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2008 Steel shoe (2hr) Ice Race Report

By Speedy Pete

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Racing motorcycle is kind of like a recipe in the kitchen. A lot of different ingredients are required for a quality end product. While the sum of the individual parts is wonderful (if all goes right) the basic pieces by themselves are not always as exciting, thank goodness when the parts were finally able to be put together the outcome was fabulous. Having said that, let's review the "ingredients" of this year's Steel Shoe Fund 2 HR Motorcycle Endurance Race:

Let's start by gathering up a key piece of the recipe, the weather, that will be our Milk, which in this year's case has certainly spoiled. While it was no more the fault of the milk for going bad, it was not the fault of the ice on Koshkonong that the ice continues to fail us in our attempts to make the race happen. I guess we will just have to thank the Milk (Tom Gimmer former owner of the Sunset Tavern ) for his years of good service and good times and move on to a new jug. Lucky for us racers the store, which is the state of Wisconsin, had another gallon of fresh milk, IE The Boat House on Fox Lake near Beaver Dam, which welcomed the event with open arms, cold drinks and great sandwiches! Wha-who we are back in business!

Now that our milk is fresh we need to gather up the bowl. Obviously without the bowl the recipe will never get past the thought process. For Sunday's recipe our bowl was none other than a super group of people. Our anchor team of Chris DaRonco and Joe Stoppleworth, Al & Judy Sumner, Deedee Sumner, Gordy Lunde, never wavered from trying to make this race happen. Chris & Joe had it in their hearts that this race not only should occur but NEEDED to happen to keep the torch lit for the fund. I know that without these folks hard work year after year that the event would never have grown to what it is today. For that you'all get a tip of the helmet visor!

Next we set the oven to the proper temp. My guess is that after $200.00 plus dollars of fuel that it took to plow the course on Saturday that the temp was at or near boiling over on the plow rigs. The word on the street was that it took two hours and two trucks just to get ONTO the ice…for real! Yikes. Luckily after a boat load of fossil fuel was consumed the racing surface that emerged was both fun and challenging.

So at this point we have one ingredient, a large bowl and an oven. Let's add flour now, why flour, well it a good base and seems to be in lots of recipes. Let it simmer for a bit with some of that milk from above and it is sure to thicken up. The riders are the result of that thickening up, without the overwhelming support of the riders there would be no monetary fund. Year after year a great group of riders funnel together, mix and match together to form teams and make a generally great base for our recipe. Most times racers are out for themselves but each year I am amazed at the willingness of riders to help one another at this event with a part, a bike or combinations there of to get as many riders on the track as possible. Teams consisted of Fathers and sons, Husbands and wives, friends with friends and some riders choosing to take the two hours on themselves. With names like: Cheese don't freeze, Von Licgkintenshtines & Team Mickey Mouse the day was bound to be fun!

Well our base is laid now; time to spice it up a bit. With an hour allotted to the riders for practice it became apparent that fender conservation would be key. The ice (or milk for those following along with the recipe theme) was hard but rough, rough and rough. Ruts formed early in practice and would haunt many a poorly constructed fenders as the race progressed. I would say the roughness could be equated to an inaccurately added squirt of lemon, the recipe did not call for it but it would later turn into an odd hint of spice up for the days results. Joe and company decided that the start would be a LeMans style: the bikes on one side of the main straight, the rider on the other. As the tip of the flag lifted off the milk (ice again J) some riders choose to sprint to there bikes and go for the early lead, some, myself included, figured that we had two hours to make up time and choose to safely close the gap between our bikes and our staring position, shucks no sense in slipping on the ice this early in the day! Ken "SSK" Schuck our trusty District 16 President was apparently practicing for his impending retirement from his day job, by taking the start slow and steady with a leisurely walk to his ride. Steady would be his theme for the day. It seemed to work as he and his teammate Dan "Hollywood" Mancl would still be running at the days ends. Being at the back of the pack at the start I could see riders mixing it up at the front and going at it hard. We will call those folks our "Tabasco" as there was some hot action as riders jockeyed for position for the first few laps, with all that action I must admit I did not see anyone bump or push anyone let alone see anyone fall down! As I eluded to early in my recipe, conserving fenders and bikes in general was a good plan, as we traversed the course riders had to steer around shrapnel from fenders that folded under the strain of a rough course bringing an early end to the day for those teams.

At the days end it was a team that consisted of a father and son, John & Zac Rosine rounding the last corner in the lead with 32 Laps. Second across the line was the Dan Hadon sponsored team of Jack Sutherland & Andy Heinecke with 32 Laps as well. Next was the battle for third overall between two motocross riders Norman LaRose & Eron Ezerins and one Moose Racing/PowerMadd sponsored enduro rider Speedy Pete. At the flag it was the Al's Auto Salvage sponsored Larose/Ezerins team taking third. Each of those two teams turned 31 laps but they remained on the lead lap. Fifth overall went to Brad Rosine with 30 laps. Every rider, regardless of where they finished had a smile on their face and a warm heart knowing that each of the dollars they donated was going to land in the hands of an injured flat tracker!

Finishing up with the "recipe" theme we have fresh milk, a warm oven, a big bowl, and mixed some ingredients in and ended the day with an excellent meal. The meal being good times, great racing, many smiles and the chance to spend a gorgeous sunny Sunday in February in Wisconsin! What does flour, milk and some seasonings make for a meal…well nothing I would eat but something that I am certainly proud to be associated with and be able to take part in each and every year!

For desert the riders were treated to a table full of swag supplied to the event by some great sponsors! Each person that was called for a prize looked like a kid at the Christmas tree (or Fesitvious pole for you non believers J)! Many thanks to Moose Racing, Corse Superbikes, Cedar Creek Motorsports, the Bargain Barn, and Dowco Company and Bell Industries

We must give a shout out to all the people that gave up their Sunday to let us riders have a great time, without them there would be no race:

Flaggers/corner workers: Dennis Brannon, Mike Vrana, Carmie Thompson, and
Mark Schield, Mike Schelter

Paul Smith for building the track.

Art Mischler for plowing during the race.

Thanks to Tina Hoedel (Weldmom) for the great looking quilt that was raffled off at the awards ceremony.

Tammy Flemming for donating a portion of each sale of her great Chicken Fingers (hand protectors/warmer). If you don't have a set get some, look them up at Chicken Shite Racing! They are built to take the rigors of ice racing!

Kathy and Paul from The Boat House for all their help, great food and warm smiles

I am sure I missed someone, for that I am sorry but a huge thanks to you too!!!!!!!!!!!!!

See you all next year (at the Boat House)!
Till then, here's dirt in your face (or ice this time),

Speedy Pete Laubmeier

Pro-Built
Motorcycle
Ice Tires

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