The first time I went to the Indianapolis 500 was 1967. Part of the celebrity caravan was Frank Sutton, the long suffering Sgt Carter that Gomer reported to. Sutton started off Day 2 of the Indy 500 ordering the clouds "Out! Out! Out!" in rare Sgt. Carter form. I don't know how close of friends Sutton and Nabors were off screen but I bet Sutton turned Gomer on to Indy.

It was only a few year later after 1967 that Jim Nabors began a mostly a 40+ year run at the speedway and a tradition. It will be a sentimental an sad May when Gomer sings his final "Back Home Again...".