Tradition Lost
Tradition Lost From its inception in 1911 the Memorial Day Indianapolis 500-mile race, or “The 500” has had a non-race car pace the competitors, at the beginning, and during caution periods. These cars, driven sometimes by celebrities, former drivers and others, to pace the field, were for years’ cars that were new models, design or mechanical innovations, or just the most popular car. Sometimes they were from a particular manufacturer. Since nineteen ninety six. That tradition has gone away. The victim of advertising economics. In the twenty-five years since nineteen ninety six, General Motors, or GM, has provided the five pace car models from two marques. The twenty-five years before nineteen ninety six the pace car was provided by three different manufacturers, and eight different Marques. Two of those marques are no longer in business. Apparently the business of tradition at Indy is not good business. For a race that has so much rich tradition surrounding ...