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Headline: My introduction to Art Pollard

Message: In 1972, at the age of 10, I was still small enough to sit on my fathers shoulders as we strolled along the low chain link fence on the inside of pit row on a practice day. There were a lot of cars in and out of the pits, as well as parked along pit lane. We came across the red #40 lola. My dad asked who's car it was. I replied "Art Pollard", then noticed he was kneeling on the other side of the car with another crew member discussing a matter on the car. My father was able to get his attention as I held up my new Indy 500 autograph book I had bought hours earlier at the speedway museum that was on the corner of 16th St. and Georgetown Rd. at that time. He finished his conversation with his crew member, then walked around the front of his car and over to me at the fence. I noticed he was wearing street clothes, but the thing I remember the most was he had the biggest smile. Almost like he knew me. He signed my book, and the encounter took only minutes, but I'll remember it forever. Later that month, Art crashed the car I saw that day due to a mechanical failure. He ended up in Methodist Hospital with a broken leg. I wrote to him while he was still in the hospital, and told him that he had signed my book and I was disappointed I was not going to get to see him in the 72 race. He replied by sending me an autographed picture and a short note which I still have today. It's amazing what lasting impressions can be made in a brief few minutes. An impression that can last a lifetime.

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