Well since I always remember to zip down, I must be doing OK. When I
was young there were two things I used to do with the little fellow
and I seem to have forgotten one?????
My own grandfather raced for Harley Davidson before WW-1 and he was
no kid then! Used to talk about belt drives which we had back then.
Once in a race at Cleveland (or some place in OH), the rope holding
up the start/finish line banner slipped , allowing the sign to droop
low over the track on the last lap.
The lead driver was about 100 yards ahead of grandfather and he
caught that rope across his neck and was decapitated as he crossed
the line! The bike and rider (sans head) carried on down the
straightaway and actually made it around the first curve of that
fairground horse track before falling over. Grand dad got second
place that day and was damned happy about it! That was one time 2nd
was better than 1st, he used to say.
When he died at 102, Harley sent a uniformed rider with a new bike.
They mounted his ashes urn on the back and he led the funeral to the
cemetary interment service. They never forgot....who helped make
their name.
Back in the 40s and 50s, I hob nobbed with Indy drivers Rex Mays,
Duke Nalon, Chet Miller and Al Miller as well as several Chicago guys
who owned Indy cars. We all worked for Ford Motor Co. aircraft engine
division which was a haven for every worn out broken down race car
driver who needed a job.
I worked with the German who helped design the 12 cyl Auto Union car,
Prof. Dr. Ing. Eberan von Eberhorst and this guy was a genious like
Dr Porsche who lead the design team. He also was part of the
Cisitalia design team . He used to sit around with us and tell
stories of Hitler, Porsche, Nuvalari, von Brauchitsch, Rudy
Caracciola, Bernd Rosemeyer, Dick Seaman, Herman Lang and the famous
Mercedes team mgr. Alfred Neubauer.
Of course I soaked up millions of tales from all these guys and added
my own as well. This explains a little, why I sprinkle such stuff
in my various messages to the LIST. You guys seem to like hearing of
the old days !
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Tue Sep 05 2000 - 09:59:37 CDT