Part 23- My Fantastic Supreme 2009 Indy 500 Photo Diary Blog Type Thang: Photos Of My Father

You all are probably tired of hearing about my dad, but I discovered something earlier this week that is kind of interesting.

I often look for Dad in the backgrounds of old Indy 500 Memorial Sweepstakes photos and films.

Earlier this week, my uncle, (Dad’s youngest brother, and the same uncle who used to rightly thump me on my gourd with his Indiana University class ring when I misbehaved), loaned me the book Team Lotus-The Indianapolis Years, by Andrew Ferguson.

As I was quickly leafing through the book, I found this photo.

It immediately grabbed my attention.

stolen photo

There…on the right and indicated with a red arrow…I swear that’s the old man!

It appears to me that he is looking down and fiddling with his camera, and that he has just shot, or is getting ready to shoot, this great photo of Dad’s I have shown you all before.

Dad's photo

In the background of the above photo, just behind and to the right of Clark’s head, are the dark colored pants Colin Chapman was/is wearing in the photo I stole from the book.

Having done my quick detective work and analysis, I emailed the two above photos to my mom and my uncle.

Uncle says it very well could be the old man, because Dad was at Indy that day Team Lotus rolled out Clark’s rig.

Mom says she doesn’t think it is Dad, because she doesn’t recognize the pants…46 years later!

Now…I know I can’t remember the pants I was wearing 30 years ago, but if anybody could recognize Dad’s backside in a 46-year-old photo, I guess Mom could!

Plus…back in those days, Mom did all the laundry, and often ironed a bunch of it by hand using a damp hot stone, therefore, she was intimately familiar with her family's clothing.

So…maybe Mom is right.

But…The body style and height is right for his age at the time, and he was a tall guy…6’6’’…so…

Maybe it’s not Dad in the picture.

I will continue to believe that it is my father.

Please allow me to dream.

Miss you, Dad.