June 2017 REmarks
What did you do last weekend? How about the weekend before that? I just returned from the Indy 500, an annual tradition for myself and a group of friends that extends back to 1984. Several of these friends I see only at the Indy 500, yet when we do get together it’s like it was just yesterday. I’ll refrain from Monday-morning-quarterbacking the race itself, except to say I’m happy Takuma Sato finally got his Indy 500 win.
The weekend before Memorial Day my wife Joann, daughter Chris and I joined about 30 others on the Wine, Cheese & Beer tour through the backroads of Wisconsin with stops at a cheese factory, the Botham Winery, and finishing at the New Glarus brewery. The weather could have been better, but the roads were fantastic, the scenery was, well, scenic and the company was enjoyable.
The weekend prior to the tour was the Indy Grand Prix race in Indianapolis, where I was volunteering as a Corner Marshal along with a few other CenDiv corner workers. And the weekend before that was the Milwaukee/Blackhawk Valley regions SCCA Majors race at Blackhawk Farms.
To say that my life revolves around cars, racing and the SCCA would be a ginormous understatement (with apologies to our Area Director Bruce Lindstrand for borrowing his adjective). More so than the events themselves, the people who share the same passion for racing and all things automotive are what make these weekends special.
What I’m getting at is the whether your passion is cars, racing, family, friends, or a hobby, charity, philanthropic cause, artistic endeavor, reading, writing, creating music, travelling or something else altogether, I encourage you to follow your passion. Get up, get out and do something. Don’t waste any time waiting for the “right moment” because the right moment may never come. The moment is now; future moments are not assured to any of us. Spend your time making memories while you can, there’ll be time later to remember and relive them. The summer is short, life is short. Make the most of it!
Coming up in June are the second Track Day event of the season, on June 9 at Autobahn Country Club. For the first time we’ll be running the Full Track as opposed to either the South or North tracks. The event is filling up fast, so if you’re thinking about going my suggestion is that you don’t delay entering or you might be too late to get in.
Two days later on June 11 is the next autocross event of the season, as usual at RT66 Raceway. Our last autocross event hit our 170 entry cap, so again, if you’re planning on going, enter early to ensure you don’t get waitlisted.
Following those events is the 62nd edition of the Chicago Region June Sprints at Road America on June 16-18. We are already over 300 entries, with 50 Spec Miatas and 74(!) Spec Racer Fords! Whether you’re a club Race driver, volunteer or spectator, you need to be at this event!
The next weekend is the IndyCar race weekend at Road America. Not technically a Chicago Region event, but staffing for corner marshals and other specialties are provided by the region. Come on up to the beautiful Kettle Moraine area of Wisconsin for one or both of these events. You won’t be disappointed.
See you at the races!
Rick Bentson
Regional Executive
