Our last monthly meeting of the winter season was held on April 14th at Papio’s Food & Spirits in Reese. Denny Trinklien did a great job lining up speakers and venue. If you are in the Reese area you definitely owe it to yourself to stop in at Papio’s for some great food or a round of golf if you are a golfer. Papio’s is located on Reese Rd, just South of M-81. Our first speaker was Chas Howe of Howe Racing Enterprises (HRE). Chas gave us a very informative talk on not just how Howe Racing got its start under the guidance and diligence of his father Ed Howe but also shared with us where it has been, where it is going , and what it is doing these days. Many of us may not know that HRE has delivered many cars to Scandinavia, where they have a road racing series called the “Scandinavian Cup” that uses cars and chassis that are built in the Beaverton race shops and imported overseas. Many of us are used to associating HRE with turning left but we found out that they do turn left and right. Chas spoke a bit about his son Charlie and his early racing in the go-carts and how they worked on that program together having success and winning a championship in the Super Dirt Kart Series but that after a few years, Charlie wanted to play hockey so Chas, like every good and supportive Father got involved with that and it has been fun for the two of them. Chas gave us a very informative take on where he sees racing at today and compared it to the glory days of yesteryear that so many of us long time fans always remember and talk about. I truly wish we could have had a whole day to talk with Chas as He has so much insight and knowledge of our sport.
Curt Tucker of Teamtech Motorsports Equipment was second out of the chute for the meeting. I knew we were going to be informed about Teamtech and all that it is involved in when Curt brought in a mannequin dressed in full safety gear and strapped to a seat. Curt got his start as a tester and spec writer for SFI. As it turns out, the window nets He had been testing were not living up to the specs. That He had written and were the standard. So based on an idea that He had, He took some material to his Mother to sew it up. As it turned out, his design and his Mother’s sewing resulted in a window net that passed the testing and lived to the standards of the specification. Before long, racers were calling and wanting to order window nets. That quite honestly is how Teamtech got started. Along the way and early on Curt came up with a better way of developing seat belt hardware and that was snapped up by an automotive supplier and they haven’t looked back since. Curt shared with us that all of the Dodge Vipers have Teamtech harnesses in them and that the “Drifting” aspect of Motor Sports in Japan has been a major consumer of Teamtech product. Curt has worked with NASA on safety harnesses for the astronauts to use upon launch and re-entry as well as working with the military on developing quick release straps to allow for quick ingress/egress on back packs used in detecting and dis-arming or remote detonating of the IED Devices that have hurt or killed so many of our service people. Teamtech provides any type of safety equipment used in a race car including fire-suits, gloves, shoes, underwear, harnesses, window nets, and the most important of all the Head and Neck Restraint. One of the things that Curt is most proud of is the work that they have done for wheelchair bound children. All too often the harnesses that are available for these individuals are uncomfortable and hard to use. Teamtech has developed special “Racing Harnesses” that work well with the wheel chairs and the kids like as they feel like a “racer”. Just like Chas Howe, another person in Motor Sports that has their priorities right and someone that I wish we could have spent all day talking with.
Steve Puvalowski of the Tri-City Motor Speedway took us up on our offer to our Promoters to attend the meeting. Steve gave us some information on what is in store at Tri-City for the 2012 racing season as well as a comprehensive look at all the trials and tribulations they went through in getting the Speedway re-built into what it is now. It looks to be a very exciting year at the historic Auburn facility. This was truly a great meeting and informative meeting and if you missed this one you missed a good one. We will be back at Papio’s in November so don’t miss out on the next one and come hungry as the food is excellent. Many thanks to Papio’s for hosting us and providing gift cards for our raffle prize drawing. Thanks also to Deanna Couper of Coupar Creations, Curt and Korina Tucker of Teamtech, and Steve Puvalowski as well for donations to our raffle prizes. Last but not least, Thank You to our guest speakers for sharing with us, what they do in Auto Racing.
To All MARFC Members: I received a note from Vito LoPiccolo’s Daughter Janice to let Me know that Vito was in the hospital battling an infection and pneumonia. And with the most recent update I received on club Founder Vito LoPiccolo. He is doing better and has been transferred to a rehab center. She wanted me to pass this important information on to you so if you wish to send a card or lift Vito and the family in prayer you could do so. Cards can be sent to Vito LoPiccolo C/o MARFC at P.O.Box 8160, Roseville, MI 48066 and we will see Vito gets them.
Vito and his late Wife Barbara along with Bob and Norma Lewis and the Flokstra’s , Willis and Marion founded our club way back in 1965 at the kitchen table of the Lewis’s. Willis, Marion, and Vito are the remaining three that are still with us today. Please keep Vito and his family in your prayers and I’ll keep you updated.
Dave DeHem
MARFC President
From the ARCA Website, word has been recieved that Frances(Fran)Duff has passed away.
“Frances (Fran) Duff, who with her husband Dick Duff served for 3 decades as chief scorers at weekly ARCA sanctioned races at Flat Rock Speedway, Toledo Speedway and on the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards tour, died Monday April 16 at her residence in Toledo Ohio at the age of 88. In their duties as ARCA Officials, Fran and Dick Duff traveled to races throughout the Midwest with ARCA founders John and Mildred Marcum.
Fran Duff also scored hundreds of races at other nearby weekly tracks such as Jackson Speedway and Mt. Clemens Race Track in Michigan, and Oakshade and Eldora Speedways in Ohio. She was in the scoring tower for the inaugural race at Michigan Int’l Speedway in 1969, scored the inaugural World 100 at Eldora in 1971, and was a founding member and for many years served as Vice President of the Michigan Auto Racing Fan Club (MARFC). In addition, Fran and Dick Duff trained many ARCA officials to become chief scorers, including Sherry Miller and Terry Lake, and her grandson Charlie Krall works in the motorsports communications field. Semi-retiring in 1985, Fran and Dick moved to Charlotte, NC, where they worked for son-in-law Bill Gardner’s DiGard Racing Team. Fran served as team scorer for drivers Bobby Allison, Greg Sacks and Willy T. Ribbs. Fran Duff is survived by her husband Dick Duff; children Laraine (Rick) Meidt, Alan Adams, Patrick Adams, Christine (Bill) Gardner, Mary Geronimo and Amy Norwood; 16 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her first husband Paul Adams and daughter Paula Krall.
Richard & Frances joined the Michigan Automobile Racing Fan Club on March 31, 1966 which made them members for 46 years. All of us at MARFC express our condolences to the Duff Family.
Dave DeHem
MARFC President
Our annual trek to the Toledo Speedway Bar & Grille for our March general meeting was once again well attended. ARCA President Ron Drager was on hand and told the crowd about the way ARCA and We also watched the year in review video from the 2011 ARCA season that is shown at the ARCA banquet. Then next we had General Manager Scott Schultz who informed all of us about the changes at both the Toledo & Flat Rock Speedways. Gary Lindahl was on hand to give us a report on his recent health challenge and the word is that He is doing great as He was also surprised with a 60th Birthday Party, Happy Birthday my long time friend and many more. To start off the meeting, Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame driver and mid-west standout, Danny Byrd came forward and he and I were able to chat a bit about his driving career. Danny Shared with us where and how He got his start in racing as well as where he ended it. Going off of my memory, Danny said He got his first start right at the Flat Rock Speedway and finished it off in 1979 with a big win down in Nashville.