Great thread! I went to many, many AMA Grand Natl. races for years before my addiction to Midgets, Sprints and Champ Cars....lol (I even attempted some semi-pro stuff myself, with marginal success at best)
We witnessed the one and only win in AMA history by a water-cooled 750 Yamaha by Kenny Roberts over the HD's of Corky Keener and Rex Beauchamp at the Indy Mile before it was banned! Made trips to Louisville, Peoria, Toledo, DuQuoin, Santa Fe, Astrodome, Cobo Hall in Detroit and many other Regionals.
We also were in attendance at Terre Haute when Al Michaels and Olympic Decathalon Champion Bruce Jenner did the broadcast live for ABC Wide World of Sports in '77(?) Of course we drank beer at the races back then too, and hangin' out after the races we were approached by Jenner for something to drink.....:O: We offered him a beer if he would high-jump over our van. Wouldn't you know the big sissy took a pass.....but had a beer with us anyway. Great times!