Times Past

George Bignotti is 90 years old today. He's one of the all-time great racing mechanics, and was a constant fixture at the Speedway during the post-war era up to the 1980s. His cars won the Five Hundred in 1961, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1971, 1973, and 1983. He helped Frank Kurtis build the original KK series roadsters in the mid 50s, and designed the strange-looking Ford Colt that dominated oval racing in the early 70s. He also had the first female mechanic on his team in 1973.

Anyway, his family thinks he feels forgotten, and they're hoping to have racing fans send him (belated, now) birthday cards.

George Bignotti
9413 Steeplehill Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89117

*****

On reflection, a remarkable number of Indianapolis chassis had animal names in the early 70s. You had Colt, Mongoose, Kingfisher, Coyote, Hawk, Eagle, Scorpion, Mallard...

The Colt, Coyote, Hawk and Eagle all won the Five Hundred at least once. The Mongoose certainly had the potential (and was a beautiful, swoopy thing to boot, unlike the rather awkward-looking Colts and Hawks), but it was like there was a curse on that car.

(no subject)

http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-01-12-voa82.cfm

This is starting to bother me. If you follow the link, you'll see Bush giving a press conference. He's got, as he seems to anytime he's not at his desk, a themed background. This time it's a map of Mississippi. Those can't be cheap. Obviously, that's a drop in the bucket compared to the amounts that get wasted on other stuff, but the principle of it bothers me. It's like there's not even a thought given to government expenditures anymore. Even if he wanted to have a small assortment of canvas backgrounds that travelled with him, I'd not begrudge him that. It's a reality of modern life that a leader has to look impressive on TV. I just can't see where he needs a different one to match the topic of each speech he gives, though.