This being the last race of 1997, I was really looking forward to it. It seems all year we have had some kind of crummy weather at some point during each race weekend. Indianapolis was the exception. The weather was great, 70's and 80's, dry and sunny.

Kerry applying a Team Thicko Tattoo

We left Plover on Wednesday afternoon and spent the evening at team mate Jim Donato's home in Logansport Indiana. Thursday morning I got the tour of Jim's Jeep dealership. What a treat that was. It may say Jeep on the outside, but this place is a sports car lovers dream come true. You think there would be a Jeep in the showroom, right? Nope, would you believe two rare Ferrari's, a V-12 Jag convertible and a Bitter. Just a small part of Jims collection. In the shop, ..Jeeps?... ya, maybe one or two...but I saw a 911 Porsche, a few Triumphs, a Jag and I forget what else.

Jim's father started this business and was a BMC dealer way back in the 50's and 60's. In the back storage garage is another treasure of old cars under tarps..just an amazing place to visit. I mean low mileage, original cars. Triumphs, MG's, Austin Healey's...its in there!

WST, Proud Dad, and Kerryputting on TT Tats

Friday we had two practice sessions and the TT Sprites were running pretty good, no times were recorded so it was just for fun and learning. Friday evening, the entire TT team and crew went into downtown Indy to watch a play in which one of our crew members from the area was featured. Angie....you did a fantastic job! And what a treat it was to watch you perform. TT gets a bit of culture.

Emily Thompson with Katrina the Clown

Saturday was practice and qualifying. Jim was running a brand new engine(a very powerful brand new engine I might add) so he walked away from WST and myself. Bill got the dreaded black flag because his car was smoking so bad. Some said he looked like a crop duster coming around the corners. Turned out to be a leaking gasket.

The afternoon qualifying session went well, but somehow that damn WST got a better time than me. It was a 1, 2, 3 qualifying grid of TT cars, Jim(in his MUCH MORE POWERFUL NEW ENGINED CAR)was fastest, WST second and yours truly third.

We were ready to race! Sunday we had a short warm-up session in the morning and the race was at 3:25pm. Jim(with his MMPNEC!)took off and we never saw him..WST started two cars in front of me. On the third lap, I managed to pass WST as he got stuck behind some slower cars and I found myself in the right place at the right time...

I managed to pass those cars and this put WST two cars behind me. With him fighting those guys, I managed to open a little distance between him and myself. I was feeling SO good! I thought...FINALLY! I HAVE HIS ASS!... well, he got by them and I got into slower traffic and he caught up to me again. He passed me, I forget where, or how, but I messed up and he took advantage of it. We had the most exciting race after that, but were slowed considerably by a Triumph and a Porsche. We ran neck and neck for the rest of the race, I tried as hard as I could to get by him, but I came up a hair short. It was the most fun I had racing with WST this year.

This event has become my favorite venue. The track is made for Sprites, there are tons of passing opportunities here and it is a high speed course. The car is constantly sliding through the corners and old Number 55 loves that. I learned a lot this year and WST, just wait...next year...you will have a race on your hands!

The pics on this page depict what the weekend was really all about,...kids. What an absolute delight it was to look down into those kids faces and see the joy in their eyes when given a TT tattoo or a ride in one of the race cars. I personally took several kids for rides...and believe me, the look in those little eyes, through that helmet made my weekend. They loved it...but I loved it more.

Take care my friends.....see you next year.

Gar
Bugeye racer #55..........racin into the past...