The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page I19

5.27.10 metromix.com 19 photographerToddMoorere- called.It becamea spectacle out ofaBoschpainting, with sex andlots andlots ofbeer. Thenew willcreateanew race tradition theoldPit was. out ofcontrolas it was that and, tobeput down.Longa sourceofcon- sternation to theSpeedway officials, theSnakepit was eventually destroyedforgood when asectionofnew track was laid throughits heart in theearly staff photographer with thedefunct Indianapolis was onassignment at theracedur- ing golden years. witnessedalot of stuffin thereis abox ofphotos that were unfit to It went beyondjust frat- esquebawdiness; with signs were tohim.In- dianapolis Starphotographer FrankEspich, whooften shot alongsideMillerbackin those days, saidheonce saw a5- year-oldboy in theSnakepit carryinga similarly worded sign to shieldhimselffrom the rain. Thegenerallewdness was only the surface.Espichfound theassignments the dangerous becauseoffrequent knifefights and visiblefire- arms.

wouldbreak out at least adds.Therecklessness extended to vehicles andanimals, too.Espichonce witnesseda tug-of-warbetween trucks whereonelost anaxle.Miller saw adisplay ofprimitivema- chismoin whichanimpromptu crowdformedaroundalarge, shirtless mancarryingabottle ofhardliquorandchasinga SOMESNAKEPITSIGHTSREQUIREDSPE- CIALEYEWEARTOPROPERLYAPPRECIATE. FOLKSINTHESNAKEPITWEREATTIMES FORCEDTORESORTTOFISTICUFFSTO RESOLVETHEIRDIFFERENCES. SNAKEPITDIEHARDSENTERTAINEDTHEM- SELVESBYBECOMINGBETTERAC- QUAINTEDWITHONEANOTHER. CONTINUEDONPAGE20.