That’s what I was Sunday night and most of the day Monday. It doesn’t happen very often, but I got sick. Oh, boy did I get sick. That’s all you want to know about how sick I got. No, I did not get a flu shot. Yes, I wash my hands a lot (and use that disinfectant goop). Anyway, that is why this is a day late. A cool guy who used to live across the street from our business used to say “you gotta get sick once in a while so you know how good it feels to be well.” Big John Bottcher is well remembered by many racers around here as the gruff realist who helped them put cars together. He knew all the basics, from welding to painting, how to save time, weight, and money. Big John also taught many of us to work the problem until it was fixed. When I was 16 I dinged the back corner of my beloved 1973 Chevy Vega. A couple of my friends and I took it to John’s and set to work bending stuff back into place, paint-prepping etc. Instead of having to lay out cash I didn’t have for a new fender, John showed us how you can make a body line out of still pliable bondo. Absolutely no one could tell the difference when it was done. Big John was one of those guys I won’t forget.
Very little is happening race-wise this week. Christmas is days away and for the first time in my life, no snow is on the ground. I remember one year about 8-10 years ago when it waited to snow until the 23rd, and it was a gorgeous Christmas. This week, the browns of fall and skinny pine trees remain, and it looks like that is the way it will be. I noticed Chris Wimmer has a company handling his web site, and I look forward to seeing him break out again, his win at the Rheem World Crown 300 Super Late Model race at Gresham Motorsports Park (GA), was a great accomplishment, and the guy has real skill, he deserves a good team and sponsors. His older brother Scott’s year was stark, but he notably contributed to the teams of Ty and Austin Dillon as a tester, and still has a good association with Childress Racing.
Schedules are trickling onto web sites. Golden Sands will run a bi-weekly schedule with every class running the nights. May 4 opens racing there, and the 20th State Park will open up. Marshfield has no dates set yet. only 5 months 3 weeks till racing!
Have a very merry and very healthy Christmas!
