We are finally here at Maple Grove Raceway where, at the end of the weekend, the official NHRA drag racing season will come to an end and the Countdown to the Championship will begin. This is when we really need to turn things back around. In the past Maple Grove has been a pretty good track for us, so the GEICO Motorcycle team is excited.

We have had two races since the last blog and since they were back on the West Coast, we were able to spend a little time at home. Gary didn’t venture too far from our hobby as he spent the first weekend at Top Gun Raceway in Fallon, Nev., racing his car … you know, the Pontiac that he gets to enjoy about five times a year. He eagerly dropped the title of the GEICO Motorcycle crew chief and became the driver in the NHRA Sportsman Series point race. Not getting to race very much his challenge was the dial-in in the night air. He lost in the semi’s by going a little quicker than his dial-in.

That same week my sister came up from Southern California. It was really quite a sight when I came home from work to see that our sun patio had turned into a sewing clinic. Tables, sewing machines, and material were strategically placed across the patio. Debbie and my mom were sewing some new blue table coverings for the transporter and my sister was sewing her curtains for the house. They were all smiling and laughing and sewing away. I had to laugh as I thought that I never have desired to sew or thought it to be a relaxing group sport. Quickly though, I realized that my interpretation of relaxation is going just under 200 mph in less than seven seconds on a motorcycle, so to each their own. 

I also finally had a landscape designer come by and help me with my "Curb Appeal." He gave me some great ideas that I would have never thought of. Hopefully, by the time we roll around to the West Coast next year, we will have a park-like setting for the “Sew Fest.”

I hope to be able to do some of the landscaping myself while I am home for the off-season. The big challenge will be the snow.

Our good friends Dee Dee, Bill with Kristen and Jeremy were able to spend a couple of days with us between the Autolite Nationals and the Lucas Oil Nationals. Dee Dee and Kristen rode home with me from Sonoma and Bill and Jeremy came up form California to pick them up. It was a short but sweet visit.

Gary left for Brainerd while I stayed home and worked. The office continually joked with me about the “new employee.” It had been a month since I had been there so, I guess they have a right to tease me. I created a calendar that identifies exactly where I will be in the United States, so when we set up conference calls, they can consider time zones.

Fans have asked if I have a big following at work, and really it is not that big. There are quite a few NHRA POWERade drag race fans across GE that contact me, but, as for those that I work with daily, not so much interest. I think they have known me for so long and for all that time I have raced, so it seems normal to them. Sometimes as I walk down the hallways, I will get asked casually how the last race went, or where the next race is, but no real deep conversation develops. Some will say, “Hey, I saw you on the news last night, great job.” In truth, it really feels like I have two totally different lives.

So on that note, time to switch to my racing life.