Happy Fast Friday 2015!

For those that may not know, Fast Friday is the final Friday of practice before qualifications for the Indianapolis 500. It's the day teams really start to let things hang out, and we tend to see some really fast speeds.

But the way things have gone so far this year, I think we will all be happy to simply see all the cars keep the tires on the ground!

In recognition of Fast Friday, I present a couple of the HO slot cars I did up over the past year. These are resin kits from Fast Laps (Gary Fast) and are a joy to assemble and paint. Decals are from Indycals, which are always top shelf quality. Add a chassis, and voila!

The black one represents Al Unser Jr.'s 1984 March, while the white one is Howdy Holmes' 1984 March. Holmes is a cool story. Michigan guy like me, sat on the front row at Indy, and is now CEO of Jiffy Mix. Which, by the way, makes the best cornmeal mix and pancake mix you can buy. ;)

Racecars and Ancient China

How's that for a headline?

While the main purpose of my trip to Indianapolis last weekend was to see the Grand Prix, I had the wife and kids with me so the day after (Mothers Day), we visited the Indianapolis Children's Museum. We've been before, and for any of you with kids, it's highly recommended!

Anyway, one of the hands-on exhibits showcases the Chinese terracotta warriors. Since this was part of the recent Kickstarter from Watchful I that I pledged, I was particularly interested. What really caught my attention was the paint and color detail that has been uncovered. In fact, there is an entire interactive display showing the user how they ground various stones and mixed the powders with egg whites to make the pigments.

Of potential use to others looking to paint an army from the Chinese Warring States period, Qin or otherwise, I snapped a few photos. One is a recreated, fully painted statue (the middle one - the kids are mine!), and the other is my feeble attempt at a photo of an image. The final shot is just a cool picture.

Oh, they also have "broken" statues of foam rubber for visiting "archaeologists" to reassemble like a puzzle. Very cool and very interesting!

It's May!!!

Borrowed from another site, but it sort of sums up the feelings of race fans everywhere entering the month of May:

It's the most wonderful time of the year
With IndyCars speeding
And tenderloin eating all washed down with beer
It's the most wonderful time of the year
It's the hap-happiest season of all
With the yellow shirts yelling and souvenirs selling
We’re having a ball
It's the hap-happiest season of all

There'll be TrackForum posting
And Camp-and-Brew hosting
And guys telling girls what to show
There'll be scary crash stories
And tales of the glories of
Races from long, long ago

It's the most wonderful time of the year
Some days might have raining
But we ain’t complaining
‘Cause soon skies will clear
It's the most wonderful time of the year

There'll be checkered flags waving
And bricks for the paving
With 33 cars in the show
There'll be scary crash stories
And tales of the glories of
Races from long, long ago

It's the most wonderful time of the year
There'll be IMS filling
The start will be thrilling
When race day is here
It's the most wonderful time
Yes, the most wonderful time
Oh, the most wonderful time of the year