Indy with Andy (by Richard Schnyder)

During lunch one afternoon with my good friend Jeff and his wife, talking about cars and such, I mentioned that my 25th wedding anniversary was coming up. In response, Jeffrey asked me if I wanted to go the Indy 500 with my wife, Jane, as an anniversary gift.

Let me think about this for about a minute: “Honey, how about we go to the Indy 500 for your 25th wedding anniversary?” or “Jane, what kind of clothes do you think people wear to the Indy 500?” or…someone help me here.

Fortunately, Jane said OK. Might have been because Ashley and Danica were going to be there. What does it matter, though, right?

Now for the best part: It seems my friend Jeff was at a Charity Auction in Santa Barbara put on by Andy Granatelli - you know, Mr. 500, Mr. Turbine, Mr. STP, Mr. TuneUP Masters, sort of like a Very Big Guy in the racing world. Jeff had the illustrious distinction of being the wining bidder at the auction for a trip to the Indy 500 with Andy and his family. As a result of his most gracious invitation, we, too, are going to be in a Private Plane departing from the west coast on Tuesday May 26,2005. Excited? You’d better believe it!

A few short weeks after Jeff tells me about this great gift, my receptionist tells me Andy Granatelli is on the phone. Now, understand, I work in the entertainment world and I get calls from a few “famous” people, but this impressed me. So, I stand at attention and answer the phone. It is him. The voice. No question.

“Hello Andy, it is ok to call you Andy?”, I said.

“Sure, of course. Now Richard, this trip will be the most memorable weekend of your life.” (He does not know about my years in the rock and roll business, that’s another story). “Richard, I want to know if you and your wife want to ride in one of the Two-Seat IRL cars, they will hit about 180 miles per hour.”

“I know I would do it,” I tried to hide my excitement, “but I do not know about my wife.”

“Tell her it is better than Sex.”

“Better than sex with whom?” I replied.

“Just tell her she has to do it.” Andy insisted.

“YES SIR!” I exclaimed, “I will call her right now and get back to you.”

“Here is my phone number.”

“Call you right back.” And I hung up. As I fervently dialed my home number, I thought about what to say.

“Jane, do you want to ride in an Indy car at about 150 to 180 mph?” I asked, “It’s better than sex.”

“Yes, what do I wear?” Jane asked.

“I am going to wear Pampers.”

With that, I hung up and quickly rang Andy back.

“Hello Andy, Jane said ok.”

“Good Job. Soon I will mail you all you need to know about the trip.”

In mid May, we get a ten pound package in the mail with “all we need to know”, plus five video tapes, two books and maybe 50 pages of press releases, all about Andy. He wants us to know who we’re going with. Later, we get a second copy of the book Mr. Indy. As ever an understanding wife, Jane is doing her part by reading it. With the book, Andy sends a note suggesting the book is good reading on the plane trip. I decide to read it on the plane so he will not be tempted to throw me off.

More Later. To be continued…