-----Original Message-----
From: sam strano <strano@stranoparts.com>
To: autox@autox.team.net <autox@autox.team.net>
Date: Friday, December 01, 2000 4:04 PM
Subject: Re: In Defense of Howard
>At 04:35 PM 12/1/00 -0500, dg50@daimlerchrysler.com wrote:
>
>>For all the "King Howie" tongue-in-cheekyness that goes on, we are all
>>very, very lucky to have Howard in the job that he has. Howard "gets it"
>>better than anyone else in the sport. We could do far worse than have the
>>person who best understands the sport be in such a position of influence.
>
>I agree. Yes, Howard and I have had a run in or two (usually ProSolo
>related), and I admit they were probably my fault (except I have tape I
>didn't hit those cones in Evansville, but that's another story), being
>young and irritated.
>But, give the guy a break. He's always been nothing but nice to me, and
>anyone else I've seen him talk to. And he takes a lot of shit. WAAAAY
>more than I would or could.
>
>Sam Strano
>
Gotta jump on this bandwagon.
One thing Howard has (in addition to everything else that has been said of
him, and with which I add a hearty "me too") is a sense of humor. He takes
those "King Howie" jibes and other wisecracks with a grin, often suggesting
that retribution will be his someday but it almost never is. Ask a question
and you will get his honest answer, sometimes even an answer some higher-ups
wish he hadn't voiced. But the only agenda I've ever seen with the man is
what is best for the sport, and I've never seen him so hidebound in his own
opinion that he will not pass yours along to the SEB.
I suggested to him last year (and forgot that I had until he mentioned it to
me this year) that since his times at National aren't counted, he ought to
run a couple of classes to give more of us peons a shot to "Beat the Staff."
He ran in three different classes this year, effectively placing DFL in all
three because of only running one day -- but if I did not beat him the day
he ran then IMHO I did not beat him. He was considerate enough to hit pylons
when he ran DP so I got a license plate this year! It just added to the fun
to have him in my class, even if only for a day.
And THAT is the key to Howard. He takes his job very seriously, but he
thoroughly understands that his job is to facilitate fun. BS and Mickey
Mouse detract from fun, so those qualities are not in his makeup.
King Howie, long may you reign!
--Rocky Entriken
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