Daily Archives: April 27, 2010

3 posts

Ron Flinn hospitalized

We here at MARFC just learned about our friend Ron Flinn. Ron is the promotor at the Crystal Motor Speedway. Ron Suffered a heart attack early Sunday morning. He is resting fine now after they fixed artery that was 100% blocked and he will need more surgery this week. Please keep Ron & his family in your prayers and we wish him a very complete and Speedy recovery.

Bill Barnhart

Vice President MARFC

Monthly Update – May 2010

WEBSITE GETS NEW LOOK

Be sure to head on over to www.marfc.org and see the great job that our webmaster, Rob Michon did on our already great and informative site. There are a lot more places to go on the site which provides a ton of information on the club as well as many links to racing related sites for our member tracks, major sanctioning bodies, and racing media. Take some time to get used to it and give us some feedback whether you like it, love it, or don’t like it. We need to know what you think and how you would like for us to represent your club. If you are a racer, please send in your information and pictures to Rob so he can include you on our “Racing Members” page. It is hope that this newly re-designed site will be easier to maintain and correct should there be a mistake or if very important information needs to get sent out.

Also, be sure and check on the website before leaving for a fan club day if the weather is iffy or threatening. We will do our best to inform everyone should Mother Nature decide that we are not racing on a given day. Information on cancellations will be posted on our website as well as a couple of other racing related sites. You can always link over to the different tracks through the MARFC site as well.
Great Job Rob, Thank You Very Much……………………….

WELCOME ALL NEW MEMBERS…you know who you are. Names and hometowns are not publshed on the web to protect your privacy.

MEMBERSHIP PLAN and RENEWALS FOR 2010:

MARFC membership is $10.00 for a single membership or $15.00 for a married couple or a FAMILY PLAN, (two adults all children up through the age of fifteen) and includes our newsletter, decal, membership meeting, and Fan Club Day admissions to various tracks. Memberships are from January 1st of each year to December 31st of that same year.

See the Membership link at the left for more information and a printable membership form.

From the President – May 2010

I am ready to go to the track once again. By the time you read this Michigan’s race tracks will be open and in full swing for the 2010 season. Winter was too long and as this is written in mid April I am looking forward to this upcoming weekend and hitting one of our great member tracks for their opening night. I can smell the burning paint, the freshly warmed up rubber and the sweet smell of racing fuel. It will be great to see friends that I have not seen either since last year or at our banquet last January. As I look forward to the upcoming season I see that we will be very busy once again with eighteen events on tap for the club as well as the annual picnic on July 11th at Stoney Creek. There is an RSVP form included so make your plans now and let us know so we can have enough pop and food for you to enjoy on this special day in July. We have 5 fan club days in May so get on out and support the club and the tracks that are hosting us. As always, stop by the table and sign in for a chance at a MARFC Member door prize and just so we can say Hi and get to know all of our members. I have included a profile on our new P.R. Director Rand Thompson and will include a profile on Chuck Horan next month. Rand’s profile follows and “We’ll See You at The Races”.

Dave

My name is Rand Thompson and I wanted to take the opportunity to introduce myself as the MARFC Public Relations Director for the upcoming year.  I have been a member of the Fan Club for over 15 years, but my love of racing goes back to the early 70’s.  My parents had absolutely no interest in racing, so I didn’t grow up in the sport, but one year I finally convinced my dad to take me to the Indy 500, and the rest was history.  I initially only went to Indy and MIS, but soon discovered the thrills of short track racing.

I grew up in Pontiac, but always enjoyed the Irish Hills area while attending MIS, and moved out there in the early 90’s. My wife, Lori, and I live just a few miles from MIS with our two dogs Maggie and Dixie. Professionally, I have worked as a Quality Engineer for auto suppliers, but like many, I am currently unemployed and looking for a new opportunity.

Besides MIS, my favorite tracks have always been Flat Rock and Toledo, and that’s where I spend most of my time during the summer weekends.  In case you are curious, my all time favorite Michigan drivers are Joy Fair, Chuck Roumell, Joe Ruttman, Butch Miller, Terry Cook and Bob Keselowski.  I have the great pleasure to be friends with Joy and Chuck, and try to stop in and chat with them every few weeks or so.  Lori and I are both very excited to see both Brad Keselowski and Justin Allgaier racing in NASCAR in 2010.  I have spent the vast majority of my time as a race fan buying tickets and sitting in the stands, but have been privileged to be able to work as a volunteer at MIS for the last ten years giving pre race pit road and garage tours for the MIS Hospitality Dept.  In addition, some of you may recognize me from last year as a weekly columnist for the MARC Times, covering Flat Rock, Toledo, and MIS.

I have really enjoyed being a member of MARFC over the years and am looking forward to working with everyone to aid communications with our existing and potential new members, as well as promote the club and our member tracks. I believe our Fan Club is easily the best value in racing and my goal is to spread the word and be able to take things to a new level.  Our mission of course, is to serve you, the members, so I welcome any ideas, comments or suggestions, and hopefully I will get to meet many of you this season.

Thanks & enjoy the races,

Rand