I bought this "Elford" photo as a photo of driver Vic Elford, but I'm demmed if I can find him in the picture. I've put it up here to solicit assistance in picking him out of the crowd, or the shadow. I guess that is him back there in the mechanic's shirt. The reverse of the photo notes: "Vic Elford w/ Race Standys(?)." Those clothes!

One of four H.D.Emerson/UNOCO photos I acquired via eBay. Others are pictures of Swede Savage, George Follmer (below), and of Dick Guldstrand.

The picture is good for something: in the large view you can see the snack bar and a tree. They are located outside the garage area fence. The photographer's back was to the northwest corner of the Goodyear garage. From that end of the garage, west to the fence behind the racing pits was a 60-or-so-foot width of pavement. It ran the length of the garage area, from the pedestrian gate in its northwest corner to the track-access gate in the southwest corner. The west side fence at the back of the racing pits became a favorite set-up spot for the parts concessionaires. You could buy brake fluid and driving suits there. High-profile race sponsors used to like their hospitality trailers lined up along there.

Behind the Union 76 station, at the northeast corner of the enclosure, was the access gate from paddock-parking. From there to the southeast corner ran another stretch of pavement. From the fence along the east edge of that strip you could see the end of the back straight-away and the first part of Turn Nine.

On big or busy race weekends, both these long, narrow pieces of real estate were prime parking areas. Eventually they would narrow to the point you couldn't walk down them four abreast. It took patience and calm to drive or push a race car from the Goodyear area to the track access gate.

I must say I spent many, many happy hours in the garage area, as a competitor in MG and Vega racing days, and as a photographer and hanger-on over subsequent years. Just thinking about those times makes me smile and remember carrying around a perpetual smiley-face as I walked about or worked there.

There is an excellent overview available if
you have the patience or facilities for a 244K download.
Click  H E R E  
The garages and paddock southwest gate are at the lower left.

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