1982 The "Gang" Grows

Mario talks to Cogan's boss, Roger Penske ....A.J. gives Cogan his opinon.....Steve & Brent

OOPS........

as the ticket says...........

Bob P. & Tom A.

Gordon Smiley

This year the Wisconsin "Good-Time Gang" got alot bigger. It was myself, Tom Anderson (who from this point forward will be know as the President of the G.T.G.) (I'm the Chairman Of The Board...C.O.B. cause I always got stuck ordering tickets and arranging camping spots) ANYWAY..Brent, our friend Steve Hawley, his friend Gary, my brother Rick, our brother-in-law Bob Pegarsch, and his son Ron made the trip this year. Camping got alittle better this year also. Were still camping at Teresa's. Steve borrowed his mother's pop-up camper. Bob P. pulled the camper with Steve's Pontiac wagon, and me, Steve, and Gary rode our motorcycles. Gary almost didn't make tho'. While we stopped for breakfast, it started raining. Gary dumped his bike coming out of the restaurant on the wet pavement. The only bruise he got was to his ego. After we set up camp, everyone except Tom & Brent (Brent to young), went to the "Miss Nude Indy 500 Contest". All I'll say is "hey, what race?", and fun was had by all.

There was a sad note at the track this year. While qualifying, Gordon Smiley hit the turn 3 wall head on and was killed. At the start of the race, an accident at the back of the field that everyone blamed on Kevin Cogan (they said he accelerated to fast and spun the wheels, he said his half-shaft broke) took out Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Dale Whittington, and Roger Mears. The race was the closet's (at the time) finish, with my man Gordon Johncock (my ex-wife always loved his name!) beating Rick Mears to the line by 1/16 of a second!! For the last 3 laps, the crowd of 400,000 were screaming so loud, you could not hear the cars as they raced by!!!!!!!!