1978 Indianapolis 500 Bump Day (WRTV)

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6 жыл бұрын

-Although ABC aired nationally coverage of "Bump Day" at the Indy 500, WRTV locally was airing their own coverage too of events. PA announcer Tom Carnegie is part of the coverage along with pole-sitter Tom Sneva.
-It's during this coverage that a controversy erupted when veteran driver Jim Hurtubise clashed with officials who wouldn't let him attempt to qualify his front-engine car for the race because it wasn't competitive and had no chance of making the field. Hurtubise then caused a disruption that delayed the qualifying attempt of driver Bob Harkey. While that incident is commented on, WRTV cameras didn't catch some of the more colorful things Hurtubise did as he defied the officials (and then got himself banned from the track for the rest of the month).
-Additional coverage of Bump Day from ABC's telecast can be found here. • Auto Racing - 1978 - ...

Пікірлер: 28

@ReverendBrown. 4 жыл бұрын

Old school bump day was the best thing about Indy. Miss it.

@pastorearl1 6 жыл бұрын

Thank you! I had heard of "Herk's" antics, but hadn't seen it before. Also great to hear Tom Carnegie's PA announcing.

@shananagainandagain 6 жыл бұрын

very valuable footage

@rivotrich7 4 жыл бұрын

Sad to see that. 29:25 +. Jim Hurtubise was always a tough as nails competitor and fan favorite. He was obviously frustrated with not having a chance to at least attempt qualification. I really think the officials should have let him at least try to qualify the Mallard that year. Worst case they could have waved him off after a lap or 2 if he was obviously too slow, like they do to too slow cars today.

@MrChristopherHaas 2 жыл бұрын

@@rivotrich7 a very large crowd of people would have LOVED to see the Mallard make laps REGARDLESS of speed.

@shawnbeck2303 3 жыл бұрын

I Graduated in 1978! We had Seniors Day at the track. Herk giving them Hell! Got thrown out of the Track for the whole Month. Just don't make em' like that anymore. Tom Carnegie's awesome voice over the loud speakers. PAT BADAN TOO. SHAWN.

@timford3599 9 ай бұрын

The Iconic "Pat Vidan" the most colorful flagman ever!

@markdinkel-uh2je 2 ай бұрын

If hurta bee was a better driver top teams would've picked him up since he had money woes. Pat Vidan

@rew4934 5 жыл бұрын

Awesome, I remember watching this on my 19in RCA Colortrax I just purchased that February. Brings back fond memories.

@Amber90125 5 жыл бұрын

I miss the voice of Tom Carnegie and his baritone voice of, “New Track Record.” Tom Carnegie was an Indianapolis 500 institution

@jareddicarlo7816 3 жыл бұрын

So that's where that meme came from

@markdinkel-uh2je 2 ай бұрын

Those were some great days.

@kirkross4514 5 жыл бұрын

I was there! Been every year since 1974.

@healthyone100 6 ай бұрын

wow good for you!

@gary24fan 2 жыл бұрын

I think what the USAC officials were worried about was that, with 32 cars in the field at this late stage, that Herk might actually get in with a 175-mph front-engined car if these other guys like Harkey, Cannon, et al continued having problems.

@TanDawg58 7 ай бұрын

There had to be some inside politics happening. Unless there was some sort of major safety issue with the car like botched frame work, there would be no reason to keep a guy from attempting a lap. And if they didn't want a 12 or 15 year old car running, why not have the rule like NASCAR did where once a car was so many years past its build year, the car was not allowed to run

@HODIUSDUDE 3 ай бұрын

@@TanDawg58 @TanDawg58 Political. Herk was never serious about getting into the race in this era. He entered a car to get himself, his friends and sponsor (local business Moran Electric) into the garage to hang out for the month. They brought beer kegs into the garage and built a makeshift bar out of two garbage cans and a sheet of plywood. They hung out, bench raced, played golf and toyed with the car. Back then it was cheaper to enter a car and a list of team members than to pay for all the individual badges etc. From 1975 to 1977, Herk would use the Network TV time to get exposure for himself and sponsor. ABC did various drop in coverage during the day, and then live coverage of the final hour. Herk liked to time his on-track activity to coincide with ABC coverage. I forget if it was ‘76 or ‘77, but Herk was out on track in the final hour on either day 3 or bump day quals. He ran all four laps with a speed that wasn't going to make it, just to get the TV exposure. Needless to say there were more than a few officials and teams that were upset about him eating up track time, for an entry that was less than sincere. I've always wondered about the 2nd inspection sticker debate. USAC argued it was an addendum to the rulebook in ‘78. I have never seen it. That year Robin Miller wrote a newspaper article saying there was such a rule, but years later backtracked and said there wasn't. But Robin Miller and Donald Davidson both agreed that this was largely political.