Everybody Says This Is A Neat Story
Growing up very close to the Indianapolis 500 track certainly had its advantages. My step father, Robert L. Dillman, sold Fords from about 1943 until 1952. We lived at 1401 Exeter from 1943 until sometime in 1952. As you travel east on 16th street from the track, you will hit Exeter about one-half of a mile from the famous brickyard. I grew up hearing the roar of Offenhauser engines screaming around the most beautiful track in the world. I am certain my step-dad let it be known amongst the drivers that he lived very close to the track. He also told them he had plenty of room for the driver and his family. He probably got free pit passes, qualifying passes, and several tickets for the race.
There were three drivers that stayed with us during the years, but in 1951 Lee Wallard and his family were our guests. I can remember Lee and his wife, and I think he might have had some children, I just can’t recall.
I do remember praying at the family dinner table that Lee would qualify for the race. From my many years of watching the race, that seems to be the most pressure on the drivers, pit crews, and owners. I found out many years later that his number 99 Belinger Special was built in 30 days. It looked like a big midget automobile, and was almost a joke compared to many of the other cars in the field. The car sits today in the Indy 500 Museum between turns one and two. I still think it is the most beautiful car to ever run at Indy. The color of the car is a magnificent blue with gold numbers 99.
We did not have a shower back then. We had a bathtub. Boy, did I hate to take a bath. The bath felt good, but it was afterwards that really bugged me. I had to scrub the bathtub out for the next guy with steel wool and Ajax clenser. But, I do have one really great memory of our bathtub at 1401 Exeter.
Lee Wallard was taking a bath and I was sitting on top of the closed toilet lid talking with him. He asked me, “Pierre, what do you want to be when you grow up?” I replied, “Oh Mr. Wallard, I want to grow up and be a race driver just like you!”
Not only did God hear our prayers and allow Lee to qualify on the front row of the race, Lee Wallard won the 1951 Indianapolis 500 against all odds. It was the hottest Indy 500 on record, with many teams having relief drivers. Back then their speeds were about 135 mph compared to the 200+ mph of today’s cars. Lee drove the entire race, refusing to use a relief driver and lost 20-30 pounds in the process.
The next morning many, many people congregated in our front yard and on the street. Race day evening, Lee parked his Indy Pace Car with his beautiful blue number 99 Belinger Special on a trailer attached to his pace car. That is my first memory of an Indy 500 Official Pace Car.
Several years later, 1956 to be exact, God allowed me to win the Indianapolis Soap Box Derby out of around 265 boys from ages 11-15. My name was Pierre Dillman at the time, and my picture was on the front page of the Indianapolis Star. The promoter of the Soap Box Derby promised my mother and I that I would get to ride in the Indy 500 Pace Car during the 1957 Indy 500. But, as fate would have it, we moved down to Jacksonville Beach, Florida before the 1957 Indy 500 and I never got my ride in the pace car.
In May of 1993, I flew to Indy to see the “GREATEST SPECTACLE IN RACING”. Before I left the house, my wife asked me to write down the leader of laps 1, 100, and 200 as I watched the race. She enters contests on a very consistent basis. When I arrived back home from the race, I shared with her the information she needed for the contest, and we both forgot about it. The contest was in Parade magazine sand we figured at least one million people probably entered.
In the fall of 1993, I arrived home in Carrollton, Texas to see a really fancy car in front of our home. I was very tired from my business trip, and thought it must belong to a young man seeing our oldest daughter, who was 17 at the time. My wife was on the phone, totally ignoring me. I was starting to get a little upset. Out of town on business for a week, and this is how I get treated when I return home? But, my daughters seemed to be up to something good! Finally, my wife got off of the telephone. She grabbed my hand and started walking for the front door. Our two daughters were right there with us. As we walked out to the front curb in front of our house, I saw the most beautiful car I have ever seen in my life. It was a beautiful black and white striped 1993 Indy 500 Pace Car, Z28 Camaro. I asked, “Who’s car is this!?” Our daughters squeeled and said, “Daddy, this is YOUR CAR! Mommie won it for you!” My wife then apologized for ignoring me, and explained she was talking to our auto insurance company to verify we had coverage on our new Indy 500 Pace Car. Seems they had just delivered the car to our home shortly before I arrived home from my business trip in Orlando.
It was only natural for us to get customized plates for our gift from God. Since I never got to ride in the 1957 Indy Pace Car, we got personalized Texas license plates that read:
INDY57
Memories of the incident on the sidewalk many years before are growing dimmer.
Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above ALL that we ASK OR THINK, according to the power that worketh in us…..
OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD!