That I first went to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, my favorite place in the world.

When my dad was growing up, he went to the track with my uncles and grandfather, and it became a yearly tradition to go for the first weekend of qualifying.

My uncles were who really got my hooked on the 500, when I was about 5 years old, my uncle Ron told me that I could go to Speedway “when I was old enough”.

Year after year I studied the maps, and learned about the track, hoping it would be the year.

Finally, 1982 was the year. We packed up the cars (my cousins Tom and Eric joined us as well) for the drive from Toledo to Indianapolis. We drove all night (which was weird being up past midnight as a kid), and both Tom and Eric got popped for speeding (in separate cars, minutes apart, that takes direction).

We finally got to the track in the morning and caught practice and qualifying.

I saw it all that day, great speed, records (Kevin Cogan and Rick Mears were flying in the Penske PC10’s).

And then it happened. A guy that my cousin Tom always seemed to get in our race day pool was Gordon Smiley.

He got killed a few yards away from us, and I had to ask my dad, “does this happen a lot?”

Despite the tragedy, and the long delay for the Smiley accident, (in which I scared my dad by wandering off for a couple of hours. Just for the record Dad, I knew where I was the whole time, even if you and the Indiana State Police didn’t.)

I never forgot that incredible day and I couldn’t wait to go back.

I have loved the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for as long as I can remember.

Today I got to stand on pit lane for my job, and I heard the roar of the engines just like I did for the first time in person, on May 15th, 1982.

Thanks Uncle Ron.

Thanks Uncle Bill.

Thanks Dad.