• Hey Guest!
    British Car Forum has been supporting enthusiasts for over 25 years by providing a great place to share our love for British cars. You can support our efforts by upgrading your membership for less than the dues of most car clubs. There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Upgraded members don't see this banner, nor will you see the Google ads that appear on the site.)
Tips
Tips

1971 Indianapolis 500

Share this page

Brooklands

Brooklands

Yoda
Silver
Country flag
Offline
If you followed Indy Racing in the 1970's then you remember the name Eldon Palmer. He was the Dodge dealer who crashed the Pace Car into a tower of photographers at the start of the race. I learned from Randall Cook of the Racing History Yahoo Group that Mr. Palmer has passed away. HERE is his obituary.
 
Brooklands said:
If you followed Indy Racing in the 1970's then you remember the name Eldon Palmer. He was the Dodge dealer who crashed the Pace Car into a tower of photographers at the start of the race. I learned from Randall Cook of the Racing History Yahoo Group that Mr. Palmer has passed away. HERE is his obituary.
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear that. I wonder - did they ever invite him to drive a pace car again?
 
I watched that race and remember the incident. Hard to realize it's been that long ago. PJ
 
I remember reading about that in a book called "Astonishing-And True-Stories of the Speedway" by Al Powell in a chapter called "The Missing Pole". Apparently when Palmer had been practicing he was using the flagpole as his marker of when to start braking. What he didn't know was that the flagpole is removed on race day, by the time he realized it was gone, he panicked and locked up the brakes.

After this incident, only drivers who have actual and sufficient racing experience are allowed to drive the Pace Car.

The author of the book, Al Powell, was a race car driver who was stricken with polio in the 1950s, which left him a quadraplegic, but apparently did not slow him down.
 
Back
Top