2001-Broke Tradition-Year 2!! Come On Man!!!

"The Gang"...Me, Cathy, Dennis (in Dennis's 2000 Gran Prix)

friends but NOT rookie's...Steve & Sue Hawley in their Honda

friends & rookies...Terry & Renee (from Diamond Jim's bar, Milwaukee) in their Jeep.

Talked our ol friends Steve & Sue to make a return trip to Indy this year. They haven't been back for the race in many a moon. (see scrapebooks 1 & 2). My friends Terry & Renee came to Indy to see what the fuss was all about. LMAO...

Saturday...Checked into motel. ("The Inn" @ 36th St & High School Rd.) Main lobby and building are in the process of being remodeled. YEA!!!!! Only catch was the manager tried to charge us $100.00/night instead of the $67.00/night I was quoted last year. WRONG!!

But I did talk him into spliting the differance @ $75.00/night.

Mine & Cathy's room wasn't too bad this year unlike last year. (see 2000) Least we had 2 sheets this year even tho' they were both top sheets! T.V. worked, but NO REMOTE.

Terry & Renee had no soap in their room and had damp, moldy smelling pillows. (But we were wondering if they had stayed here before, cause they had brought their OWN PILLOWS!!).

Steve & Sue's toilet in their room didn't work right, but that was OK, for they didn't have any toilet paper in their room anyway!!!

Afternoon we all went Indy Fanfest and stopped @ 37th St bar (next to motel).

Went out to Hooters (Dennis is now our G.T.G. photographer and took LOTS of pictures) for supper were we met Steve Page and his wife Vicky. (Steve is a friend and sportswriter for the Mooseville Times in Indiana. He used to live in Colorado and wrote for the Publeo Chieftain. (see scrapbooks 1&2).

Took our walk that night but too cold & rainy to walk long.

Sunday...Cold, windy & rainy..At track by 7:00a.m. By far the earliest we have ever gotten to the track on race morning. Steve Hawley had to meet Steve Page by 8:30 to get credentials. Steve Hawley came back to seats to give Dennis credentials so he could take his camera into pits & go with Steve Page to get some action shots in turn one.

Was a good race considering the cold, windy conditions. (54F. at start of race). Helio Castroneves won his first 500 driving for Penske and was the first to climb the fence @ the start/finish line after the race. COOL!!!

Came home Monday....God willing....See you in 2002

2000 - Broke Tradition -"Women"?

"The Gang"...Me, Scott, Dennis, John Cochran, Raf (rookie, Friend of Scott's) & "The Women", my girlfriend Cathy and John's wife Ann.
Note; I take full responsibility this year for breaking our self-imposed rule of NO WOMEN allowed to go to Indy with the G.T.G. But what could I do? I had 3 open tickets?? My father & brother are probably rolling over in their grave!!
"The Vehicles"... My '89 Corvette, John's '92 Corvette, & Scott's '93 Jeep
Saturday...Got to hotel @ 36th St. & High School Rd. (The Days Inn is now just called "The Inn", the place has sub-standard accommodations.) I'll explain;
Our Room; 1.) No Phone 2.) No top sheet on bed 3.) Cable TV doesn't work, cable too short! 4.) Extra bed frame under our bed tho'!

John & Ann's room; 1.) No towels 2.) Shower head falls off

For all our inconvenience motel management gave us $54.00 of room rate. (GOOD DEALS THIS YEAR!)

Ate @ Hooters Sat. night.

Took our walk down Georgetown to 16th St. Raf & women aren't rookies anymore.

Sunday...Rain-Rain-Rain...Found parking on side street off of 25th St. Started raining harder when a nice woman in a Ford Taurus offered us a ride to the track. Piled all 7 of us in her Taurus! Race delayed 3 hours. Took a walk during delay to see the new Pagoda Tower and Press Box and Formula 1 track. Returned to seats for start of race. Note; John Cochran needs to bring more of his own beer! Saw good race with rookie Juan Montoya winning driving for Chip Ganassi

After race, I purchased a souvenir shirt and handed woman a $20.00 and got back 4 $1.00 bills AND a $20.00. (GOOD DEALS THIS YEAR!!)

Sunday Night...Scott, Raf, Dennis went downtown to party and us couples went out for dinner. The restaurant messed up the soup order, so the manager says dinner is on the house! (GOOD DEALS THIS YEAR!)

Monday...Bright sunny day (figures!) Raf and the women have never been thru the H.O.F./Museum so we stayed to take them thru it. Then came home. See you in 2001.

1999 - A.J. Retires

Good-Bye A.J. Thanks for the memories.....

"The Gang"...Me, Tom A., John C., Scott, Dennis, Dale P. ( & Rick....yes Rick)
"The Vehicles"...Tom's '99 Chevy Tahoe & my '89 Corvette (yes I said Corvette!)
"Lodging"...3 rooms @ Days Inn on 38th st. & High School Rd. (the Palace?)

Arrived @ hotel Saturday afternoon. Off to Hooters for supper. Karoke at hotel bar, then off to strip joint to celebrate my son Scott's upcoming wedding. (Hey the guy is already corrupt!!)
John & Tom say this WILL be their last year coming, but they came this year to honor and pay tribute to Rick. (I will explain later..)

Sunday...
When the green flag dropped at the start of the race, we DID all raise a toast to our comrade, Rick. Watch an exciting race also. Robby Gordon was leading until lap 198 when his gamble with fuel mileage didn't work out and he had to pit for fuel. Kenny Brack (driving for A.F. Foyt) went on to win and give A.J. his first win as an owner. Gordon finished 4th.
"Ricks Ashes"....When Rick died, he was cremated. Well, we honored one of his wishes, when after the race, Dennis and I spread some of his ashes (I told you he was along with us this year) on his seat! I say SOME cause as we were doing it, some of the people that were left sitting around us, were giving us these strange looks.(?) I told Dennis we better stop. I don't know if we were laughing or crying more. (Never realized when your cremated, there's so many ashes!!) I'm sure even Rick was looking down on us laughing and calling us "a bunch of Roundheads".

God willing>>>>>See ya in 2000>>>>

1999 - R.I.P. My Dear Brother

Feb 7th 1999, God called one of the founding fathers of the Wisconsin Good-Time Gang, my brother Rick home. He had just turned 55 on Feb 5th.

As long as there is the G.T.G. and a race, he will always be with us. At his funeral, his son Dennis & I displayed his G.T.G. jacket, hat, t-shirt, and DRINKING GLOVE! We know he would have liked that. Myself, Rick & Tom Anderson are the 3 fathers that started this racing fraternity. We always looked forward to the day we could take our 3 sons to Indy, and it has become a reality. Rick, Tom, and myself made a pledge that the first member to go the the big "Brickyard" in the sky, the others would raise a toast at the start of that years race. We also agreed NOT to sell that man's ticket, but instead would use that seat for the coolers. At this years race (May 1999), this pledge will be fulfilled.>>>>>>>R.I.P. My Dear Brother

1998-New Traditions Start-Hotel Rooms & Hooters

Yes it's true. In 1998, myself and my friend Dennis Koss (P.O.) went for pole day qualifying. (we also went in 1997). We stayed at the Days Inn on High School Rd and 38th st.. I managed to secure ( I thought) 3 rooms for race weekend for $69.00/room. I will explain about this hotel before we go any further. This hotel serves as a dormatory for a truckers school the rest of the year. So it is (should I say?), not really up to code. There is a dead squarrel in the pool, and we're not sure if the the roof leaks more than the ice cooler or vice versa!? When you walk on the carpet it "squisshes"! We found out why the rooms were so cheap.... "The Gang"...Me, Scott, Brent, Dennis, Watertown's Mike & Tom and Dale. (same crew as last year)

"The Vehicle"... Tom's custom van. (yes it's true, we all piled into one vehicle, but I still got stuck driving!)

Saturday...Get to hotel to find out the hotel has overbooked rooms and has given our rooms away! After some "heated discussion", management located us 2 rooms @ the Marriott on the south end of Indianapolis around 18 miles from the track. But hey, it's great. Shitters, showers, t.v.'s, MAN we're living NOW!!!

For supper on Saturday (remember, we don't have the camper) we started a new tradition that still goes on today....we ate @ Hooters. I think this is the year that my nephew Dennis became our "official photographer". I don't think there was a Hooters girl he DIDN'T take a picture of!
We have always teased him about is Indy picture scrapbook. Tits, ass, tits, ass, and not one picture of a racecar!? Anyway, after Hooters, we wanted to go go-carting but the cops had the place shut down! So it was off to the Miss Nude Indy 500 contest. Dennis fell in love (after he got drunk & punked) and proceeded to give one of the strippers his G.T.G. hat!! It's bad enough he lost his hat, but there was $$$$ of pins on it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......lol He still hasn't lived that one down.

Sunday...



The race was exciting again with Tony Stewart leading the first 22 laps until his engine blew on lap 22. A suprising front runner was John Paul Jr. I had picked a "sleeper" this year in our pool(Greg Ray) that was leading and pulling away till the gearbox failed. My son (Scott) thinks I cheat. Hmmmm?? Our man from Wisconsin (Steve Knapp), ran great finishing 3rd and earning Rookie of the Year honors. Eddie Cheever ran a good consistant race to win it.

GOD WILLING......See ya in 1999................

1997- Rain - Rain - Rain!!!

Finally got new shirts this year. Green & Gold (Packer Colors).

"The Gang"...Me, Scott, Brent, Dennis, Mike Sullivan (Watertown), Tom (Watertown) and Dale Poppenga (P.O.)

"The Vehicles"...My 93 Chevy 4x4 p/u (pulling camper) and Tom's custom van.

Saturday...Have to start this year on a sad note. Bob Schanklin (where we have camped since 1992) died this past year, and his widow is not parking/camping in yard this year. God speed from the Wisconsin Good-Time Gang, Bob.....

So we have moved one block north just off 25th & Georgetown Rd. Don't remember the guys name who's yard we camped in. Typical Saturday tho', set up camper, eat, walk, and Miss Nude Indy 500 contest (haven't done that for a few years).




Sunday... (IRL Update) This was the first year of the naturally asperated (non-turbo) IRL cars. They are using Oldsmobile and Infinity engines. The teams are now using Dallara and G-Force chassis.

"The Race"... RAIN,,,,RAIN,,,RAIN!!! RACE postponed until Monday so we went back to camp and ate, then to a local watering hole to watch the Charlotte 600 on t.v. which was also under a rain delay, but they did get the race in. (Jeff Gordon won it)
Monday....They managed to get 15 laps in before (guess what?)......RAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The track has postponed the race to Tuesday (5/27/97) but sad to say, too many of the Wisconsin Good-Time Gang had to get back to Wisconsin for work, Alot of the fans left also complaining the IRL officials should have re-scheduled the race for the following Saturday. Oh well.....................

Tuesday.........They finally got the race started, and we weren't there to see it!!!

1997 Indy 500 Winner; Arie Luyendyk
See ya in 1998..........................................

1996 - The Year Of The Split

Before we start, please read the following;


"The Gang"... Me , Rick, Scott, Dennis, Brent, Tom (from Watertown) and Dale Pappenga, "rookie" (guy I work with @ P.O.)
"The Vehicles"...My 93 Chevy p/u 4x4 and Tom's Chevy Van (custom).

Saturday - "The Party"... Got to our 'ol friend Bob's house @ 1:30p.m. Brent drove Tom's van. Set up camper and took our walk. (PIN ALERT - PIN ALERT!!) The old guy that we always bought our pewter pins from had a heart attack and his stand is not here this year. First year since 1985 we can't get our yearly pins.


Dale is in awe of the crowd. Came back to camp, shot the bull until it started raining.
Sunday - "Race Day"...Got up to rain, but not bad tho'. The race was only delayed about 1/2 hour. It was the first year for the IRL and all the rookie drivers everyone was so worried about, did just fine! In fact, as an old veteran of the Indy 500, I found it very refreshing and interesting to see someone without the name of Fittipaldi, Unser, or Andretti win it. On a sad note, on the Friday after pole weekend qualifying, the pole winner (Scott Brayton) was killed during a practice session when his back up car hit the turn 2 wall. Scott's car owner John Menard named Danny Ongais as his replacement driver and went on to finish 7th.



After the race, we walked around Gasoline Alley, came back to camp, ate, (slow cooker beef).

Monday - Raining, but stopped long enough for us to pack up camper. Good thing, cause just as we were pulling out, all HELL broke loose!! DOWNPORE!!
Congratulations to the first INDY 500 IRL Winner; Buddy Lazier

And on one finally note.........later on in 1996.....see below;
What can I say (?), this was in the scrapbook ~

1995 - Penske Cars Fail To Qualify!!!

"The Gang"... Me, Scott, Brent, Dennis, John C., Mike Sullivan (Dennis's friend from Watertown)

"The Vehicles"... Jim's 93 Chevy 4x4 P/U & Scott's Ford Escort!!!!! (with broken window!)

Pace Car...

"The Party"...Did things different this year since it seems Boney has fallen off the planet. I have been calling him but no one answers. So this year we left Milwaukee on Saturday and went straight to Bob's. Scott drove to Indy from St. Louis (in his Escort, with the broken window). He was at his grandparents wedding anniversary party. He also started college this year. Anyway, set up camp, ate, took our (you guessed it) walk, bought pins. Boys seem to be partying hard this year, and falling in love at the drop of a hat!! ( But hey, that's another story not to be discussed here). Note; Tom A. (Pres.), did not go to Indy this year because he lost ( laid-off) his job @ Kimberly Clark, but on a good note, he was hired by TNT Holland trucking later in the year.
Rick didn't go for financial reasons. (He's having a bad year too.)

Sunday - "Race Day"... Weather nice and sunny. This was the year the unthinkable happened, when the 2 Penske drivers (Al Unser Jr. & Emerson Fittipaldi) failed to qualify for the race.

Scott Brayton took the pole and Arie Luyendyk qualified second, both in Buick V-6's. This year Firestone tires made their return to the Brickyard for the first time in 25 years. In fact Scott Goodyear almost won the race on Firestone tires, but officials said he passed the pace car while leading the race on lap 190 and was penalized. He finished 14th. Jacques Villeneuve (Canadian) won the race at the age of 24 was the youngest driver to win it since Johnny Parsons won in 1950 at the age of 22.
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1995 INDIANPOLIS 500 WINNER