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Originally Posted by trevor
How about the time at Pittsburg 5 years ago he waited for his opponent to change a tire in the lanes, final round .....Thanx Trevor
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That one was kinda funny, actually. We'd gotten rained out the month before, down to 3 cars, so we were just finishing the race Saturday night of Pittsburgh's second Pro-Am race of the year. I'm sitting up there waiting to run the finals, and Jim Klacik rolls up on his scooter, carrying with a flat front-runner, telling me I've got a bye in the final. "Why? Go fix it!" Said he didn't have any tools. "There's a Hoosier trailer over there, get it fixed!" Talked to Mike Baker, and he let us run after the ET cars made their time trial. Win or lose, it's always better to do it on the race track. I think it was the same year that Joe Oswald waited for me in the finals (with rain on the horizon) of a $5K No-Box race when I had starter solenoid issues. (We got it cooled down and just when they said they couldn't wait any longer and Joe started his car, mine fired up, and we raced... ran into raindrops at 1000'!) Someone waited for him in the late rounds when he had a problem once, and he went on to win the Bracket Finals. It all comes around. Fletcher waited for somebody to change a transmission in the semis of Super Stock at Norwalk one year, and flat REFUSED to go without him, despite officials telling him they couldn't wait any longer and they were going to go without him if he didn't go. It was down to the very last instant, but they poured the last quart of fluid in the trans, drove it right to the lanes, and they raced. That's cool.
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Originally Posted by tommy d
We should all be so blessed to have so many friends and to have them tell us how much we mean to them. Most folks don't receive that kind of praise until they are long gone and then it's too late.
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That's something that really struck me. Thanks to all for the kind words! 'Course it also struck me that things like making the bed, helping people in general, etc... that's what passes for American exceptionalism today?
Should be standard issue. That being the case, the credit must go to my parents for bringing me up right.... something none of us should take for granted.
I was picking on Peter Biondo the other night for going .000, .000, -.005 in a car he'd never sat in before. "Pete, you're way too nice a guy to have a nickname like the Terminator... but the numbers bear it out!" Dude doesn't have an "off" switch in his head! The next day he said, "I thought about what you said...." can't remember exactly how he worded it, but it was something along the lines of 'you don't have to be a nice guy to be a good driver'. I guess that's what make Peter (and many other big names in our sport) special, by being as good or better off the track as they are on. Don't know that I've ever met Sam Biondo, but knowing Peter and Sal, you just know why they are the outstanding individuals they are -- once again, I think it goes back to the parents.
I appreciate those being defensive on my behalf. I'm sure Charlie's initial post wasn't intended as it came across to many. That's just the internet for ya -- tough to read intent sometimes. It's all good! Heck, looking at it from the outside, I'd be jealous of me! It's hard to trace the path that got me to where I am today. It's a dream that I never really would've thought would come to fruition. Baby steps... and a lot of them. As I alluded to earlier, it's not a glamorous life, but I'm doing what I love, and I'm lucky to have the love and support of my wife, family, and all of you -- my amazing extended family!
Back to work...