[Fot] Important Stuff...

[Bill Dentinger]

Amici...
                    

                    
                    
This is a sad, but important story.  It is one that  will not be                      news Blackhawk Farms, Grattan, and Road                      America racer members on the FOT list.  But for                      those others, who may be unfamiliar, know that "Uncle Jack"                      Drews was a very popular vintage TRIUMPH racing compatriot.  He sure was one of my favorites.  He is probably remembered best these                      days for being the winner of the very first Kastner Cup (but also...for being Tony Drews' Dad).  But back in the                      day, he was one of several John Deere engineers                      (like Bob Wismer and Joe Alexander), who became                      active early on in Midwestern vintage racing.   When he became active, Jack Drews brought his engineering and mechanical                      skills, along with his earlier SCCA racing                      experience.  All were put to put to good use and readily shared.                       Jack developed more than a few upgrades for                      our TRs.  Some were just simple improvements, while                      others  (i.e., the Southwick axle), were                      major safety upgrades.  But the sad part is Jack had a bum-ticker, and that was an ongoing concern.  And then, so sad, on one hot,                      August afternoon at GRATTAN RACEWAY, it or he gave                      out at the very end of that long, ex-drag-strip                      front straight.  His meticulously prepared TR4 did                      not even try to turn right, like it should have.                       It went straight into the earthen bank at full                      bore.  Jack had passed me earlier in the lap, and so I was behind him, about an eighth of a mile back.                       I witnessed this crash first hand, as the car hit                      the bank with absolutely no hint of braking.  It                      then shot straight up in the air, and came down on                      its boot.  Maybe Jack had a heart attack.  Maybe                      he just passed out.  But the impact, along with                      the weight of Jack's helmet caused the severe                      jerk that broke his neck.  It was a sad, sad day, and                      one I think of often.  Others shared these                      feelings, and by the very next Midwest vintage racing event a month later, many                      of us racers had decals memorializing Uncle Jack on our                      race cars.  It was a simple decal, a 3 3/4" white                      circle with black script and trim.  It had his                      race car number "59" in the center, with "In                      Memory of" above and "Uncle Jack" below.
                    

                    
                    
I just had a new stash of these decals                      produced.  If any FOT racers would like to have                      one to put on their race car (all TRIUMPHs are race cars), send your mailing                      address to me in an email, and I will try to get                      them out as quickly as I can.
                    

                    
                    
As long as I have them, and I am able to do so,                      there is no charge. I am most happy to do this for                      my old friend "Uncle Jack" Drews.  I miss Uncle                      Jack.
                    

                    
                    
Happy New Year!


Bill Dentinger








                    
    


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