Tales From The Track: Mike Lashmett, founder of Vintage Indy

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — We are 50 days away from the Indianapolis 500 and leading up to the green flag, WISH-TV is talking to people who have played a role in past races and those dedicated to the history of this iconic event.

Mike Lashmett, the founder of Vintage Indy, joined Saturday Daybreak to share his Tales From The Track.

Lashmett started as a mechanic back in 1971 for the Vel-Parnelli Jones team and George Bignotti, who won the Indy 500 with the Johnny Lightning Special 55 years ago. He said he did everything from driving the truck, to assembling the car, and working pit stops.

Lashmett shared that he was with that team for two years and then transitioned to the Super Team, who brought on Mario Andretti.

“Then I left that team at the end of ’72 and went with George Bignotti over to Patrick Racing Team,” he said. “That team won the 500 in 1973 and I was on Gordy’s car later that season. We won several races including Phoenix, and Trenton, sat on the front row for the California 500 at Ontario next to Pete Robson and Jerry Grant.”

Lashmett explained that preserving the history of the 500 is a must. He often conducts public speaking engagements with his good friend and pace car driver, Al Unser Jr, who was the first person to compete against his own father in the same Indianapolis 500.

Lashmett says Indianapolis would be nothing without the history and that it’s a very special place, not only because of the races, but because of the people.

“There’s a lot of famous racetracks in the world, Daytona, Le Mans, Monaco. No place has the history that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indianapolis 500 has,” he said.

“And no place do the fans have the appreciation and knowledge of even the minutia of the history of all things Indianapolis. So, that’s how important it is.”

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