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68
winter
|
spr ing
Dean Kruse, who heads up Kruse International, one of the world’s leading
auction firms and the largest collector-car auction company, about to oversee the
groundbreaking ceremony for the Andy Granatelli Hall of Fame. It is now open.
Andy Granatelli’s (above) autobiography “They Call Me Mister 500,” became a national best seller
The speedway was rained out two days before race day, but the sun shone brightly for this year’s
Indy 500.
And, they were off, 33 race cars, traveling at speeds exceeding 225 mph,
the roar of the engines so loud virtually every fan wore ear plugs. For old-
timers, the 500-mile race doesn’t
really
get interesting until the 150
th
lap
or so, and this race was no exception. Although
Scott Dixon
triumphed,
mishaps on the track and a genuine goof-up by
Ryan Briscoe
, who
bumped into Danica as he came out of the pit area forcing her out of the
race, made for controversy and an exciting finish.
Following and listening to Andy Granatelli and his brother Vince on
Race Day as they conversed and joked with Indy car drivers, mechanics,
officials, the track’s owners, television commentators, fans, celebrities, and
others, is akin to having observed the Beatles return to Liverpool, or Bob
Dylan to MacDougal Street. These octogenarians were like a couple of
teenagers re-visiting the haunts of their greatest conquests.
“In my will,” says Andy during a quiet moment as the joy and
satisfaction of being completely in his element is absorbed, “I tell my
family that I want to be cremated and I want my ashes spread on the
track. They don’t condone that,” he continues, “but some in the know are
aware of others whose ashes have been scattered on the track, including a
two-time Indy 500 winner.”
And, if
anybody’s
ashes deserve to be scattered on the track of the old
Brickyard, it would be Andy Granatelli’s ashes; something tells me he’ll
accomplish this last wish of his, just as he’s accomplished pretty much
everything else he’s ever tried. Something also tells me that, rather than
being scattered, a special place will be found for Andy’s ashes, somewhere
close to the finish line.