a good line of bull to go with it. It helped if he was too young to shave and available for the lady's.

Smoke was probably the last guy to make it on his skill and maybe just a little help of a rich guy that liked him. A race like this could be the savior of USAC. USAC does not have a top of the line series like it once had in the (Indy 500). When the cart thing started the USAC went down the tubes. I can remember going to watch AJ or Parnelli race just because they also ran the 500 mile race. When you get "Smoke" to race in one of your shows the crowd is just going to be bigger. True race people know the great drivers of today, but without the ultimate race the average Joe just never learns their names and does not build any intrest to see that driver race on the small bull rings.

This could be an all American deal and wouldn't cost an arm and a leg to do. It would also be a great way to spot light some of the tallent we got out there now and maybe keep some of them out of those danged Taxi cab things. It's a shame when a driver who started out to win the Indy 500 ends up going to NASCAR just because that is his only way up the ladder. It is a shame when car counts go down at local tracks because they can't come up with any big name driver to draw in a crowd.

Honest Dad himself