It has been awhile and life has been busy to say the least but at last, a new blog entry! We have had a couple of good weekends with the Fram dragster. Not the kind that we wanted as nothing short of taking home a Wally delivers maximum satisfaction, but we have done fairly well. The Fram team and dragster have worked toward a consistency that demonstrates that we are just a tweak and a round away from moving up in the points.

We are solidly in the number three spot and within seven points of Antron Brown. The new points system is proving to be a thriller for the fans and a stomach-churner for the teams and drivers! The fans seem to love it and that is what it is all about; making sure that the fans have the best show possible. Enjoy the ride–it’s killing me!

On a sad note, my close friend and business associate Fred Simmonds, lost his mother last week. Fred is in charge of GMC motorsports operations.  I have had a lot of support from him over the years and would like to express my deepest sympathy to him and his family. Fred so eloquently stated that his mother's last day was a good day; she was invited and gladly accepted the Lord's invitation to spend the rest of her eternity with him. Beautifully stated Fred; may God bless you and your family my friend.

This weekend we head to Memphis and the Mid-South Nationals. We have done well there in the past and it is always hot there. Hot track, nice people and a hot race in the countdown to one. The fans are in for a treat!

My guys have been hoping that I would forget to feature the next two guys in my blog ... you know, where I reveal all of their inner-most secrets. They have been ducking me for a couple of weeks now­–it’s time to dance guys! This week features a couple more of the guys in the trenches whom I affectionately refer to as my “crew dogs!”

Rob LePenske and Ron Freedman are two guys who contribute tremendously to the success of the Fram dragster team. Where would we, or any other team be without guys like these doing the jobs that they do? We wouldn’t even be able to get to the track.

Rob LePenske is a 26-year-old native of Newton, Colo. Now claiming to be “stuck” in Danville, Ind., he is our clutch guy. That is a huge responsibility. Whenever you hear about a problem with a car getting down the track, they usually mention clutch difficulties as the source. That doesn’t happen very often on the Fram dragster, because Rob knows his away around the clutch as well as he does. He also has the responsibility of being the team’s primary fabricator. This provides Rob with the opportunity to use his superior welding skills to make the necessary alterations to the Fram dragster when needed. You have seen it a thousand times; a car hits the wall or something unusual happens between rounds and the car is repaired in time for the next round. Rob is the point-man for those operations. You might think that is enough responsibility for anybody, but Rob also drives and maintains the Fram tech support operation.

Rob is easy to spot when he is with the rest of the crew. He is the guy with the sideburns that go down to his ankles! That look suits his purpose well when he hits the dive bars to watch what he calls, “a good punk rock show,” whatever that is. He told me the names of some of his favorite bands, but this is meant to be a family-friendly blog, so just let your imagination run wild with name possibilities for these bands!

Like other crew dogs, he likes to build hot rods, motorcycles and race cars when he’s not at a punk rock show...I still want to know what that is....  Rob’s mother, Mary Jo, father, Don and brother, Dave are all proud of him and keeping close tabs on the countdown to one points race and hope to see their son and brother with his hands on a “Gold Wally” at the end of the season.

(Pssssssst....this is Rob, don’t tell Cory that I hacked into his computer...I just wanted to say hi to “Dick Pillow.”)

I have heard somewhere that Rob has some superior computer skills. I’m not sure about that one, I don’t think that he has ever been seen on a computer before. Anyway, Rob is another very valuable member to the Fram team. I have so much more to write about Rob, but like I said, this is a family-friendly blog...how was that Rob?

Here’s one that I have been waiting for awhile to write about; what can you say about a guy called “Goat.” Plenty! But I can’t say it all here, again, it’s a family-friendly blog! When I first heard that Ron Freedman’s nickname was “Goat,” I thought that it was because he drove a vintage GTO. Nope, not the case, that’s enough about that!

Twenty-nine year old Ron Freedman and has plenty of responsibilities with the Fram dragster team. You can swing by the pit and catch him working on the supercharger. It is kind of a nice job because you remove the supercharger and take it off to the side in order to work on it. That reduces your chance of getting smacked in the head by a flying wrench while the car is being serviced between rounds. He also takes care of the ignition system as well as jumping in and performing what he describes as the other “odds and ends” that go with being a crew dog. In addition to that, Ron is the guy who helps me with my driving gear before a round. He makes sure that everything is cinched, snapped, tucked in and in perfect order. You wouldn’t believe how confining it is when I am wearing my driving gear. Without Ron’s help, I would never be able to get my gear straight!

Ron likes to work on his hot rods, he has two: a 1969 and a 1992 Camaro. He also like to take his boat out on the lake. Sorry Ron, you are not eligible to with the Fram Nordic boat! In his off time, Ron stays pretty active by hiking, camping and canoeing. Ron proudly proclaims that he is an active and outgoing guy and loves to do just about anything outdoors. (I wonder if he likes to make snow angels outside in the winter?)

Ron is grateful to his Parents, Ron and Sue as well as Grandparents for all of their support and guidance over the years. He also has a girlfriend, Jennifer. Jennifer, he said to say hello and that he misses you. Points scored!!

Ron extends a special greeting to his brother, Captain Tom Freedman, who is proudly serving in the U.S. Army. Ron says to “come home safely so we can finish our hot rod!” All of the NHRA fans extend a heart-felt “Thank you” to Captain Tom Freedman as well. Thanks Tom, and come home soon!

Speaking of thanks, I would like to thank Rob and Ron for all of their hard work. Keep it up guys, the “Gold Wally” is still up for grabs!

Let’s get to Memphis and tear it up!