Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

I am a long time reader on this forum and had an account years ago and somehow lost my login information so I apologize for creating another account but I wanted to make sure that I did so to give an update on something that happened at Port Royal this past weekend when my fiance and I took my 10 year old neice to her first race. 

We decided to get her a pit pass to avoid the crowded bleachers which was a little on the expensive side and had me mad because of the cost we spent getting into the races after driving up from Ocean City, Maryland. We decided to get Brie a checkered flag and have the drivers sign it as a first keepsake. We walked around to all the drivers in the sprint pits getting autographs and most were happy to sign her flag with the exception of two who acted like it was a hassle for them.

We stopped over at the #86 car as he was getting into his car for engine starts and Brie asked for an autograph and the Driver "Ron" signed her flag....what really got me and made me want to post this is what happened next. Brie told Ron that this was her first race and she was excited, Ron immediately climbed out of his car and asked her to wait by the car. He ran into their smaller trailer and grabbed her a bright pink shirt of his and handed it to her and said that she couldnt be at the races and not have a race shirt. I offered to pay him for his shirt but he declined and said he has 2 children and remembers when he was there age and wanted to make a great impression on her so she keeps wanting to come back. Brie was so excited and it didnt stop there...Ron hurried up and picked her up and put her in his car so she could get the drivers view...(all this going on while cars are heading out for engine starts) When I asked him who his car owner is he laughed and said himself and his dad do this just for fun and that they are a low budget team who show up at the track just hoping to qualify each week. He started telling me that he had a small 12 head engine? (Not sure what that means but did not want to cut him off lol) and he moved up from 305 sprints recently to live his dream of racing a 410.

I noticed he had used tires on his car and I asked him why he didnt have new tires on and he laughed and said that he picked those tires up after the feature a few weeks back that another team threw away at the front of their trailer and that was what he had to run on all night. I was truly amazed that the smallest trailer in the pits and the lowest budget driver gave away something that he could have used to fund his car and took so much time to talk with us all while almost missing his engine start session. If you see Ron at the track make sure you go speak with him. That is what racing is all about and he certainly made a new fans for life with our famly. 

That was a great story, one of the best posts I have read on here in a long time. Thank you for sharing that story. Car No. 86 at Port is Ron Aurand. After reading that story, I will be definitely be rooting a little more for him.

I would be interested in who the two drivers were who acted like it was a hassle for them.

I rather not say to be honest as who am I to know if they were having a bad day or we caught them at a bad time. What I will say is both were not rookies and should have acted a little more thankful someone want their time but as I stated, WE ALL have bad days. Their response to us and then the difference in response we got from Ron is what led me to post this. Sometimes the little guy is more thankful for your time and support than the guy who you buy $100's of dollars of their merchandise over the years!

Great story!

A

Very cool story of a low budget racer living his dream with his dad. A spectator could offer buying some fuel, maybe a tire or hand him some cash to show your appreciation for him. We race a with the NW Focus Midget Series up here in Washington state  (definitly not the hot bed for racing) & I've had a few people over the years buy us a RR tire, fuel & hand us some cash & it's very much appreciated. My daughter was in the stands & a guy asked why all the people behind him were wearing my son's race t-shirts? She said that thats her brother. He handed her a business card & told her to have her brother call him. We ended up with a sponsorship from his company. He liked how my son spoke during the interviews in victory lane. All racers greatly appreciate any sort of financial help.

Very nice to read this post. Makes me feel a little better after witnessing a racers mother give another driver the finger Saturday night for nothing other than taking the lead.

I've known Ronnie for probably 20 years. Him and his family used to sit near us at Port. He's a hell of a good guy. Whether you run into him at the track after engine starts or at Walmart, he's always got a smile and a handshake for you. He's always been super friendly. He doesn't have much to race with but he's out there doing it which is more than 99% of us will ever do. He won in a 305 at Bedford a couple years ago so he can handle a race car. I'd love to see him have some success at the 410 level.