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. . .

Like Old Times. . .

This is a big week in motorsports, the INDYCAR series has the week off, but NASCAR and Grand-Am will be at Indianapolis this weekend.  Scott Dixon will be joining Jamie McMurray and Juan Montoya, in Ganasi’s DP car.  Chip is putting together a ride for these drivers to race in the Grand Prix of Indy.  AJ Almendinger had his “B” sample tested, and it came back positive, so his suspension has gone from temporary to indefinite.

As for me this week has been busy trying to get our car back together for Summit Point in August.  Since this car is brand new to us, it has taken a little bit of time to decipher the parts, and where to get new parts from.  It was a lot easier with the late models, I knew those cars inside and out- and one phone call would pretty much take care of any problem.  We will get it all figured out in plenty of time.

It has kind of been like old times for me these last couple of days.  I remember in the early part of my career, when I was learning the cars.  That uneasy feeling you would get when you are looking at critical parts for the first time.  Then trying to figure how they work, and what it was supposed to look like- BEFORE- you blew it up.  Then trying to find someone who sells that part you need.  Finally- trying to talk to someone who sells those parts and get raked over the coals on the price of those parts.  Yep, pretty much like old times.

            There is one good thing about all of this.  After we fix our clutch issue, we will understand our racecar that much more.  Its one of those things that is hard to explain.  You kind of form a relationship with a racecar.  It’s like when you meet a girl and ask her out on a date.  You go on the date, and if the date goes well- you go on a couple more.  You start spending a lot of time with her, because you are having fun, you feel good when you’re together.  After a while though, its not all fun and games- and maybe you have a fight- that’s what my racecar and I did at Pocono- we had a fight.

            I’m trying to make up with my racecar right now- but instead of buying jewelry- we’re buying parts.  Nice, new, and shiny parts- and if I buy the right parts- we won’t fight anymore.  For good measure- I’ll give it an extra coat of wax after I put it all back together.

            I’m kind of poking fun at the situation, but Pocono really wasn’t that bad all things considered.  I’ve been very fortunate over the last couple of years, and I haven’t had many bad days at the track due to mechanical failures.  Spoiled I guess, but you can’t beat the crap out of a piece of machinery and expect it to stay together forever.

            I’ve got some plans for Summit Point; it will be our last race before we head to Mid-Ohio for Nationals.  In case you have some time next weekend, The INDYCAR series will be there, so you can tune in and see what the track looks like.  We missed the track record at Summit Point in June, by .062 seconds.  I think we can squeeze a little more speed out of the car, and I have a little more time in the seat- and that always helps. 

            I look forward to getting the car back in shape, and changing a few things.  It’s kind of a light week to talk about, but we will be in the shop getting our work done.  We really want to be able to put our best foot forward at Nationals.  Hopefully all goes well this week and I have good news very soon.  Till Next Week. . .

Coming Full Circle. . .

            This past week has kind of been a blur for me.  I wasn’t able to stay on top of much in the racing world.  My sister-in-law is getting married in August, and I was helping my wife get her bridal shower together.  My wife puts up with a lot- like foregoing her honeymoon last September so I could go racing, so I figured I should give a little back and help her out this week.

            Last week I was telling you about how I was able to win my first driving championship.  The 2010 season seemed to drag by for me, I led the points from June on, so I really just wanted to wrap it up as soon as I could.  I made a lot of friends that year, some that are special, and some in passing, but I was glad for my guys that helped with that championship.

            I had never really been able to put all the pieces together on my own to really compete for a title.  My guys stuck with me through thick and thin, and they deserve some credit too.  For me, it was kind of awkward at first; all I had to do was drive.  That may not seem like a big problem to some, but I always had my hands in everything.  I worked on the cars all week, I loaded them into the trailer, I drove them to the race track- I was usually the crew chief too.  Looking back- that’s probably why I couldn’t pull it all together.

            That’s why this year is going to be great.  I have 3 returning crew members, and I have the support of my family.  We have a great car in our stable, (2009 PT-A National Champion- and we’ve taken some steps to make it even better).  All of the things we have learned over the last 15 years are going into this season.  Unlike the late models- we don’t have a lot of races to run, so we have to make each one count.

            We have completed all of our annual inspections, and we just got word from the national office of NASA on how our car will classified.  We are very excited about next weekend at Summit Point.  It will be good to get back out on the track.

            The further I get into my racing career, though, the more aware of everything else I have become.  The driving part of racing is what got me into this sport, but the business side of racing is what will keep me in the sport.  To any of you who are racers yourselves, you know what I’m talking about.  All the knowledge, experience and capable people don’t mean anything if you can’t keep the dollars rolling in.  Racing isn’t about racing at this level anymore.  That’s not a bad thing; it’s just the reality of it.

            When I started racing go-karts, it was fun.  Soon, though, it became clear that my $6/hour job wasn’t going to keep me on the track.  Sometime back in 1998 was the last race I ever ran for just me, and my crew.  I went and got myself some sponsors and it all changed.  How we ran, became instantly more critical, weekly reports to the sponsors started, our appearance changed- in fact it all changed.

            There is a part of me that wishes I could go back to my parents 2 car garage, a Ford Explorer and a little open trailer with a couple guys going racing- usually Friday night, Saturday night, and sometimes Sunday afternoon.  We did all that on a couple thousand dollars for the season.  That’s how I started back in 1997, and how very different it is now.  Big trucks and trailers, shops, pit boxes, uniforms, websites- and now just our tire budget is thousands of dollars.

            I guess I just came full circle for everyone.  In 8 days, I will be starting another chapter of my story, and it has been fun/sad/embarrassing/funny to look back at what got me to this point.  I appreciate those who have taken their time to read my thoughts, and I hope you enjoyed my walk down memory lane.  Now its time to stop looking back and instead start focusing our attention towards what lies ahead- we have always said on our team, “The trophies we wins are just monuments to the past”.  I will be shifting from what has been, to what we are working on now, and where we are going.

            Stay tuned to the blog, and my website, we have some neat stuff we are going to be trying down at Summit Point, and I can’t wait to show everyone.  Follow me @justinonderko for updates throughout the weekend.  Till next week. . .

2010 SVS Late Model Champion. . .

          The month of May is just about over; Indianapolis Motor Speedway has fallen silent.  All of the teams and drivers have gone home.  There are no more fans to sign autographs for, or pictures to pose with.  It is all over, and for 32 drivers it didn’t end the way they wanted it to.  Dario Franchitti, however, is probably pretty happy with the way things turned out.  For the third time, Dario has won the Indy 500.  In doing so, he has joined a very distinct group of men who have that honor.  Whether or not you agree with what happened or how the race ended, his face will be on the Borg-Warner trophy this year.  This year’s race will go down as one of the best Indy 500’s in a very long time.

            As for me, I am counting down the days until my season starts this year.  I cannot wait until we leave for Summit Point Raceway.  Our car gets its technical inspection next week, and after we get the proper signatures on some very important papers- we are good to go.  The car looks really sharp, and all the set-up numbers are coming back just how we want them to, so we are expecting a good outing.

            An article was brought to my attention earlier today via e-mail.  A young boy of 12 years who is named Tyler Morr, died earlier this week.  He was injured while racing at Auburndale Speedway in Florida.  I guess there is a class that allows 12-16 year old children to compete in mini stock races.  My Family and I wish to extend our sympathy to the family of this boy.  I cannot imagine having to bury one’s child.  While it may seem, to some people out there, that children do not belong in racecars- this is a sport, and younger people are encouraged to participate in its entry levels.  While I do not know the details of what happened, I only know that I started in go-karts, and worked my way up from there.  We took as many safety precautions as were available to us at the time, but I still took some pretty good shots and I flipped a couple of times.  I hope the decision to put this boy in this car was based on the experience he had, and not on anything else.  Please keep this family of this boy in your prayers.

            As we look back at the 2010 season, a season which saw me in my very first ride, I will tell you it didn’t start out like I had hoped.  RPM Fabrications Inc. was preparing the cars for competition for the season.  We put my seat in the car and got everything to fit me the way it needed to.  The team had set-up a test for me to shake down the car, and get used to the new car.  I was used to a big spring car and this one was a coil-over car- so it felt a little bit different, but a racecar is a racecar- no matter what.  Not only did the weather not cooperate, but we had a top end miss in the motor.  The test ended with almost no laps being turned at speed, and the team not sure what was causing the miss.  Our first race came and went, with us finishing 3^rd, but the motor still had the miss.  Turns out- on a MSD Ignition 6ALN Box, the Purple wire doesn’t match the Purple wire on the Distributor.  In fact, Purple goes to green and green goes to purple- it makes me smile every time I say it- kind of an inside joke of sorts.

            Once we got that straightened out, it was game on.  As we got into the heart of the season, we had a string of 4 straight 2^nd place finishes, and we ended the season with 2 straight wins to put the exclamation point on our Championship.  We also set the track record during qualifying for our last point’s race.  Patience, and only taking what the car had to give each race, and not putting myself in any avoidable bad spots was the key to our on track success.  A good crew was responsible for giving me what I needed to do my job.  On September 25, 2010 I was able to lock up my first driving Championship.  Sundance Vacations Speedway Late Model Champion- I was proud of what we were able to do as a team, and proud of myself for proving I could do it.

            Next week I hope to have all my loose ends tied up and will be able to breath easy until we leave June 15^th for Summit Point.  Check out the website for the results, and check me out on twitter @justinonderko for updates during the weekend.  We will also have video from the weekend, so everybody will be able to see what I see from inside the car.  Another step in the right direction for us, stay tuned.  Till next week. . .

Coming Around. . .

            This past week in racing is always one of my favorite weeks.  The Indianapolis 500, to me, is so very special.  Since I was a young boy, and before I knew what the race really meant, I have dreamed of seeing my face on the Borg-Warner trophy.  The teams competed on Saturday for the pole, who else, but car owner Roger Penske was able to put together another pole winning car.  I think that’s 17 or 18, if anyone is counting.  Ryan Briscoe was the fastest at the end of the day, so he gets to lead them to the green this Sunday.  Bump day was not as exciting or as heartbreaking as it has been in the past, but it had its up and downs as well.  On the NASCAR side of things, Rick Hendrick got an old fashioned ride to victory lane on the side of Jimmie Johnson’s race winning car.  It was a nice gesture to see Jimmie take him around like that.

            Last week we talked about how as we grow up- one of two things happen.  Either we change or life changes around us.  For most of us, the changes are manageable enough and we ebb and flow with them.  Sometimes the changes are big enough that they can knock you down for a while.  That’s what happened to me the summer of 2006.  As I said last week, when my wife filed for divorce the end of the summer, I had to park the race cars for a while.  It was one of the hardest things I ever experienced.

            For those that have been unfortunate to experience it, divorce is a terrible thing.  It costs way too much, and I don’t just mean the money.  It costs you relationships, friends, possessions, time, and sometimes who you are.  I was lucky, to that point, we were lucky- we didn’t have any children.  The spilt, albeit hard, was not as bad as it could have been.  A lot of things happened during that time, and I ask any of you who are on the brink right now, don’t do it- it is not worth it.  It’s not any better on the other side, remember the promise and try to work it out.

            Alright- while I want everyone to understand that I am highly embarrassed about being in the majority of people whose marriages don’t last, I do not want to belabor the point, or make this week about that.  I came out stronger on the other side, I learned a tremendous amount, and have come full circle- 6 years later.

            Fast forward to 2009, and I decided to turn my ARCA car into an asphalt late model.  Something else I don’t recommend to anyone.  After a lot of work, and a new body, motor and trans, I was ready to get back on the track.  For my birthday, August 10^th, I decided I wanted to go racing.  I don’t really remember how we ran, or where we finished- but I remember the feeling.  That old familiar feeling and how great it was.  Getting strapped in, firing up the engine, pulling out onto the track, smelling the smells- and taking it all in.

            You see- for so long racing was like a burden to me.  I know that sounds crazy- “Why didn’t you stop racing then?” you might ask.  Racing isn’t like that- it gets in your blood, its not something you “do” it is who you are.  Even though I’ve won races and a championship since then, I have not been more thankful to sit in a racecar since that day.

            As the season ended, we competed in a few more races, we ran pretty decent but we fell short of winning any of them.  We did, however, catch the eye of some people who owned a late model team.  Late 2009 they offered me a ride for 2010- to compete for the championship at Sundance Vacations Speedway.

            Next week we will take a look at our 2010 season and how it all came together.  As far as our current car, we just came back from the dyno.  As soon as we get everything approved for competition we will be all set for the 16^th and 17^th of June down at Summit Point Raceway n West Virginia.  We will have some announcements soon, so check out our website (justinonderko.com) and follow us on twitter @justinonderko.  While I still don’t have a ride for the big race on Sunday, I will still be watching to see who gets their face on the trophy this year.  Till next week. . .

Growing Up- The Hard Way. . .

       This week in racing was a bit of a milestone.  NASCAR was at Darlington Speedway, INDYCAR is practicing at Indy, and The Grand-Am series was at New Jersey Motorsports Park.  First, congratulations to Max Angelelli and Ricky Taylor for another win the Daytona Prototype class, it makes their second in a row, and another surprising win for Chevrolet and their Corvette Prototype.  The Month of May is getting into full swing, with the INDYCAR Series having open practice at the speedway.  If you are a fan of NASCAR, you have to give credit to Rick Hendrick and his organization.  Hendrick Motorsports scored their 200^th win, making them only the second team in NASCAR history to win 200 races, and let’s be honest- Petty Motorsports raced in a time when you ran a lot more races a year; Hendrick Motorsports has done it in the modern day which has shown to be much more competitive.  I admire Rick Hendrick, because he epitomizes what all of the grassroots teams are trying to become.  It has been stated before that Rick may not always have known what to do in a given situation, but he knew how to get ahold of someone who did- and that is what makes him so successful.  Congratulations to Hendrick Motorsports.

            Last week we touched on why it’s not a good idea to wreck someone headlong into a wall after the race is over.  I hope we don’t see that again.  On a side note, after watching the NASCAR race Saturday night, I have to somehow get a sponsor to foot the bill, and then not have them care about results.  If only they would be ok with just letting me make laps instead of actually trying to be competitive.  Lets face it- the Cup series is where you should be getting most of your experience anyway, right?  If you watched the beginning of the race you should be able to pick up on my sarcasm.

            Getting back to my racing, and how after getting married- life returned to the long days and nights in the shop getting ready for the next racing season to start.  I had purchased a short track ARCA car from Bobby Gerhart in the fall of 2005.  I had convinced myself that I was going to be able to go racing at the ARCA level.  Today I look back on that decision, and wonder how I was able to look at my financial situation and still think I could do it.  If only dreams paid the bills, I’d be over in Indy practicing the fastest car at the speedway.  Sadly, dreams just make it harder to pay the bill sometimes.

            Christmas came and went, and so did New Year’s.  It was starting to become obvious that we would never make the first short track race in the ARCA Series.  Lack of money, resources, and people were making it impossible to achieve that goal.  This was also the time, were the relationship was reverting back to the strained and pressured state it had been only 6 months before.

            Most of the spring was gone and summer was starting to really get into full swing.  It seemed I was drifting further and further away from everything.  I felt my dreams of racing falling through my fingers, and the relationship with my wife was staring to really crumble.  When you make plans on decisions that were not fully thought out and rationalized, it makes it very hard grow those plans into reality.  It was the summer of 2006 that my wife decided that she no longer wanted to be married and left me.

            Now anyone who has been through a divorce, knows it’s nasty-mean-scary-heartbreaking, to say the least.  Normally this would seem like the part where I tell you about all of the mean and nasty things that she did during our divorce, but I won’t- because I just don’t have enough space..  Looking back at it though, it doesn’t seem like it matters now.  As I have put some time and distance on my marriage and divorce- I realize that it takes two to make it either work or fall apart.  I can see now how I was not ready to be married.  Most race car drivers are very selfish, not in a childish or mean way- but nevertheless selfish.  The sport takes so much time, that it makes it hard to have a healthy relationship with a spouse.  It doesn’t make it any more right, or any less embarrassing to know that I have failed at a marriage, but it is most definitely the truth.  Things happen for a reason, and I found strength it my friends and family, and relied on my faith to see me through.  It has made me look at things from a completely different point of view.  It made me grow up, and for me, it made me a better person.

            During the divorce, my racing career came to a screeching halt.  I had to park the race cars and concentrate on getting my life back together.  It did, however, make me even more determined to get back on track and continue to work towards my goal.  Since that time, opportunities have started to materialize, and now I am in a better frame of mind to make good on them.

            Next week we look at getting back on track, and how and why it changed racing for me.  I cannot believe how things are starting to come together here in the present day.  Stay tuned for some big news about our team, and as we look forward to our first races in June.  Check out our website, all of our happenings are posted there, and check back often- some changes are coming.  Check us out on twitter @justinonderko, and as always a big thanks to my sponsors, check them out on this page.  They really do make it all possible.  Till Next Week. . .