Lou Sattelmaier, a veteran racer who used his racecars as a weapon on the war on drugs, died Dec. 28. He was 74.

A part time race driver back in the 1950s and 60s Sattelmaier teamed up with his brother, George, to race in and around Ohio, with a '32 Ford altered coupe. In the fall of 1971, Sattelmaier began a one-man crusade to curb drug abuse among our youth. The idea came about when his own children asked him to come to their school for a "show and tell." That led to a coveted sponsorship with Marathon Oil and in 1975 he teamed-up with the U. S. Navy, then in 1977 with Quaker State Oil and then Pennzoil.

Lou Sattelmaier, a veteran racer who used his racecars as a weapon on the war on drugs, died Dec. 28. He was 74.

A part time race driver back in the 1950s and 60s Sattelmaier teamed up with his brother, George, to race in and around Ohio, with a '32 Ford altered coupe. In the fall of 1971, Sattelmaier began a one-man crusade to curb drug abuse among our youth. The idea came about when his own children asked him to come to their school for a "show and tell." That led to a coveted sponsorship with Marathon Oil and in 1975 he teamed-up with the U. S. Navy, then in 1977 with Quaker State Oil and then Pennzoil.

In the spring of 1984, Sattelmaier climbed behind the wheel of a jet-powered Sonic Thunder Mustang and continued to race and campaign against drug abuse. In 1990, his son, Bob, received his license and now pilots his self-built Super-Sonic Jet Funny Car, and competed against his dad in side by side father-son competition until 2004.

Sattelmaier is survived by his wife Elaine; children Lisa, William, Candy, Robert, Shannon, John L. Sattelmaier, and Melissa; 12 grandchildren; sister Inga; and brother George

Family and friends may call Saturday 6-8 p.m. and Sunday 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at the Waite & Son Funeral Home, 3300 Center Road,  Brunswick, Ohio. Service will be Monday at 10 a.m. at the funeral home . Contributions may be to Hospice of Medina County, 797 N. Court Street, Medina, OH 44256.

For more on Sattelmaier, including photos and news clippings, visit http://www.jetfunnycars.com/.

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