A good friend gave me a t-shirt as a joke with that statement on the back a few years ago, ‘Does Not Play Well with Others’. Well, my response is, my ability to play nice depends largely on who my playmates are!

    I played nice with most people I have been involved with. One example, besides owning my own shop and racing cars, I worked part time as a technician, rep and even PR person for Bear Manufacturing's Indy Car support team. I did 23 years with Bear at the Indy 500 and many other Indy Car races until they sold out. Then I did three more years at Indy for Goodyear; total 1972 through 1996, 25 Indy 500s.

Is that skinny guy really me - Bears shop in Gasoline Alley at Indy

The was time with Bear Indy team. Car is Tom Sneva was #1 qualifier

Me and my mentor and Indy car owner Robert Brown Olmstead at 1977 Indy.I had worked for Bob
in mid 60s when he owned Car Town. He had been and engineer at Lincoln Mercury in the late 50s.
He is also who special ordered my black 63 427 Mercury.

    I called off the Indy car thing of my own accord after the ‘96 season to concentrate more on my racing.  Bear, Goodyear and the Indy car fraternity were great people and we all played together very nicely. I made many good friends those years.

    My race car sponsors are another example, very few negative experiences. By 1996 I had 40 associate and product sponsor people on my race car, many with me for decades.

    And here is a HUGE one. I have been married to the same woman, my Linda Lou, for 51 damn years!!! And at 75 years old we still play well together, well, the best we can at our age! LOL!