WHERE: 4500 Ulmerton Road (State Road 688).ĪDMISSION: Adults, $15 children 6-12, $5 children 3-5, $2 children under 3, free parking, free. Figure 8 qualifying is scheduled to start at 1 p.m., with racing at 2. WHAT: 2003 Winternationals featuring the School Bus Figure 8s, plus the 'Wild Bill' Revard Memorial Figure 8 Race, Outlaw Late Models, Street Stocks, Mini Stocks and Enduros. Decode the lingo used in car racing.Published Jan. to lung cancer, and are raising the next generation both in and out of the family garage. The brothers and cousins battle on the track, mourned the untimely loss of Bill Jr. The Tunny boys learned to tune engines, weld, and adjust aftermarket suspension. Today the GTOs and Camaro stock cars have been surpassed by tuned 1970s V8s cradled in aluminum chassis, wrapped in riveted steel body panels and wings. The motorsport evolved, and so did the Tunny clan. In their turn, Bruce's son Mark, and Bill Jr's sons-Ben, Jesse, and Austin-earned their racing stripes as well. bought a GTO to compete himself, his father was angry but eventually relented. His sons Bill Junior and Bruce watched and learned and eventually helped in the shop-to the sounds of the Speedrome track V8s just 3 miles away. In 1963, Bill Tunny Senior fixed up a 1953 Chevrolet for his brothers to compete at the Figure 8 races. The Tunny's of Indianapolis have been Speedrome fixtures for almost sixty years.

The last death at the Speedrome was 60 years ago: in 1960. Though most enduro races see several fender-benders, fatal crashes are rare. They have a split second to either speed up or slow down and thread through the pack of cars moving in the other direction! The enduro race lasts for three hours, and the driver who has completed the most laps at the end wins. At the world championship, drivers fly around a 1/5 mile track in handmade tubular chassis vehicles powered by a 600-800 horsepower V8-at 80 mph.Įvery lap, each driver crosses the central intersection twice. These drivers go head-to-head in the annual Figure 8 World Championship endurance race at the Indianapolis' Speedrome. The fastest Figure 8 racing features purpose-engineered sprint cars that tour the country. Read about Figure 8 racing history in the IndyStar.

Rules vary, and thus races feature vehicles ranging from 4 cylinder sedans to school buses. Today, many county fairs and demolition derbies host a Figure 8 style race on dirt or paved tracks. The sport gained national attention in the 1960s when televised on ABC's Wide World of Sports. The first Figure 8 races took place in the 1940s.

Figure 8 race track