Pole Day saw 200,000 fans flow into the speedway, expecting a festival of speed. Pole Day seemed to mark the beginning of a descent into ugliness for that May. Practice speeds plummeted and the third qualifying day was lost to thunderstorms, hail and a tornado. Usually, the days following an Indiana tornado bring clear, sunny skies. Instead of sunshine, race day brought murky, low-hanging clouds that steadily wept moisture. Salt Walther lost control in a group of tightly bunched cars jostling for position in midpack. When he went into another car, I scrunched down in my seat and stood on it.

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