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Chris Judah Archives for 2015-05

"The other side of the fence"

“The other side of the fence”

Ever since I was old enough to remember going to the races, I have always gone to the fence, just to look through, hoping to see what was happening on the other side. I was that little kid with the big grin looking up at my driver heroes at Indy, like Jim Clark, AJ Foyt, Jim Hurtibise, Eddie Sachs. There were also photographers like Phil Whitlow, John Mahoney, Gene Crucean and others, who were my heroes too, I was in deep envy of all of them on the other side of that fence.

I had my own camera at 11 years old. Probably a Kodak something or other, but it took pictures, pictures through the fence, pictures of race cars and drivers and various other activities, even some in the Snakepit that would fascinate any 11 year old boy. I still have pictures of cars in the garage area where I could not get into, crazy looking people in the Snakepit, some 50 years later and I still have them. A couple I will post here, not because of the content or quality, just so you can see them and date they were developed, also the fence that separated me from where I desperately wanted to be.

Then many years later, as a grown man marveling at the 19,000 rpm screaming F1 engines at the U.S. Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, still though, stuck on the wrong side of the fence. I still find myself being in awe at certain events, of certain drivers and photographers, all while still looking through the fence. But this Spring that all has changed for me. I was able to attend the Alabama Grand Prix for IndyCars and also, I will be attending the 99th running of the Indy 500. Both events finally, from the other side of the fence.

This all came about because of my dear friends Bruce Leer, and Rick Evans. Bruce who has afforded me the opportunity to be his sidekick on the Racing BS Show, Thursday mornings on Hoosier Country 105.1, and also because, Rick who is the DJ that is forced to ride heard on Bruce and myself, just also happens to be the Chief Engineer for the Indianapolis Speedway Radio Network.

Rick has encouraged me to apply for credentials to be able to attend these events and “cover” them for our radio show. Truthfully, I was reluctant at first, almost feeling like an imposture, trying to get in somewhere that I didn’t belong. But, I decided to give it a shot, sending in my first credential request and getting accepted at several local tracks and then at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, AL, then following that, the pinnacle, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

I have to say I was surprised as anybody that not only were my requests accepted, so far I have been treated so nicely, at all these tracks, it really is hard for me to put it into words. Someone close to me joked, “man you are livin’ the dream” and truthfully they are correct, I am! So as I get ready to attend my first Indy 500, as a credentialed photgrapher/reporter, I just wanted to say a most sincere and heartfelt thank you, to both Bruce Leer and Rick Evans for the opportunity and encouragement. Without them, this would not be happening.

Tomorrow morning, I will be out the door before dawn cracks, on my way to the greatest spectacle in racing. There is no doubt, I will be grinning just as big as that little 11 year old kid looking through the fence at all my heroes standing in the Snakepit of turn 1. But this time it will be different, I will be in turn 3 and on “The other side of the fence”.

Chris Judah

 

 

 

 

 

What makes a racer, a racer

What makes a racer, a racer
 
Racing is something that not everyone truly understands, and really, I’m okay with that. But what those folks fail to understand is, it isn’t “just” racing. It’s the people, it’s the machines, the competition, the smell, the sound, and even the feel, as you watch a driver search for the fast line around the track. It’s all part of a puzzle, a symphony, that all comes together, it’s the sensory overload that real race fans love and understand.
 
The people,
I have been so blessed to have met so many cool people through racing, from multi millionaires, to guys with barely enough gas money to get to the track. Some who have even begged borrowed and stole their way to building a race car. But the one common denominator in both of them is, each one of them loves racing, every single aspect of it.
 
The machines,
On any given night at any racetrack you will see the haves and the have nots. The haves with their big rigs and beautiful race cars, pitted right next the guys running used parts with mismatched paint and duct tape numbers. If you stop and think about it long enough, I know you too will remember a night when you saw David, kick Goliath’s ass!
 
The competition,
We have all seen races that ran to the checkered flag and were so close, you looked at the person sitting next to you, that you probably didn’t even known before you sat down next to them, and high fived them and ask, WHO WON! That is true competition!
 
The smell,
Once the snow finally stops flying and the flowers start to bloom, tell me which one smells better, spring flowers, or racing fumes? I know that answer, and it ain’t even close for me! Give me the beautiful racing fumes of springtime in Indiana!
 
The sound,
There is no music on Earth that sounds as sweet as a big ol’ fat cam sprint car engine sittin’ there lopping at idle, and then with the slightest crack of the throttle, the sound of HUNDREDS of horsepower coming to life. Whether you like Rock, Country, the Blues, or heaven forbid Rap music, a race car motor is the sweetest sound on this planet!
 
The feel,
As you sit there in the stands, or stand as close to the track as you can get, you feel the cars go by and you can’t help but lean, or press down harder with your right foot as you try so hard to help your favorite driver get around that car in front of him or her. Be honest, you have done that! I know I do, every night I am at a track.
 
It’s what makes racing, racing, and it’s what we all love, it’s what we understand, and it’s what we will all be jones’ing for come Snowtember! It’s what makes us all “racers” or “race fans” and for me, I don’t care if you are rich with a big rig, or haulin’ your Hornet or an open trailer, if I see you in a racing shirt in the Mall shopping for Christmas presents, or at the grocery store stockin’ up milk and bread for the blizzard they say is comin’ our way, get ready for a hand shack or a high five, because we got something in common, the strong bond of racing that we understand, and love!  We are racers, both waiting impatiently on the next race!
 
Chris Judah
 
Picture by me.
 

 

 
 

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