Greetings family, friends and neighbors! Today's short story is about some local history, the Indy 500, and connections...Bill 

Historical Ramblings 

DRIVERS, START YOUR ENGINES! 

Louis and Marie Unser migrated to Colorado Springs from Switzerland, raised a family and where he and his sons developed an interest in “new fangled” gasoline engines and developed a love for 

high speed breakneck motorcycle racing. Their son Jerry and his wife Mary arrived in Castro Valley in 1924 where they opened up a garage on the Blvd. at the foot of Lake Chabot Road and between repairing cars for customers and motorcycle racing Jerry converted an abandoned 1917 Winston Touring Car into the Valley’s first fire truck for use by the fledgling volunteer fire department. 

After a short time the Unser’s moved to New Mexico where they opened several auto repair garages and raised four sons, Jerry Jr., Louie, Al, and Bobbie, not aware that they were creating an auto racing dynasty that would last well into the 1990’s. 

The 2-1/2 mile oval brick Indianapolis Motor Speedway was popular to motorcycle racers as well as to roadster drivers and their on board mechanics. Forty teams participated in the first 500 Mile race held on Memorial Day in 1911 with speeds approaching a blazing hundred miles per hour. I can recall listening to the Indy 500 on the radio in the 1950’s when race winners included Jonnie Parsons, Bill Vukovich, Bob Sweikert and Sam Hanks. By the 1960’s AJ Foyt and Mario Andretti were the big names along with the Unser brothers. Bobbie won the Borg-Warner first place trophy four times beginning in 1968, and Al won five times ending in 1994. 

I had the opportunity to visit the Indianapolis Motor Speedway a few decades ago and “take a lap” at the historic brickyard track. Nope, not in a 750 horsepower twin turbocharged V6 Indy car, but in a 

forgettable short bus with a guide and a collection of other off-season track visitors. I don’t recognize the names of most of the current racers or winners but I continue to enjoy watching the Memorial Day 

classic on live streaming TV where speeds are in the 220’s, pit stops are measured in seconds, 360 degree TV cameras are mounted on each car, and I’m reminded of the connection between the “The 

Greatest Spectacle in Racing”, a slow motion trip round the speedway, and an auto repair business in Castro Valley a century ago. – 

Bill 9/23