Auto Racing: To Catch a Ghost

The race itself was still two weeks away. Yet 225,000 fans turned out at Indianapolis' famed Brickyard to watch 56 drivers compete for 33 starting positions in what seems certain to be the fastest, scariest, and most intriguing Memorial Day 500 in history. For the nostalgic, who bemoan the passing of the old Offenhauser-powered roadsters that dominated the 500 for years, there was Lloyd Ruby, who hit 165.2 m.p.h. in his American Red Ball Special powered by a rear-mounted Offy. For patriots, unhappy that foreign "sporty car" drivers in foreign machines have won the last two 500s, there was...

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