Watching the Indy Road Course race, figured it was good timing to post a few Indycar pictures from Trenton (1970's):

https://3widespicturevault.com/Nelson_Ivins_Pics&VITALS/T04.30.23_045_UNK_TRE_0070IVINS_1.htm

https://3widespicturevault.com/Nelson_Ivins_Pics&VITALS/T04.30.23_056_HUR_TRE_0070IVINS_1.htm

https://3widespicturevault.com/Nelson_Ivins_Pics&VITALS/T04.30.23_063_UNK_TRE_0070IVINS_1.htm

https://3widespicturevault.com/Nelson_Ivins_Pics&VITALS/T04.30.23_077_008_TRE_0070IVINS_1.htm

Comments welcome.

Fantastic pics, thanks for posting. 45 Jim McElreath. 63 Larry McCoy, 20 Gordon Johncock. 77 Salt Walther, 8 Gary Bettenhausen, 98 Mike Mosley.  Seems like only yesterday I was watching these drivers, cars at Trenton and Pocono.

Gee, they are all American drivers.  You probably just named more Americans in those few photos than raced in the last Indy Car race.

I enjoy watching today's Indycar for what it is  - today's Indycar.  I choose to watch based on if I think the events are interesting and unpredictable, which not always, but most of the time are.  (I really enjoy watching the qualifying process too and the drama involved.) 

I don't want to be even hinting of how others should go about deciding what they like, or don't.  It's up to the individual and I'm fine with that.  I like what I like for certain reasons, and don't like other stuff for certain reasons.  I think that's how it should be, and that's why we're all individuals.

I watch Indycar, and thinking this through a little bit more than I usually do, I guess I form my opinion of what drivers I root for (and who I don't) based on speed... aggressiveness... overagressiveness... and yea, also on personality in terms of how they handle different situations on the track and on the mic.  I really like agressive drivers, but absolutely hate cheap shot artists in any form of motorsports.  I also tend to always root for the underdog, so seeing somebody in what I don't think is a top ride do really well, is always something I enjoy.

Indycar, is no longer what many of us once felt, which when I was growing up, was a "deserved destination" due to years of paying dues, slinging a car around a short track.  It just isn't that way anymore and hasn't been for probably 4 or 5 decades.

Unfortunately, as is the case with most top levels of auto racing, (and if I wanted to give Indycar somewhat if a knock), I'd probably do so by saying that Indycar has become a destination mainly only for those who bring a suitcase of sponsorship dollars with them.  If you look closely, (actually, not even that closely) it really is that way with just about all of the top levels of racing.  There's something that seems really wrong about that, but something that I think most would agree is the case.

There are a few exceptions, but that's just the way it is.

As for Indycar, rather than dirt trackin' or short trackin' their way to the top, some pay their dues in other ways... Alex Palou (born in Spain?) did it by living on his own as a teenager in Japan chasing his racing dreams, competing in different events to continue to get visibility... Graham Rahill (born in Ohio?) after a year or two of some success in the Jr Divisions, (in my opinion) does it by having the same last name as his Indy 500 winning father, and probably a stream of family $'s (?) to continue to support "his dream", even when the results have not been there.  I also think he is probably a very good representative when it comes to attracting and maintaining sponsors, which is another thing that has become more important than ones ability on a local Saturday night short track...

The Indycar series is pretty exciting and for me, it's been interesting to see different drivers come on the scene, which ones are able to turn the opportunity into results... and somewhat interesting to see which ones just kind of fade away once the results, or probably more the case, once they were only bringing their level of "talent" and no longer bringing the suitcase of $'s that had once accompanied their "talent."

Good post Joe. but I guess I'm just a cranky old guy that grew up watching Indy Cars in the mid 60's on ovals, [where they belong, Indy is an oval], not road coarses or street racing.  Never missed them at Nazareth National, Langhorne or the Trenton mile, before they ruined it with the miss shapened mile and a half.  The night before we always went to Reading for the USAC sprint cars, where half the field was Indy car drivers and the other half trying to get there.  My first sprint race was won by Bobby Unser before he ever won an Indy car race.  Back then they weren't spec cars, they were all different.  Lotus, Hawk, Mongoose, roadsters and upright dirt cars all in the same race.  Offys, DOHC Fords, Chevy's.  And when the Europeans came to Indy they left the cars for US drivers, Foyt and Jones got Lotus, McElreath Brabham's Zink car, Big Al and Tingelstadt Stewart's and Hill's Mecom Lolas.  Now the American short track driver only has one hope, NASCAR, let's not get started on modern day NASCAR.  Unfortunately, Indy Car racing is now what it is and except for the "500" I chose not to watch it.