As a lot of you know, Tommy Ivo had a recent stroke. Here's the latest on his recovery from a message he sent to the Standard 1320 group that I copied off Nitrogeezers. Looks like he's still not running on all 8, but he's getting better. From: Tom Ivo To: Standard1320@egroups.com Sent: Saturday, April 24, 2004 4:19 AM Subject: [Standard1320] You touched me deeply!!! You gotta be in my shoes to know how good it feels to have gotten all the well wishes from all you folks. I fell off the back of the chair when even Pat Foster had a kind word for me!!! ---- Just kidding Patty --- you know your one of my hero's!!! But the half full glass is. That it could have been far, far worse. I don't take the whole lightly. But, the only thing that really bothers me, is that it made the upper left side of my field of vision have patchy moving colors in it. "Far Out Man", as Jungle Jim use to say!!! ------ So long as it nothing else comes up!!! But we've been checking every nut and bolt. And everything else look good for the next round!!! I wish I could answer each and every one of you personally. But when I look at the monitor. It's a little like, I just kicked the rods out of the Chrysler in the lights, in a night race at Long Beach. And the goggles are all oiled in!!! ------ well ------ Maybe it's a little closer to pushing part of a rocker cover gasket out on the four engine Buick car, half way down the track at a day race!!! You know how us dragster drivers like to make a good story better!!! <sheepish grin> But sincerely!!! Thanks again for the warm support. Your hero and mine!!! TV Tom PS Do you realize they get you up at 5 AM IN THE MORNING, in the "Horsepital"!!! That in it's self is the best incentive to get better!!! And they tell me things do get better!!!
Never met the guy, know little about him, but he sure crops up a lots when you go paddling through the history of rodding and racing. He built some wild cars, had some real fun, and laid a path for many to follow in. Wishing him all the best
I missed that bit of bad news. used to watch him in the 60's. If anyone gets to talk to him pass on my best wishes. With a stroke you never know how much you've lost until the smoke clears, could take awhile. Frank
One of my earliest memories is seeing Ivo standing on the rear wheel of that T-Bucket watching the fuelers run. I musta been like 7 or 8 at the time.
I ran into Tom about three weeks ago and had a nice chat with him. Sure glad he's getting better. There's one hell of a racer. Wayno
Got to go with Cris "The Greek" Karamzini for a match race with Ivo in '74. A good friend in the Cleveland area pitted for him and hooked me up. This was the era that Ivo had the glass sided trailer. Met the Greek on the Ohio turnpike and went to a track in Pa., might of been Reading?, track sat in a valley and had a real short shut-down area. Got to the third round and Ivo burned him down at the line. The Greek was pissed and I thought he was going to kill him! Two hours later we're all sitting in a resturant,laughing and joking like nothing happened. Just another day at the office for those guys.
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