SpeedBlitz Revamped

Just Do It

By Jake Croxton - jake@speedblitz.net

Bushnell, IL (May 8, 2011) – This is going to get sappy. I am warning you ahead of time but there’s really not much I can do about it.

I’ve really struggled finding much to write about to start this season. Not sure why – it’s been pretty decent when we’ve raced. Most of it has to do with this hectic schedule I’ve been keeping. Finding time to sit down and write is nearly impossible right now and I don’t expect this to improve much this summer. A good portion of it is self-induced but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Being there for others has its rewards – especially if they are great friends. I hope the King appreciates it as much as I enjoy doing it. Maybe one day.

Car counts of 25 and 28 for the Sprints spell early-season promise at Jacksonville – not to mention, the track has been in excellent condition. Jim Moughan and AJ Bruns have early-season wins.

Burlington’s been a blast flinging the silks. Two “grand slam” specials to start the season provided for a bit of a let-down as the weekly racing crowd has been a bit more humbling. The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is sure to bring in a big crowd and hopefully the $5 grandstand admission on Saturday keeps the local crowd up instead of ugly for Saturday.

We are getting very close to the one-year anniversary of the untimely passing of Jesse Hockett. It is with great sadness that I report most of what motivated me to hammer this column out has to do with more tragedy.

By now, you all likely know of the passing of Herschel Roberts. Herschel and team provided for one of the greatest feel-good stories of recent memory last year. We all knew this day was coming – whether we wanted to admit it or not. That doesn’t make it any easier but it is nonetheless final and we take solace in the fact that Herschel is in a better place.

I am struggling for the word to use so I am going to say that I am simply glad that I made it a point at the Slocum 50 to seek out Herschel, shake his hand, and wish him all the best. What I will take most from his ordeal is the perseverance that he showed and the spirit of being at peace with the situation.

You very rarely saw Herschel down about anything. He was always positive. I can remember him giving me a box of t-shirts to give away at the Pepsi USA Late Model Nationals (I can’t remember the year now) when he first learned of his ailment. At that time, he had been given three months. It makes me happy that he was able to see through all of the awards ceremonies and receive all the accolades that went with the dominant season they had with Ray Guss, Jr. in 2010 – and above all, spend it with his family and friends. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family and we wish them the best.

As I said earlier, we all knew Herschel’s day was coming sooner rather than later. It doesn’t make it easier but it certainly allows the mind to prepare itself for the day the clock stops ticking. In Tom Powell’s case, the shock factor of his untimely passing seems to add to the difficulty of the situation.

It doesn’t – they are both equally difficult – but it really should remind us that we just never know how long we’re going to be here.

To back track, the entry photo that you see on the front page of SpeedBlitz is the start of the 2010 Short Track Nationals 200 at Rockford Speedway. The man on the flagstand is long-time official Tom Powell. Tom began flagging at Rockford in 1984 (consequently the year I was born). He was also the starter for the ASA National Tour from 2001-2004. Tom was one of the most respected race officials in the United States.

Me being a dirt guy, I’d only got to see Tom on the stand once in person – but he was instantly a guy that I felt necessary to try and emulate. I was looking forward to my return visit this October simply to watch Tom – he himself is worth the entertainment portion of the admission price. I remember looking at Kyle during practice and saying ‘This guy is fantastic – I don’t even have to watch the race and I’m entertained.’ You could see by the way he carried himself that he meant business –but he was in his element, having fun and adding class to the end product. You can imagine the shock when Kyle reported to me on Saturday that Tom Powell, at age 51, passed due to a massive heart attack. Our condolences go to his family and the Rockford Speedway family as well.

There’s a lot of drama out there that we all can get wrapped up into (now comes the sappy part) – some of it’s good and some of it’s not. Some of it’s just plain unhealthy. Some of it you just can’t avoid. Most of it isn’t worth the headache that it causes. If we’re all in agreeance that you don’t know when you’re going to leave this Earth, I think we can agree that the best policy is to try to cut some of the drama, live your life to its fullest, and never take one second for granted.

Take a step back and enjoy life. Do the things that make you happy. Do the things that make someone else happy. If you can be there for someone – do it. If you can be a positive influence on someone – do it. If you can just be someone’s buddy when they need it – do it. If you can be someone’s big brother – do it. Don’t ask questions, don’t complain, don’t make life difficult for someone else. Just do it. Make the world a better place as these fine gentlemen that we pause to remember have.

That is all. See you at the races and thanks for reading.

Jake Croxton

Just Do It

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