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It is Labor Day Weekend as this is being written and the windows are shaking here at the shop as the Top Fuelers and Funny Cars are being launched at IRP during the NHRA's US Nationals. Labor Day! September! Where did the Summer go?
This past weekend we attended the joint Dart Kart/ SKUSA Great Lakes race at Putnam Park. The turnout in traditional laydown and sprint classes was moderate but the Shifter Kart community showed up in force with over 110 shifters in attendance. Note not 110 entries but 110 actual machines. You do the math and figure out who carried the event. I was disappointed in the lack of support by the local kart racing community which other than the shifter guys was almost nonexistent. Obviously the shifter teams are more interested in racing than playing politics. More than a couple of locals had predicted that this event was going to be a financial disaster while rubbing their hands together gleefully. That attitude has gotta go. Other kart racing clubs and series are not your enemies but should be viewed as partners in promoting and developing the sport.
The Putnam event was plagued by bad weather Saturday and Sunday Morning but has to be considered a success despite the lack of local support. Team Rapid Racing had a great time even though both of my personal races were affected by the inclement weather with Saturday's events called due to a strong thunderstorm and a wet track for our Sunday morning race. As a result we made a successful debut in the SKUSA S1 race.
With the IRP CES event coming up next it is time to quell some rumors. Despite what you may have heard there has been no work done to the IRP road course other than the drag strip itself. Nonetheless I anticipate a strong turnout and anxiously await the weekend. The local SIRA street-racing group will be on hand as well running their event on a temporary course setup inside the five-eighth's oval on that Saturday-night. Mysteriously the Indy Kart Club has chosen to distribute fliers touting the SIRA race but not a word about their own CES event!!
Rumors abound that there is an attempt to put together a unified road racing series in the Midwest next season. I hope so but will believe it when I see it. A date conflict with the Dunlop Mid States Series event at Gingerman and the lack of promotion locally for the IRP event may harm attendance but I certainly hope not. Team Rapid Racing will be at IRP in full force and we look forward eagerly to the event.
As mentioned at the beginning of this article the season is growing short quickly with only a few events left on the calendar. Lets all pull together and make the best of what we have left.
Now, how about a human interest story? Bill and Tom were lifelong racing buddies. They traveled together, helped each other with preparation, shared hotel rooms they were basically un-seperable. As Bill and Tom grew older together they decided to make a pact. Racing had been their whole lives and they wondered of there was racing in heaven. The pact was that if one went to heaven before the other that they would somehow get word to the survivor if there was indeed racing in heaven.
As luck would have it Bill would be the first to go. The day after Bills funeral to Tom's amazement Bills spirit paid him a visit. Tom said "Bill! I've got to know. Is there racing in heaven?" Bill's spirit replied "Tom I have good news and bad news." "What is the good news?" pleaded Tom. " Yes there is racing in heaven. The cars, the tracks, the fans are all wonderful. No wonder they call it heaven." Stated Bill's spirit. " Well then what is the bad news?" asked Tom. Bill replied "You are starting off pole tomorrow night!"
Until next time Race Hard and Race Safe.
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