The story of Jigger Sirois is so
often told that Donald Davidson declines to discuss it anymore on “Talk of Gasoline
Alley.” For those not familiar with what may be the ultimate hard-luck story in
Indianapolis 500 history, Jigger went out for a qualifying run on the first day of time trials
in 1969. At the time, the pole winner was the fastest driver on the first day.
Period.
Jigger’s crew waved off the run,
thinking it was going to be too slow to make the race. Then it rained before
anyone could go out and qualify.
The pole went down the drain, and so
opened another chapter in Indianapolis 500 lore.
Jigger didn’t even qualify that year
(as it turned out, if he had maintained his speed, he would have made the race)
- or any other.
The driver who endures the toughest
month of May is honored (if that’s the right word) with the Jigger award.
For most, that’s where the Jigger
Sirois story ends. My good friend William LaDow sought to tell Jigger’s story
beyond what happened on that fateful day more than 40 years ago. Please visit his
website, www.speedwaysightings.com,
and search “Jigger Sirois” or go to http://wp.me/p4awY-o for this
well-researched article.
Photo
credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
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