Jay Simpson and Friends: 607 '500s' Together
January 25, 2016 | By Katie Cavin
The 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race is right around the corner, so we’re showcasing race fans sharing their stories of “Why I Love My Seat” – fans that have been ticketholders for 30 years or longer. Fans of all durations are encouraged to email fanmemories@brickyard.com with their stories of attending the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
Jay Simpson, originally from Richmond and now living in Carmel, Indiana, will be attending his 64th consecutive Indianapolis 500. Simpson, who will be 74 by Race Day, retired in March 2007 after a career in the heavy truck components industry.
Where we sit: NW Vista in Turn 4. My buddy, Jim Ayres, whom I met as a freshman at Purdue in 1960, orders our tickets. I believe this year the ticket count is 37 for our group.
First “500”: I saw my first “500” in 1953. I went with a schoolmate and his parents. We parked on 16th Street and slept on top of the car the night before the race. We were across the street from the 16th Street Speedway and could hear the “Night Before the 500” midget races. The next morning we parked inside the track and watched the action on the south short chute from the roof of our car. It was very exciting for an 11-year-old boy and I was hooked on the race, which was the first of two wins by Bill Vukovich.
Race Day routine: We live in Carmel and leave home at 6:30 a.m. and park in the “I” lot behind the north short chute. We tailgate with friends and family until around 10 a.m. when we head to our seats. After the race we tailgate again until traffic clears enough for us to head home.
In the squad: My wife Judy and I host an annual pre-race party at our home on Saturday for family and friends from Richmond, Carmel, Fishers, Bloomington, Columbus, Arizona, Michigan and Ohio. I believe our current head count total is 31. Collectively, this group has attended a total of 607 “500s”, an average of about 26 races per person.
What we bring: Food snacks, beverages, radios, stopwatches, binoculars, rain gear and sunscreen.
Favorite “500”: My favorite was ’87 when I worked for Cummins and Al Unser won in the Cummins-sponsored car, for which the contract was signed at a dinner with the Penske team which I attended on the Wednesday before last weekend of time trials. Al was without a ride and subbed for the injured Danny Ongais. The car was shipped from the lobby of a Holiday Inn in Reading, Pennsylvania, where it had been on display as a show car.
Brush with greatness: My greatest thrill at the Speedway occurred in 2012 when my sons Scott and Pete sponsored my ride as a birthday present in the two-seater with Davey Hamilton as my driver. It was a thrill I will never forget. Afterwards I had my picture taken with Mario Andretti, who was also giving rides.
Another story I believe worth relating is that when my son Scott moved from Indy to Phoenix in 1996, he had made arrangements to buy a 1976 MGB from Terry Lingner, head of Lingner Group Productions. Benny Parsons had given the car to Terry to convert it to a race car but he did not have the time to do it. I told Terry I would like to buy it. At 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve, 1996, Terry and Doug Boles delivered the car to my home, as my wife Judy had cut a secret deal with Terry. “Merry Christmas, Jay!”
Favorite drivers from the past: Pat O’Connor from North Vernon, Indiana, was my boyhood idol as my parents and I followed him very closely on the sprint car circuit. He was tragically killed on the first lap of the 1958 race and it took me all summer to decide if I wanted to continue to follow racing. A tough year for a 16-year-old fan. I have an ironic story regarding Pat’s son, who was 1 year old when his father died. I officiated high school football and basketball for 10 years in the late ’60s and mid ‘70s. I was referee for a game between Jennings County and Aurora in 1974. As the referee, one of my duties was to introduce myself and my fellow officials to the captains of each team. I was completely taken aback when the Jennings County captain introduced himself, “I’m Jeff O’Connor.” I became nearly speechless. It’s a small world sometimes!
Others I have been a fan of because of their talent, successes, and personalities included Bill Vukovich, Sam Hanks, Jimmy Bryan, A.J. Foyt, Parnelli Jones, Jim Hurtubise, Johnny Rutherford, Lloyd Ruby, the Unsers, Rick Mears, Sam Hornish Jr., and Dario Franchitti.
Favorite drivers today: Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Josef Newgarden, James Hinchcliffe and Helio Castroneves
What the Indianapolis 500 means to us: I see the 100th Running of the 500 as an outstanding milestone and achievement for the perpetuation of one of America’s true classic sporting events. But most of all, I will be there with my family and friends, “Back Home Again in Indiana”!