Saturday my uncle John had a heart attack.  It is only by the grace of God that he survived.  He drove himself to the hospital, and the doctors said that if he had not, he would have likely died.  I would ask that you please pray for him to have a speedy recovery.  I also ask that you pray for my Aunt Cindy.  Of course this is not easy for her either.  They both are special to us and have provided me with so much support throughout my life.

Driving home from the hospital, I could not help but to think about how fragile life really is.  I thought about how I get wrapped up in things that are not important.  Sometimes it is work, racing, home projects, and so on.  However, are those things I am supposed to be wrapped up in?  I think one of man’s sinful deceptions is we chase unimportant possessions or goals in our life.  The world says, “The one who dies with the most toys wins”, but that is a fool’s errand.  He still dies.  It doesn’t have to be toys either.  “Toys” can be replaced with any number of things.  It can be money, a career, wins, and so on.  This list is long and is different for everyone.  The tragedy is that while chasing the “toys” we can miss the point.  When I reflect on people who have passed in my life, I do not remember how many “toys” they had.  No one talks about the things the status they obtained.  Instead we remember the time we spent with the person.  The memories we shared together.  This is what matters.

As I thought about all this, I couldn’t help but think about my Grandpa Fred.  He passed in 2009, and I gave the eulogy at his funeral.  In doing this I collected the memories that us grandkids had of him.  His legacy is a special one, and I hope one day that I have touched people the way he did us.  I have included that eulogy below.

Grandpa Fred
Fedrick Francis Weidman impacted individual lives in many different ways, but to myself and 14 others he was our grandpa.  My cousins, siblings, and I would like to share with you some experiences we had with our grandpa.  I asked the others to give favorite memories they had to share.  Well, the number of things given to me was overwhelming so I will not be able to mention everything.  However, I noticed some common themes in each of our memories.  Fredrick Weidman was a grandfather that had fun with his grandchildren.  He was a grandfather that taught his grandchildren, and he was a grandfather that served his grandchildren.  So here are just a few of the stories that exemplify each of these traits.

As I said, Grandpa liked to have fun and this illustrated itself in his speech, his jokes, and his actions.  Each of us has memories of funny things that he did over the years.  One memory shared by Chris, Eric, and Michelle was when grandpa came over in the dead of winter with his swim trunks on, towel, and sun tan lotion ready to swim.  Kristi will always remember how nervous Grandpa was to dance with her at her wedding, but by the end of the song he was spinning and dipping her.  I will always remember the Birthday I asked for a Mickey Mouse watch.  Instead of finding a watch, I opened the box to find this old leather shoe.  I later learned the watch was hidden inside.  Grandpa was a big kid at heart, and when any of us was over, he figured out ways to have fun with us.

Grandpa also had his funny sayings and odd ways of communicating things.  One thing all of us will remember is being called turkeys.  He used to say all time, “You turkeys,” and we would respond, “we aren’t turkeys Grandpa!”  If he saw you picking your rear, he would ask “Are you going to the movies?”  When you said no he would respond, “Well you are picking your seat!”  We would laugh.  He called Evan “E” because he said that Evan was just too long to say or spell.  He told the Colts “Get the ball or I’ll kick you in the slats!”  I had to Google that one.  Apparently “kick you in the slats” is slang from the 40’s for “kick you in the ribs.”  Yousef, Abby, and Adam will never forget when he loudly yelled in a Puerto Rico hotel, “I don’t want to go to a restaurant named PeeWee’s, that’s queer.”  However, later when Grandpa met 400 lb PeeWee, he did not mention anything about being queer.  Grandpa definitely had his own way of saying things, which made us all laugh countless times.  We will never forget the fun we had with him.

Grandpa also taught us many things over the years.  Ryan, Ronnie, and I learned not to tear up his lawn mower.  Unfortunately for Ronnie, he got the blame for that one, when it was Ryan and I that shifted the gears without using the clutch.  For years, grandpa would say “Junior, I don’t know how you can operate a backhoe but not that little tractor I got.”  Grandpa also “kindly” instructed us that it was not polite to throw crab apples at passing cars.  Why he did not string us up in that crab tree I do not know.  He taught Chris, Eric, and Michelle to army crawl, and apparently, he had more faith in Jenny and Kristi than he did us boys.  He taught them to drive his truck when they where 15, and then let them drive around the neighborhood by themselves.  He encouraged Lauren to keep singing because he was sure she could be a country singer someday, even though he had never heard her sing.  He also taught us that putting Jello powder on buttered toast is a delicious treat.  But more importantly, he loved to tell us stories of his past.  These stories gave us just a small glimpse into what life was like before the comforts we know now.  They gave us a small glimpse into what it means to serve your country.  These were stories that gave us examples to live by.

Finally, Grandpa often served us, which was not something that he did exclusively for us.  I would be willing to bet that most in the room can recall a time or two when Grandpa was there with a helping hand.  Nolan will always remember who his number one fan was.  I can only guess that Grandpa threatened Nolan’s opponents with “kicking them in the slats”.  Ryan and Kristi will always remember the times they stayed with Grandpa while working two jobs or because of bad weather.  Grandpa always had a full course meal prepared for them and was waiting to make sure that they made it home safely, no matter what time it was.  I think we will all remember the food he cooked for us over the years.  Lauren will always remember when Grandpa picked her up each day from Kindergarten.  He would fight for the first spot in line, and then he always had candy for her when she got in the truck.  We all will remember how he worked so hard to meet our needs.  He loved to read the paper and when he found something that he thought would benefit you; he would cut it out and save it for you.  We will all remember how he would stand at his garage door waving you on as you left, making sure you made it to the highway okay.  He gave us a great example of service and what service to others looks like.

As I said there are so many more stories and memories that I cannot discuss them all.  He was a grandfather that left his influence with each of his grandchildren, and each of us will remember these things.  We all have memories of him close to our heart, and whether Fredrick Weidman was your Dad, brother, grandfather, or friend, his memory will continue on with us. 

It has been awhile since my last post.  I have been busy with various things.  I am beginning to wonder if I have time for this website.  I have this habit of taking on too much, but I feel uncomfortable if I do not have a long to do list.

The first local race of the season took place Saturday at Brownstown Speedway.  I am not sure the results, but you can check it out at Brownstown's website.  I have not gotten my new car yet so it will be awhile before I hit the track.  That is fine because I just start my last class of my master's program.  It is looking more like May or the first of June before I will be ready.  I am expecting to receive a new set of AFR heads tomorrow so I should be putting my motor back together soon.  Until I get my mod together, I will just have to settle for banging wheels in the go kart at my Dad's.

Instead of going to the races, we went to the Creation Museum in Kentucky.  If you have not been, I would strongly suggest making the trip.  The basis of the museum is that science does support the Bible, and it is really cool how they present the evidence.  David and Logan really enjoyed it.

I am happy to announce that my wife and I are expecting our third child.  My wife is due September 1st so it will be here before you know it.  I am not sure if we are really prepared, but I do not think you can ever be.  We both hoping for a girl.  I think my wife is especially, but we will see what God has in store for us.

I would appreciate prayers for my wife.  She has been pretty sick.  Well, I think anyway.  She said it could be much worse.  Seems bad enough to me.

The 24 Hour of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race.  It was first held in 1923 and has been ran every since near the town of Le Mans, France.  It is a true test of man and machine. Well, I was in Houston this past week visiting a customer when I learned of another racing series with a similar format.  It also tests man and machine, but instead of high dollar sports cars, it tests the capability of $500 machines.  It is known as the 24 Hours of Lemons.  Here is the description provided by their website.  "Endurance racing for $500 cars.  It's not just an oxymoron; it's a breeding ground for morons.  It's where Pintos and Masseratis battle to lap a Le Car.  It's where first-timers dice with Nomex-soiling pros."  Under the "How to go racing" section, they state, "It's not just for rich idiots.  It's for all idiots."  Obviously, they have a sense of humor.

They hold several races.  The closest to Indiana is in Joliet, Illinois and South Haven, Michigan.  They must be doing something right.  According to their website, they take applications and have to turn teams away because of interest.  I find it interesting.  You can check it out at http://www.24hoursoflemons.com. 

To give an update on our racing, we are still waiting for our frame.  I am not exactly sure when it will be finished.  I know my brother is busy, and I am not loosing sleep over it.  I still have my RHS heads for sale.  I am asking $950 or best offer.  I also have a Ford 9" third member.  It still has the stock gear and is ready to be built for racing.  I am asking $75 or best of

_For our family the first race of the year occurred this past Saturday at the Brownsburg fire department training center.  David ran his pine wood derby car in Pack 391’s 2012 race.  While there was no dirt, no motors, no big haulers, or even checkered flags for that matter, the competitors were just as serious.  David ran four heat races, which he placed 2nd, 1st, 3rd, and 3rd.  In the last race, the top three were only separated by fractions of a second.  Unfortunately, he did not make the finals, but I was proud of his effort.  Going into the project, I told him that he had to do the work, and I would coach him.  He designed the shape, cut most of it out with my coping saw (without breaking the blade I might add), painted it, and filed and polished the axles.  I installed the axles because it was beyond the capability of an 8 year old.  In fact, it was beyond my capability because I broke the car installing them.  We had to glue it back together.

I am not sure he learned the lesson I wanted him to learn.  I wanted him to learn skills in car building, the pride that comes with doing things yourself, and that hard work pays off.  However, the amount of work done by the other dads was significant.  There were some good cars.  One person even commented how they were impressed with how well his car ran because it was obvious he did the work.  What lesson did the boys really learn that my dad can build a good car?  Fortunately, he did not seem bothered by it.  I think I was more than he.  I stressed to him how proud I was that he did it himself, but I am not sure if it sank in.  If nothing else, he learned that not everyone will play by the rules.  It is true in my racing and every other form of racing.  For that matter, it is true in life.

Picture 1: Logan cheering on David
Picture 2: David's car (third from the left in the back row)
Picture 3: David finishing 3rd in his 3rd heat.
Picture 4: David's car lined up for his second heat race.  He won this race.

I attended the Diamond Chassis seminar this weekend.  The technical information was good, but the real pleasure for me was witnessing my brother and sister-in-law in action.  I am proud of what they have accomplished in a short time.  While sitting there listening to him talk about the cars, I could not help but to think back to when we first started racing.  As you can see on the photos page (crashed yellow and red car on the trailer), it was a modest start.  We did not know anything about racing, but from early childhood my brother has always been a dreamer.  That is why my Dad put "Dream Chaser" on the back of his first race car.  When we put together his first modified back in 2001, who would have guessed that he would be here now?  It was seven years later on a hope and a dream, that he built the first Diamond car.  It took off slowly in the beginning, but the number of cars has exploded in the last two years.  I am not sure how many cars he has built now, but by the end of the 2011 season his cars have accumulated 198 wins.  107 of those wins came last season alone.  Drivers have not only won races but also championships. 

One of the things that makes me most proud of them is also what I think makes them most successful.  There are a lot of good cars on the market, but it is how they treat their customers that separates them from the pack.  They truly put them first.  He cares more about his drivers winning than he does winning himself.  For this reason, their business has done well, I am a proud brother, and the future looks bright for them.

_ In my last post, I presented a racing scenario where I was crashed.  One of the questions I asked was, “How am I supposed to treat this fellow competitor?”  In Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus said the two greatest commandments were, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it.  Love your neighbor as yourself.”  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

I want to take a look at these commandments in the context of my story and determine if it applies.  How do I respond to being treated this way?  I sure do not want to be a door mat for people to walk on.  The first commandment was to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and all your mind.  So the first decision is whether I will follow that commandment, which I made a decision to do in October of 2004.  I am not perfect at it by any means, but I am continually trying to improve.  In regards to commandment number two, I do not see how you can follow number one without following number two.  In fact this is stated in 1 John chapter 2:3-5.  “3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him.”  I think the conclusion is simple.  If you love God, then you will work at following his commandments.

Since I need to obey the second commandment, what does that look like?  I can definitely tell you what it does not look like.  In past situations, I was so angry I got in fights, a couple times I crashed into the other driver on the track, and another time I went as far as throwing a fist full of rocks at the other driver’s car.  Racing sanctioning bodies are quick to condemn this type of reaction and maybe you are condemning me now.  Well, all I can say is I have done what I have done.  I have asked for forgiveness so let us focus on what I should have done.  This is where it gets tough.  Does it mean you have to love selfish people?  I believe it does.  The commandment only talks about our actions not the actions of the other person.  There is no qualifier on the type of neighbor we are to love.  After all, is it not selfish of me to decide how I deserve to be treated?  A great quote from Stephen Kendrick is, “Almost every sinful action ever committed can be traced back to a selfish motive. It is a trait we hate in other people but justify in ourselves.”  The fact is we are all selfish.  We all love ourselves.  If that was not true, then it would not make sense for Jesus to tell us to love our neighbors as we love our self.  Based on these words I should look at how I would want to be treated, and then that will tell me how I should treat others.  I would want to be given the benefit of the doubt.  Maybe they did not intend for it to happen.  How can I condemn someone for being selfish, when I am selfish myself?  I cannot.  Secondly, will I be effective sharing my faith if I am fighting with others?  No, it makes my faith appear to be non genuine.   After all, God let the event happen so it was a part of his plan.  Maybe his plan is to provide an opportunity to share Christ with the other driver.  That is where my focus should be; the eternal not one night of racing.

I am selling the heads, intake and valve covers from my super stock.  I am selling them because I am moving to a modified, which allows you to run aluminum heads.  I am selling the intake because I plan on buying the Brodix Track 1 kit, which comes with Intake and valve covers.  Here are the details and pictures.

The heads are RHS cast iron, 23 degree, 64 cc, 220 cc intake runners.  The part number is 12322.  They include the following components.

• Intake valves: 2.02” 11/32 +.100” long (Comp Cams PN 6001-8)
• Exhaust valves: 1.60” 11/32 +.100” long (Comp Cams PN 6002-8)
• Valve springs: 1.550” dual springs, max lift .720” (Comp Cams PN 943-26)
• Valve locks: Comp Cams PN 614-16
• Valve seals: Comp Cams PN 529-16
• Spring seats: Comp Cams PN 4759-16
• Studs/Guide Plates: 7/16” Comp Cams PN 4516-16
• Retainers: Comp Cams PN 1731-16

Intake is World Products Motown.  The part number is 061040.

I bought these heads and intake last January.  I ran them on a 400 SBC.  They were assembled by RHS, and I bolted them on.  I still have the invoice showing all the parts.  They have 19 races on them.

I am asking $1300 OBO for the heads, intake, and valve covers.  I will separate if interested.

I laid out my goals last week for the 2012 racing season.  One of them, which I consider to be the toughest, is caring for other racers more than myself.  Why is this one of the toughest?  Let me explain.

Imagine with me for a moment.  It has been a long winter.  You have spent those months preparing for the upcoming racing season.  Maybe building a new car, or maybe just updating your current one.  You put a new body on it, freshened the motor, put fresh tires on, and made the set-up tweaks that you think will put you in the front.  Finally, the much anticipated race is here.  You load up your equipment and head to the races with much anticipation.  In hot laps the motor runs great, and the car handles well.  Your expectations now increase.  As you roll out for the heat race, you are focusing on what you have to do to cross the finish line first and solidify a front row starting spot in the feature.  You come out of turn four and get the green flag.  You race down into turn one and lift to set your car.  Then from seemingly out of nowhere, you feel a car slam into your left side.  You hear their motor turning what seems like 10,000 RPMs and see their car flash across yours as you go spinning out of control.  When you come to a stop, all you can see is bent sheet metal.  The wrecker takes you back to the pits and you find two flat tires, a bent shock, broken upper A arm, and a bent spindle.  Your night now gets much harder.

I share this because it happened to me in 2009.  In that moment I wanted nothing more than revenge.  As I write this now, feelings of anger surface even though it was 2 years ago.  It is one thing to drive into a corner to deep, but when you do not lift.  That is the same as saying "I do not care about you, and I am going to do whatever to get what I want."  Is caring for a person with that attitude required?  Is it possible?  What are the consequences if I do not care about this person?  What does society say, and what does the Bible say?  These are important questions and yet are difficult ones. 

This week and subsequent weeks, I am going to study this topic.  If it is a 2012 goal, then I think it warrants a full understanding.  Stay tuned for my findings.

Happy New Year everyone.  I know for many this is a time to determine a new years resolution, but I have never been one to make resolutions.  The Bible says that we should constantly be working on our areas of sin, and that the Lord will bring these to our attention.  Of course I guess a new years resolution can be something other than putting off sin and putting on righteousness.  However, for me, I have so much sin to work through, I cannot imagine another type of new years resolution.  I will use this post to make some goals for racing.

Goal #1: Keep racing a proper priority.  I have two sons that need my attention more than a race car does.  I have a wife who doesn't need it but deserves my attention more than my race car.  Keeping a proper balance can be difficult so this is goal #1 for me.

Goal #2: Obtain the remaining funding I need to race in 2012.  Of course money is important if you want to race, but my goal is not only to get the funding, but to do it in a way that provides true value to the other person.  In the past, I have only worried about getting the funding and not some much on any value for the other person.  I am supposed to put others before myself, which means in funding as well.

Goal #3: At the end of the year, I want the people who know me through racing to recognize me as different.  I want to be different in that I care less about results and more about the people I interact with through racing.  This is difficult for me for two reasons.  First, I am competitive, want to run good, and therefore have a tendency to think selfishly.  Secondly, sports can often bring out the worst in people.  I know sports have brought out my worst on more occasions than I want to remember.  It is hard to love people when you or they are at their worst.

Goal #4: I am considering different options for using racing as a tool to serve others and change lives.  I want to have a clear plan completed by the end of the 2012 searIdeas are welcomed.

Okay, I think those goals are plenty for me to focus on.  I ask all who I work close with to please help me keep these goals.  I welcome constructive feedback if I begin to lose focus.  I hope everyone has a happy new year.