NHRA News: The lighter side of life as a crewmember (9/29/2004)

The lighter side of life as a crewmember

Contributed by Ted Yerzyk
9/29/2004

Drag racing is rich with nicknames. From "the Snake" and "the Mongoose" to "Big Daddy" and "the Professor," colorful monikers are a big part of the sport. These intriguing handles aren't just reserved for the drivers. In Snake Racing's pit area one will find "Toad," "Tex," "Dorn," "Junior," "Warrior," "Whistle," "Butter," "T-Rex," "Tiny," "Willard," "Fridge," and "Amish John."

It's all part of the lighter side of working on a nitro crew. Between the long hours at the track and the endless road trips criss-crossing the country, there are lots of benefits to life on an NHRA crew, and having a fun with your nitro brethren along the way is a large part of the equation.

What's in a name?

Jeff Mohr, aka "Gypsy," got his nickname as a bouncer.

As for gaining a nickname, well, it just has to happen. A crewperson can't make one up to his or her liking. Veteran crewmember Tim Kulungian can attest to that. After spending a few seasons working on Steve Johnson's Pro Stock Bike, he joined the blue Skoal Racing crew mid-season.

"I used to have 'Homie' as a nickname over in the bike pits, but the fuel guys didn't like it that much," Kulungian said. "'Tiny' is one they've given me. There are a few others that haven't stuck, so it's 'Tiny' for now."

Crewman Chris Kullberg, a life long drag racing fan, tells the story of how he became "Warrior."

"I used to call my drag racing idols 'Nitro Warriors,'" Kullberg said. "Back in the day, they used to travel around the country and race five nights a week and I would think of them as nomads or nitro warriors. Joe Amato was my favorite. So now, they call me 'Warrior.'"

Most nicknames are easy to come by. Often the youngest crew member is referred to as "Junior," which at Snake Racing applies to both Anthony Vanetti and Neal Strausbaugh, while others are based on one's physique or appearance or might just come from a part of their name.

"Everyone calls me 'Butter,'" Kevin Butterfield said. "When I worked for (John) Force, he called me 'Jelly' and my brother Kirk was 'Peanut Butter.' I don't know why."

Teammates Tim Kulungian and Nick
Blanchette share the love.

Movies play a major role in staying sane on the road, therefore a good portion of nicknames come from watching movies. While working for Joe Gibbs Racing, John Collins was coined "Dorn" from character in the film Major League. Former green Skoal Racing crew member D.J. McMahon called Tom Boyington "Willard" because of a person in the movie Footloose, who, like Boyington, hails from Iowa. Willie Wolter, who now works in Prudhomme's Vista, Calif. shop, named Kevin Secco "Toad" because of his likeness to a character in an old film.

Adding to the fun, team owner Don "the Snake" Prudhomme has his own pet names for certain crew members. The 49-time NHRA winner refers to Walt Herr as "Jose" and Secco as "Elvis." No one is sure why.

Watch your back
Being in any group for a long time can sometimes lead to things getting heated. Confrontations, arguments, and disagreements happen in a work environment that is not only taxing, but very stressful. Therefore, harmless pranks are sometimes needed to lighten things up just a bit.

Veteran crewmember Butterfield is the self-appointed mischief maker, especially when he can pull something off at the expense at one of his teammates.

"I'm a practical joker," Butterfield said. "Out here, if you don't have fun, it's easy for everyone to get down on themselves. You have to have somebody keep the humor going and make people laugh and have a good time. I take it upon myself to make people laugh."

Would you trust Kevin "Butter" Butterfield
(left) and Brad "Whistle" Morrison?

The pie in the face trick might dominate the baseball diamond, but at the racetrack one is more likely to find himself zip-tied to the floor, smelling something fishy in his gas mask, or being not-so-subtly tossed in the hotel pool at the end of the day. At times, things can get a bit more entertaining, as Brad Morrison explains.

"The guys got into my room and took all of my underwear at one race," Morrison said. "They also took my swim suit off in the pool and threw them on the roof of the hotel. Usually Kevin (Butterfield) pulls the pranks, but everyone is involved in some way or another."

"They do stupid things," Steve Zelem added. "I was in the latrine in T.J.'s lounge one time and they sprayed corn starch through the door crack with an air hose. I walked out looking like a ghost."

The jokes can reach beyond the pit. When the usually stoic Fred Stover worked on Dixon's dragster in 1999, he drove the crew members on Capps' team crazy after he stole the keyless remote to their Chevy tow van.

"Whenever we were in the staging lanes, I would lock them out of their van and they couldn't figure out what was happening," Stover said. "They would tear apart the fuse panel looking for something wrong. They would get really aggravated, but Larry enjoyed it."

R&R is important

Ted "White Snake" Yerzyk and Anthony "Junior" Vanetti prepare to play some ball.

Nitro mechanics cherish off-weekends. The NHRA POWERade Series schedule gobbles up 23 weekends for races each calendar year. Add in a few test sessions and rain dates and it's possible to be away from home for more than half of the weekends each year.

Crew members have found plenty of things to occupy their time during off-weekends, from golf, playing video games and fishing to going home to spend time with their families or girlfriends.

Surprisingly enough, a few guys spend their free time working on their own racecars like Wright's 1993 Ford Mustang, Secco's 1970 Chevy Nova, Herr's 1969 Chevy Camaro, or Vanetti's Top Gas Bike.

While Jason Wright, Secco, Herr, and Vanetti drag race, their teammate, Shawn Ford, makes use of his time by racing his 1989 Pontiac Sunbird at a local fifth-mile paved circle track.

Then there are those that want nothing to do with cars or racetracks, so their off time is spent on the water. During the summer, Morrison takes his 23-foot Caravelle Interceptor to local lakes, while Stover and Jimmy Higgins go fishing.

Walt "Jose" Herr goofs around
at a restaurant along the way.

A few enjoy hitting the local links for some golf. Boyington, Brain MacDermott, and Zelem all take pleasure in hitting the little white ball around.

"If I don't go home to Lake Havasu on the weekends to see my girlfriend Dori, I'll play some golf," Zelem said. "I really don't like living in Indy, so I try to go home as often as possible. I also go to Oakland a few times each season to watch my Raiders play at the Coliseum."

Whether it's hanging out at the house or going out for ice cream with the wife and kids, those crewmen with families know there's nothing they'd rather be doing then visiting with those they miss so much when on the road.

"Family time is very important to me," Collins said. "It's hard not being home. My son, Tyler, and I fly RC planes on the off-weekends and my daughter, Courtney, is involved in sports. So most of the time when I'm home, I'm either flying planes or at a soccer or basketball game."

"I'll go home to Alabama to spend time with (my wife) Chris," Kulungian added. "I don't get to see her very often, so it's important to hang out with her. When we're at home in Alabama, we like to ride our four wheelers and just hang out."

There is the raw, uncut life of being a mechanic on a professional NHRA drag racing team. It's not always glorious, but occasional visits to the winner's circle make it worth every bit of the effort. The bonus check doesn't hurt either. While, at times, it may seem that crew personnel are married to the job, there's a reason that so many crew members spend a good portion of the lives on the NHRA circuit. For some, it's their utter passion for drag racing; for others it's the goal of winning a race. And, certain crew members couldn't see themselves doing anything other than working on a Funny Car or Top Fuel dragster. Any way you slice it, being part of a professional team is something most people will never experience, but something everyone should.

2004 News Archive
Return to the Home Page