Reflection. . .

It’s amazing how fast time flies.  It seems like just yesterday the season was just starting; now the racecars, at least for us, sit idle in the shop- waiting for their respective checklists to be completed.  The weather is turning cooler here in the northeast, and instead of engines the furnaces will soon be running.  The season of reflecting is now upon us, time to look back at the past year and remember the good and the bad.

            This time of year is always a little depressing for me.  The season is over, and other than some winter testing, I won’t be back in a racecar to compete until next spring.  I think of racecars like people, and I don’t think the racecars like to sit any more than I do.  Although we had some up’s and down’s this year it’s hard to look back at this year and not call it a success.

We visited some new racetracks and ran very well right off the trailer.  That always makes a crew and a driver feel good.  It’s always easier to find a little speed during the weekend, than being out to lunch and playing catch up.  That was something that we worked on at the shop this year.  Making sure we felt like the setup we put in the car would be what we needed when we got to the track.  Running an in house car this year, we didn’t have the at track manpower that some of these other teams have.  I am proud of my team to be able to compete at this level, it certainly wasn’t late models- which is where their comfort zone was.

This year was a big step out of my comfort zone as well.  At the end of the day, the goal of racing is still the same, be the fastest car on the track- lap after lap after lap.  While we were able win multiple times this year, I am more proud of how my driving has progressed.

I’ve been racing since I was 12 years old- get ready- that’s 17 years.  I feel that I have made bigger strides in the last 2 years than in the first 15 combined.  Due, in part, to the time I spent at Bertil Roos- if you haven’t attended yet; do it, its worth every minute.  I am grateful for what I learned at the Roos school, but I think it has more to do with my age.  As I have spent more time behind the wheel, I have gained more of a respect for the “craft” that driving a race car is.

I believe that anyone can climb into a racecar and go fast, relatively speaking.  The concept of what we do is not all that complex- go fast- don’t wreck- win some races- visit victory lane.  In theory, it’s not hard- but it is sometimes maddening how difficult it can be.  3 years ago, I finally learned how to qualify.  That seems like a stupid thing to say, but it’s not.  Qualifying and racing are 2 very different things.  Most everybody can tape off the grill, and bump up the tire pressures and go bust off a quick lap.  In doing so, most everyone tries to go faster when they qualify.  I can’t explain it really well, but I actually try to slow down a little bit.  I call it “backing up the corner”; getting slowed down before the corner and being able to accelerate sooner and longer down the straightaway.  It goes against everything that feels right.  Now, you have to have a good car to do that, but that’s all part of the package.

That has translated into road racing for me as well.  The more I try to go fast and hustle the car, the more disappointed I am with the lap times.  Taking only what the car will give you, being ultra smooth, like ultra-ultra smooth, and knowing the track as well as you can- you know; doing your homework.  Before we went to every track this year, I would watch in car video for hours.  My wife would get so mad, she would be trying to go to bed, and here I am with the volume up blaring a track video.  Thing is- it works.  Knowing every square inch of the track- BEFORE- you ever get on it, can help a driver so much.

When I was younger, it was hard to tell me anything.  I knew everything there was to know about racing, racecars, and how to drive a racecar.  I “didn’t even know- that I didn’t know”.  Its funny, now when I watch races on TV, I’m not watching the “race”, I’m watching the racecars.  I’m watching how they look on the track, under braking, the roll in the corner, ride heights.

As I continue to make this my career, I find myself discovering a whole new side of this sport.  Everybody talks about it, but actually being disciplined enough to consciously being able to calm yourself down inside the racecar is pretty hard.  Not getting emotional behind the wheel, not getting frustrated, or nervous, is a big key to taking big steps towards being a great driver.

For me, this is what I’m most proud of this past year.  Not just strapping in and going full tilt till the checkers.  Making the race a chess match of sorts- you know- a chess match at 150 mph’s.  That’s partly why the end of the competition season is such a drag.  Winter testing just isn’t the same.

As you can tell, I’m already looking forward to next year, and I can’t wait to tell everyone the plans as well.  I guess its back to the shop, and maybe a few board meetings till then.  We haven’t released our website yet, but stay tuned- its going to be pretty cool.  Follow be on twitter @justinonderko, and justinonderko.com as well.  Till next time. . .

It's Been a While. . .

It seems like a long time since I sat down to put my thoughts to paper- so to speak.  A lot has happened in the last 2 weeks as well.  Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas clinched the Daytona Prototype title in the Rolex series, and its something like Scott’s 5^th and Memo’s 4^th.  Those guys are definitely deserving Champions and excellent road racers.  Though I’m not a huge fan of the man, Brad Keslowski has made a statement in the Sprint Cup Chase; winning 2 of the first 3 Chase races.

As for me, the last week was spent with my wife.  We kind of took the honeymoon we didn’t take last year when we got married.  Last year, 6 days after we got married, instead of taking a honeymoon my wife went along with me to a race that we had scheduled.  The best part about that weekend ( heavy sarcasm here) was that it rained both days and never climbed out of the low 50’s.  She sat in the clubhouse or the truck most of the day to keep warm and dry.  I figure that was pretty special for her to do for me, so I let her plan the week that she wanted this year.  We spent a lot of time out on the boat- which is something we both love, so it was a really nice time.

I wanted to mention a foundation we had on the car a couple weeks ago at Mid-Ohio.  The Motorsports Rehabilitation Foundation.  While it is something no driver likes to think about, getting hurt inside a racecar is a very real possibility.  As I get older, I find that I think about it a little more than I used too.  Now that I’m married, and with the possibility of a family- what would I do if something happened?  Worse yet- what would my wife do?

That’s where MRF comes in- they help out families of injured drivers in those times of need.  Scott Lynn founded the MRF about 15 years ago after an accident while competing at Watkins Glen.  He exited turn 1 at 125 mph, and hit the retaining wall head on.  It was then that he realized that while he was extremely lucky- it could have very easily gone the other way.

The MRF is able to step in and help those that have been either injured or the families of those who have been killed in sanctioned motorsports events.  They understand that the medical bills, legal fees, and everyday bills that tend to rapidly accumulate at the time of an injury can be a real burden.  A burden that can very easily become too much to deal with for most people.  It’s not something we think about when we load our racecars up, but life can change very quickly at the racetrack.

Michelle Randall, a co-founder, and Eugene Hahn, a director, not only are educated in  economics and business, they also understand the business of racing.  Better yet- they understand WHY we do what we do.  More often than not, that is important as well.  When someone gets hurt- the question or statement is “why did he/she have to be out there”.  It’s what we love, and to know that a foundation like MRF is out there- makes it easier to climb into a car.

Regardless of who you are- a fan, a crew member, a driver- I ask you to log on to www.gomrf.org and check these guys out.  They are an outstanding group of people, and it is a wonderful service that they provide in a terrible time in someone’s life.  Learn about them, read about who they are, donate to the cause- and hope that you never have to use them.

The wheels are turning over here at Onderko Motorsports.  I wish I could tell you about all that is happening behind the scenes.  I hope to make some big announcements in the near future- but you know how that goes- nothing- nothing-nothing and then BAM!  All kinds of good stuff comes out.  Anyway, I will be staying busy the next 2 weeks, and hope that you will too.  By the way- we will be unveiling a new website very soon, so we are really excited about that as well.  Log on to www.gomrf.org and check those guys out!  Till next week. . .