The "New" Car

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Mark Strpko and Randy have just brought the car home. The date is May 18, 2009. The engine is "broke" and we will spend the next several months rebuilding and getting it race ready.

Mark is owner and Chairman of the Board of B(arn)Y(ard) Engineering. He also is a sprint car owner/driver. Super nice guy and a GREAT engine builder.

I immediately start peeling the vinyl flames from the machine.






We go to test and tune day, it runs, and runs good, in fact. You can see that the top of Rand's helmet is just above the roll cage. Not good. But, it's a good day and the set-up not bad, we learn alot and Rand sets a little seat time.



Michael and Ben (with Tommy behind) inspect the car. We're a diverse group and do not discriminate against Trevor and his rubber ducky helmet.






It is race day, and we're building and installing a "halo" which will add heighth to the roll cage. While Rand isn't tall by any means, the chassis is built for someone shorter. Randy is feeling stress for all involved. Time is passing and he suggests to Mark that it'll be fine without it. Mark does not listen, but continues to supervise the building and installing of the halo.

Dave Ockerman and Ben Curtis help in the pits and assist Randy with his gear, belts, head sock, helmet, then push him into the line-up to be pushed off for hotlaps.

The First Car

It wasn't pretty, but it was a start.


Mike must have been thinking, "Dude, what IS this?"








Having bartered for the car there's no out-of-pocket money gone, and what happens next is pretty amazing.

Randy has stripped it down to the bare chassis. But we are in the middle of building a house, and it sits for a while. Little by little he rebuilds it. It is a very old car, and components that will fit it are sometimes hard to come by, but find them he does.



Eventually, we have permission to push it off at a track. We are there alone with just the guys who have come to help.

I am very happy for him, and he is like a little boy on Christmas morning, maybe to the tenth power.

He wants me to drive it, and I want to, so I am dressed in a borrowed fire suit.







It coughs and sputters, isn't running exactly right, but it runs. It needs more work on the engine, but the first race isn't far away.









Waiting in line for the pit gate to open.


Didn't know if we'd ever see this day, but see it we have.










The push-off.











More work.

Alas, the car is never quite right. The chassis is old and of such an old style that parts we need for it to handle properly are not easily available.




Randy's work situation changes and again, there is not time to do the necessary work.

The car is sold, but we're not done...

The Middle Years

Sheri has started playing softball and taking dance lessons, then Mike started speed skating, then Bobbie is dancing and playing softball, then all three are speed skating. There's more softball, baseball, football. There is not time, or money, for racing.

We have three kids in three different schools all playing three sports. Sheri leaves for college, and Gramma moves in with us. Mike is playing drums in band, and in "A band"! They rehearse at our house. Randy's mom is diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease. Still no time, or money, for racing.

We have three kids in college in three different states, Montana, Iowa and California. Still no time, or money, for racing.

We have weddings, and grandchildren. Still...no time, or money, for racing.

The kids were involved in so many different things it would be silly to attempt to document, or represent them all here.  Suffice it to say our lives were rich and full, and busy.

This is Mikey at 5 years old, and Bobbie is 7.

The girls both dance for many years.

Here's an unusual use of the boat racing trailer. We built a float in our garage for the Bicentennial Parade in Kentwood, July 4, 1976. Look how cute they were. Sewed the costumes, made hundreds and hundreds of tissue flowers. Homecoming floats gave me the experience to do this. LOL

Sheri attended Montana State University in Bozeman, and played volleyball.

Bobbie play volleyball at the University of Northern Iowa.

...and Mike played volleyball in the Olympic Festival and then at Pierce College in California.

1991, 1993, and 1999 gave us weddings, and 1995, 1997, 1999, 1999, and 2001 brought us grandchildren. God's greatest gifts.

L to R: Madison, Tommy, Ben, Allison, and Lancing

Kids are established, but, we're so much older, I ask, "Honey, are you sure you want to do this?"

"I'm sure," is his reply.