1983 Indy 500 Fast Friday practice part 1

Home video shot during the final practice before pole day for the 1983 Indy 500.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Racing
• Indy
• 500

[DavidSkywalker01]

@3338MAN I might have to ask Donald Davidson if he remembers somthing ike that, this is a very interesting story. Thanks for sharing. :)

[3338MAN]

@DavidSkywalker01 I shouldn't say he failed to qualify because he never made it past ROP. Not that he couldn't. He just had a small crash and that ended it. I think he would have been very good. I have looked on the internet for anything on this and can't find. I rather think it was a pretty secret deal and if he made it through, was going to try and run Indy. I was there. That's all I know. It was a blue and yellow March, #53. Don't recall much more. But he was there for a day or two in April.

[DavidSkywalker01]

@3338MAN seriously? do you have a link to back this up?

[3338MAN]

Little known fact: Dale Earnhardt failed to qualify for this race, crashing pretty hard in T1 in an early morning practice run a few days before after just a dozen or so shakedown laps in prep for a late Rookie Orientation run. He never ran an Indy Car again. Bruno Giacomelli owned the car, an 82 MarchC, but Al Loquasto's old crew from the late 70's basically was the team. Wrangler was the sponsor, #53. Tim Richmond set it all up. It was kept fairly quiet, but Earnhardt was not real big yet.

[wpsracing108]

Awesome, Daly!

[markko17]

Thanks for posting!! Couple nice shots of Mario in the Budweiser/Newman-Haas car. That was the first year for them as a team. The rumor right now is that if they don't get any sponsorship by December 1st, they could be closing their doors. Hope it's not true. But at least we've got the memories. Thanks, again!!

[ukks63]

Oh my god! great VIDEO! Al Unser sr Al Unser jr Tom Sneva Teo Fabi AJ Foyt Rick Mears Gordon Johncock Bobby Rahal Derek Daly !!!!!

[marks33363]

awesome vids, reminds mw of why i wanted to race, but fast friday was not concieved, it was carb day, and it was on thursday before the race

[elsenorpollojorge]

Gordon Johncock in that STP Wildcat the year after he won. That car was one of the coolest looking ones of the era. Great neat old racing vids you shot over the years.

[manthing43]

Great footage, great sounds, great memories!  Good coverage of alot of different drivers too!