Missing Don

I’m sorry to hear about the passing of Don Radbruch.
His article, “A Lesson In History,” was always interesting.
RIP, Don.

Taking Schatz

I’ve been reading many articles about Donny Schatz and how he is misunderstood. I will not deny that Schatz is a great sprint-car driver and may be one of the top sprint drivers ever by the time his career is over, but I would like to share a first-hand experience with him that will keep me and my family away from his trailer for his racing career.
My family packed up the SUV, hooked up the camper and headed to Eldora for an Outlaw race in August of 2006. We have six children, and they were amazed at the facility. They are used to the short tracks in our area, and the shear size of the place excited them. The racing was great (Joey Saldana passed Schatz for the win with less than two to go), and a good time was had by all. The pit gates opened immediately after the show, and we raced down for autographs. Our 12-year-old boy was a big Schatz fan, complete with T-shirt, die-casts and posters. The sprint main had been over for more than a half-hour by the time the gates opened as one of the companion divisions raced their feature after the sprints. We went to the Parker Store Trailer to get possible autographs and pictures for our son. We do have a picture of our son with Donny pouting like a two-year-old that turned out great. He was also downright rude to all fans. Donny, if you lose a feature and are upset, you should seriously consider staying in the hauler. You lost a family of fans, and their respect for you as a person that night. We were extremely disappointed in your mannerisms, and a boy who idolized you will no longer.
There was a moment soon after that made the trip a lifelong memory for our kids. My wife recognized Kasey Kahne leaving the pit area. He was headed back to the Brickyard and obviously in a hurry. My wife asked him for a picture with the kids, and he smiled and said, “Sure.” He posed for pictures with them and signed everything they had, including tear-offs they collected throughout the night. He spent probably five minutes (much to the chagrin of his pilot who kept telling Kasey they had to get back) with a family he easily could have scorned. Kasey made fans for life for six children and their parents, while Mr. Schatz lost them.

Reaction To Letter

Per your public forum, Jan. 16 edition, I would like to offer the following: I am now one of those elderly people that Mr. Paul Luiz has such “…scorn and disdain for.”  When I was young, my father would say about an elderly gentleman, don’t ever forget, he may have been a famous race-car driver, fighter pilot or fought for our freedom. From that time on, I always had a deep respect for, “guys with age-related disabilities.”
There are a few old racers still out there that I wonder if Mr. Luiz might want to “enjoy giving one of those old-timers a serious beating down.” They just happen to be a few of my heroes, guys like A.J. Foyt (73), Mario Andretti (68), Parnelli Jones (75), Dan Gurney (77), Carol Shelby (85) or maybe even Chris Economaki (88) — who printed the comment in his magazine.
Mr. Luiz thinks that “old people have gotten a free ride in this country for far too long.” Paul, there were and are no free rides for the men I have listed — along with thousands who are no longer with us, who gave their lives to make racing the greatest sport in the world or died in some foreign land so you could have the freedom to express yourself.
Take it from someone who knows, you will be old before you know what happened, and if age has taught me anything, it is what goes around, comes around. Some day soon I trust that you will be the “old timer getting a serious beating down.” Have a nice life, Mr. Luiz — may it go by faster than you could imagine.