History I.R.P. Timing Tower picture thread

I attended the Nationals at IRP several years. In 1963 I went with Lee Sturtevant, of P.A. Sturtevant Co. They made torque wrenches and supplied Sears. Lee got Sears to sponsor the mechanics awards. I had a p*** to go in the tower near the end of the track on the opposite side of the spectator stands. I think it was called the sponsors tower. It was air conditioned and had a spread of food. I was watching the races and sitting next to George Hurst. We were talking and I mentioned to him I was trying to get a Hurst Shifter for my 62 Ford Galaxie 500 XL 4 speed 406, but none of the dealers had the kit with the shift lever shaped to p*** through the XL console. He took out one of his business cards and wrote on the back and told me to take it to his Co. truck. I did and they gave me a free shifter kit. I also met Wally and Barbara Parks. There were dragsters running during time trials and Danny Ongais, in his dragster, was racing another dragster. The other dragster bogged on the line and Danny O. bogged and I think his engine died, at about half track. Ongais took an early exit before the shutdown area. In the mean time, the other dragster took off again and T Boned Ongais' dragster as it crossed his lane before the end of the track. The other driver got knocked out, but was OK. After PA Sturtevant's patent expired, Sears had an off shore vendor lined up to make torque wrenches copied from his and dropped Sturtevant.

 

The powers to be at NHRA now don't care about the history of the sport or what things mean to people.... it's all about the $$[/QUOTE]

It always has been with them.

 

My cars at Indy. Both o/t Mus....... But the tower is traditional.

 

....

 

1966 Nationals

 

Here's Moody & Jones vs. Reider/Weiler in the trophy run for Junior Eliminator at the '64 Nationals.

 

.....

 

....

 

More..

 

Did anyone notice that, some where around 1967, there was a fourth floor added to the IRP D-A Lubricants timing tower ? It possibly could have been added at the same time the Hurst bridge was constructed.

 

Concerning the moving of the IRP timing tower to the 5/8 mile oval track. Was the entire timing tower moved to the oval, or was it just the top section of the tower.