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. . .

Changing My Views

            Another week has gone by, and as usual, the racing was exciting to say the least.  The duo of Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas picked up, what is hard to believe; their first win of the season in Grand-Am. Ryan Hunter-Reay captured his second straight win, and the “ESPY Nominee” Franchitti blew up before the green in Iowa.  The boys of NASCAR were up in wine country this past Sunday.  I had the opportunity to watch some of the 4 hour pre-race show that NASCAR puts on, and I heard Darrel Waltrip talking about road course racing.  He mentioned how hard it is, and how you can never really rest- that you’re up on the wheel from the start to the finish.  Jeff Hammond talked about how the teams have taken road racing much more seriously in the last couple of years.

            In the last couple of years, I have been very fortunate to sit in a couple different racecars.  I have been able to win in all of them, but I too have changed my view of road racing.  I thought that real racing was short track racing, the beating and banging of Saturday night.  Man handling your racecar to get through the pack and get the win.  It meant replacing fenders and door panels, and spending all week getting the car back in shape for the next race.  Racing meant wondering where your next dollar was going to come from, and what was going to need to be fixed next.

            After having a week to download my last race, I find myself wondering why I felt that way.  Is that what racing is? Or, was I just a product of my environment?  I thought that road racing was something that just wasn’t on the same level.  I enjoyed watching road racing, but never really saw myself competing there.

            No one likes to admit when they are wrong, none more than me.  I must tell you, I have never worked harder in a racecar than last Saturday and Sunday.  While the car handled well, and was probably one of the most balanced cars I have ever sat in- it was also one of the most tiring races also.

            In oval short track racing, you get 2 chances every lap to hit your marks and drive the corners properly during a 15 second lap.  In a 10 turn road course, you have to wait 83 seconds to get another chance at the same corner.  Not only that, but you have to remember what you learned from the previous lap to be able to apply it to the current lap.

            Couple that with the different style cars all running together, and you have yourself a busy little afternoon on your hands.  Some cars corner ultra fast, but don’t have tremendous straightaway speed, while others fly down the straights, but corner like a dump trucks in the mud.  This poses many challenges on top of what the driver is dealing with inside his own car.  The timing and setting up of passes is even more critical than ever.

            I have some video that I haven’t had a chance to get up on the site yet, but it is angled back at me during the race.  I am always amazed to watch a driver drive his racecar- especially on a road course.  You watch him hit the brakes and set the car during deceleration, then he hits the clutch with a tap of the gas for an up-rev during his first downshift, and then while still pressing hard on the brakes with on the ball of his foot and big toe, he downshifts again with an up-rev.  Still decelerating you watch him look for the corner entry- another downshift with an up-rev.  As he turns in he gets back on the gas and starts lessening the input on the wheel.  He fades out of the turn and onto the rumble strips exiting the corner while grabbing a gear and heading down the straight away.  And that’s just one turn of one lap.

            I believe that a driver is very responsible for how the car performs on the track, but in road racing you have to hit your marks each and every lap.  Not to mention dodging the rocks and stones on the track that are kicked up from guys dropping their wheels off the track.  Its tough, racing in general is tough, but road racing for me has been a welcome challenge.

            Do yourself a favor- search youtube for “racecar driver and his footwork” and watch the video, it’s only a minute and a half, but it will give you a good idea what drivers do while out on the track.

            As for me and my team, we are hard at work for Pocono mid-July.  We are also doing some R&D work for Nationals out at Mid-Ohio.  We can’t wait to get back out the speedway and go racing.  Thanks to all of sponsors and supporters out there.  You guys make it happen, and mean the world to us.  Friend us on Facebook and follow me @justinonderko- Live updates at the track and news and events during the week.  Till next week. . .