RACING WITH HEAVY HEARTS
Fri, 2007-03-30 07:47
As the Powerade Drag Racing Series headed to Houston Raceway
Park for the O'Reilly Spring Nationals, the fourth of 23 races, competitors in
all four pro classes shared their memories of Eric Medlen and how they plan to
honor the late Funny Car driver from John Force Racing by carrying on:
GREG ANDERSON - "It was a very numbing deal. I watched what the John Force Racing teams had to go through this week, and after all they've been through, I applaud John Force for calling a halt to things and giving his teams the weekend off as they seek answers, closure, and time to regroup.
CRUZ PEDREGON - "Eric was a genuine guy. He was very enthusiastic about everything. You couldn't help but like him. His father, John Medlen, is the nicest guy in the world, and I could see from early on that Eric inherited that gene from him. He was a great human being."
CORY McCLENATHAN- "The healing process has to start. Now we need to find out what caused Eric's accident. There are going to be changes made. Things will be different, and we have to learn to adapt to them. If we can make drivers safer . . . that's what I'm all about. I've been around here long enough to see a lot of things happen, from my accident last year at Bristol to Eric's accident, and why one walks away and one doesn't, only God knows that. It will probably be a quiet weekend in Baytown."
HILLARY WILL - It is hard to find anything to smile about right now with the loss of our friend, Eric Medlen. This is a really difficult time right now for everyone. I think I speak for everyone at KB Racing and Kalitta Motorsports when I say that we can't imagine racing without Eric. Although he isn't physically there, Eric will always be in our hearts. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, his friends, and everyone at John Force Racing.
SCOTT KALITTA - "Words can't even describe my feelings now. Eric had such a positive, unselfish, and kind disposition about him. I wish I was half of Eric Medlen in that regard. He was a true friend to everybody. My heart truly bleeds for his family, and right now I wish we could wake up and this all be just a nightmare. As hard as it is going to be to go to Houston and race, I believe in my heart that is what Eric would have wanted us all to do. I'm going to remember all the great things about him and the good times I had with him. He was the only guy I didn't mind losing to. Eric was good at everything he did. I'm going to do my best to console his dad and his family. I know he'll be riding along with me and all the other drivers this weekend at Houston Raceway Park. Going to the race track will never be the same. The only positive thing I can extract from this is Eric was doing what he loved. If there is life after death, he's up there smiling down upon us feeling fulfilled. I can only hope when the shock and pain subsides we will then be able to celebrate his life and all that he contributed to us in his life. Godspeed, Eric."
DAVE GRUBNIC - "Right now I'm at a loss for words. Eric was one of kindest and most genuine people that I've had the privilege of knowing. I don't understand why the good are taken from us so prematurely, but I guess I'm not supposed too. My deepest and sincerest sympathies are extended to the Medlen Family and to John Force Racing."
TONY SCHUMACHER - "Whenever something like this occurs in the NHRA family, it's tough to go forward. But I'm confident that Eric would want us to move on with life, which includes racing. He will definitely be with all of us in spirit out in Texas."
ANDREW HINES - "It's a tough loss for everybody. I didn't get a whole lot of chances to hang out with him but when we did talk, we always had a good laugh. It's rough on the entire racing community, whether you race a bike or drive a car. He left his mark on the sport and it won't be the same without him."
KENNY KORETSKY - "It's a real shame . . . I didn't know him well, but I liked him because you could tell he liked drag racing. He was always smiling. I know he will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his dad John, the Medlen family and everyone at John Force Racing. It's going to be a tough race. I know a lot of people are going to be thinking of Eric. I know we will."
ANNE PALUSO, Harley-Davidson Racing Manager - "This will obviously be an emotional weekend for everyone because Eric was such a presence at the track. We asked him to speak to a group of Japanese media that came to the track last year and before we brought them over, Eric learned a few words in Japanese so he could greet them properly and make them feel welcomed. He didn't think anything of the extra effort. He was a great spokesman for the sport and it won't be the same without him. Our condolences and deepest sympathies go out to the Medlen family and John Force Racing organization."
TODD MYERS, Kalitta Motorsports Public Relations Representative - "Everyone at Kalitta Motorsports is deeply saddened by Eric's death. To lose a competitor as well as a friend is completely unimaginable. Eric's smile and gentle-hearted laugh was inescapable to his peers and to drag racing fans across the world. Eric will be irreplaceable, but we as a drag racing community must continue to do our best to honor his name in all of actions from this point forward. Our condolences go to the Medlen family, John Force Racing, and everyone privileged enough to have known the great man that Eric Medlen was."
GREG ANDERSON - "It was a very numbing deal. I watched what the John Force Racing teams had to go through this week, and after all they've been through, I applaud John Force for calling a halt to things and giving his teams the weekend off as they seek answers, closure, and time to regroup.
"We all probably wish we could be home this weekend, but we won't. It may
sound like a trite statement, but we definitely will be racing with heavy
hearts. We'll go to Houston because it's what we do, and we'll hopefully give
the fans a good show. But Eric, the Medlen family, and John Force and his
extended racing family will never be far from our thoughts."
CRUZ PEDREGON - "Eric was a genuine guy. He was very enthusiastic about everything. You couldn't help but like him. His father, John Medlen, is the nicest guy in the world, and I could see from early on that Eric inherited that gene from him. He was a great human being."
CORY McCLENATHAN- "The healing process has to start. Now we need to find out what caused Eric's accident. There are going to be changes made. Things will be different, and we have to learn to adapt to them. If we can make drivers safer . . . that's what I'm all about. I've been around here long enough to see a lot of things happen, from my accident last year at Bristol to Eric's accident, and why one walks away and one doesn't, only God knows that. It will probably be a quiet weekend in Baytown."
HILLARY WILL - It is hard to find anything to smile about right now with the loss of our friend, Eric Medlen. This is a really difficult time right now for everyone. I think I speak for everyone at KB Racing and Kalitta Motorsports when I say that we can't imagine racing without Eric. Although he isn't physically there, Eric will always be in our hearts. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, his friends, and everyone at John Force Racing.
"My initial thought about Houston was that we should postpone the race.
However, I know that Eric would have wanted us to continue on. I think it will
be helpful to be with the rest of the racing community so we can all be together
during our time of loss. We will all go out and race for Eric."
SCOTT KALITTA - "Words can't even describe my feelings now. Eric had such a positive, unselfish, and kind disposition about him. I wish I was half of Eric Medlen in that regard. He was a true friend to everybody. My heart truly bleeds for his family, and right now I wish we could wake up and this all be just a nightmare. As hard as it is going to be to go to Houston and race, I believe in my heart that is what Eric would have wanted us all to do. I'm going to remember all the great things about him and the good times I had with him. He was the only guy I didn't mind losing to. Eric was good at everything he did. I'm going to do my best to console his dad and his family. I know he'll be riding along with me and all the other drivers this weekend at Houston Raceway Park. Going to the race track will never be the same. The only positive thing I can extract from this is Eric was doing what he loved. If there is life after death, he's up there smiling down upon us feeling fulfilled. I can only hope when the shock and pain subsides we will then be able to celebrate his life and all that he contributed to us in his life. Godspeed, Eric."
DAVE GRUBNIC - "Right now I'm at a loss for words. Eric was one of kindest and most genuine people that I've had the privilege of knowing. I don't understand why the good are taken from us so prematurely, but I guess I'm not supposed too. My deepest and sincerest sympathies are extended to the Medlen Family and to John Force Racing."
DOUG KALITTA - "The thoughts and prayers of my family are with Eric's family and everyone
at JFR. Eric was such a great guy to be around. He always made me laugh, and
that's what I will miss the most. He was a great driver and a great ambassador
for drag racing. We will miss him terribly."
RON CAPPS - "Racing without Eric Medlen will not be the same. He was a terrific person
and an extremely talented driver, and we'll miss him. It will be tough. He will
be on our minds, but we have to focus on getting to the next race and trying to
do our jobs.
"Right now Ace's [crew chief McCulloch's] main concern is the safety
aspects of the car. [Chassis builder] Murf McKinney, Ace, and I and Bill Simpson
have been on the phone together, and Bill has been over at our shop. Ace has
already added a couple of things
around the roll-cage area to our car, which won't affect the performance but definitely will up the safety aspect.
around the roll-cage area to our car, which won't affect the performance but definitely will up the safety aspect.
"It wasn't speed that hurt Eric, so we're looking at ways to make sure that
the driver is better protected on all the Funny Cars. We have some great, great
talented drivers in the sport of drag racing and we need to protect them
more.
"If it means revamping these cars completely, even if affects the
performance, if it's something that can be mandated for all cars, so be it. I
can guarantee that John Force is looking at everything right now. He's always at
the forefront of safety, and I know that will benefit the whole Funny Car
class."
J.R. TODD - "Eric was one of my best friends in racing. We hung out quite a bit at the
track and away from the track. He only lived a mile up the road from me. We were
really good friends. It's going to be different not having him here with
us.
"When you see something like that happen, you know there are chances it is
going to be bad. But you expect him to make a recovery. That was my first
experience with [an accident] like that and I really didn't know what to think.
"We all know the dangers of this sport before we climb into the car but we
do it because it is what we love to do. I don't think any of us are going to
quit because of what happened, but the danger is here. Once you're in the car,
though, and it starts up, that's the last thing going through your mind. It's
like being back in the office and you have to forget about what happened and
focus on the job at hand and not worry. But we'll never forget Eric."
ANGELLE SAMPEY - "I'm still upset by Eric's passing. Events like these really make you think
about what's important in life. We will all have to find a way to keep going.
We'll have to be there for each other, if needed."
ANTRON BROWN - "Eric will never be forgotten by any of us. He was part of my extended
family and I will miss him very much. With that said, racing has to continue.
Eric would have wanted it that way, I guarantee you."
DOUG HERBERT - "Eric was always smiling," said Herbert, "one of the really nice guys out
there. He was a fan favorite, and it was always easy to see why. My thoughts and
prayers are with John Medlen and his entire family, and everyone who loved Eric.
He will be greatly missed, but never forgotten."
TONY PEDREGON - "Eric and I remained the best of friends after working together for eight
years. I respected Eric, not just as a friend but also as a driver and
competitor. I am privileged to have been able to work with someone with so much
talent and ability. He made me smile every time we talked or saw one another.
John Medlen raised a very unique and special son. I loved Eric like a brother.
He will be missed by me, my family, and my team."
TONY SCHUMACHER - "Whenever something like this occurs in the NHRA family, it's tough to go forward. But I'm confident that Eric would want us to move on with life, which includes racing. He will definitely be with all of us in spirit out in Texas."
ANDREW HINES - "It's a tough loss for everybody. I didn't get a whole lot of chances to hang out with him but when we did talk, we always had a good laugh. It's rough on the entire racing community, whether you race a bike or drive a car. He left his mark on the sport and it won't be the same without him."
KURT JOHNSON - "It's a terrible tragedy and a huge blow to drag racing. I still find it
hard to believe, but we've lost one of the sport's young stars. He was just out
there on Monday, trying to get his junk to go faster, when something went
terribly wrong. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Medlen family, and to
everyone at John Force Racing. Competing in a different division, I really
didn't know him all that well. However, of the six races he won in his career, I
feel fortunate to have shared a winners circle with Eric in Seattle. Standing
next to him on the podium that day was probably the closest I was to him, and
will always be a special memory. We're certainly going to miss him."
WARREN JOHNSON - "Eric was one of the fan's favorites, and we've lost him way too soon. I
always enjoyed his interviews at the top-end. Not only did he have something
pretty interesting to say, but he always conveyed an incredible level of
excitement, which the fans really picked up on. He was just a neat kid, and
without a doubt, he will be sorely missed. Our thoughts go out to John Medlen
and the entire Medlen family, as well as the entire John Force Racing
organization.
"Wally Parks founded the NHRA over 50 years ago to provide competitors a
safe place to race. That premise remains in effect today. Drag racing is
certainly a sport, but it is also how we make our living, so I am adamant about
minimizing the risks involved. We have sadly lost one of our brightest young
stars and as much as we all would like, we can't change that. What's important
now is how we move forward.
"I know everyone agrees that losing even one life is totally unacceptable. Therefore, I suggest that we handle this accident, as well as any on-track incident, much like the NTSB approaches a plane crash. In other words, reconstruct the event, examining every detail no matter how minute, bringing in whatever experts are needed. Every element involved that day needs to be considered from the weather and racetrack to the car, its driver and the safety equipment, painstakingly inspecting each piece individually and together, until we find out exactly what happened.
"We may end up realizing that there was nothing we could have done better, or we could learn something new that will help in the future. In either case, the information gathered is important to preserving the safety of those involved. Doing that, while continuing to try our very best on the track this weekend, is the only way to truly honor the memory of a great kid taken from us way too soon."
"I know everyone agrees that losing even one life is totally unacceptable. Therefore, I suggest that we handle this accident, as well as any on-track incident, much like the NTSB approaches a plane crash. In other words, reconstruct the event, examining every detail no matter how minute, bringing in whatever experts are needed. Every element involved that day needs to be considered from the weather and racetrack to the car, its driver and the safety equipment, painstakingly inspecting each piece individually and together, until we find out exactly what happened.
"We may end up realizing that there was nothing we could have done better, or we could learn something new that will help in the future. In either case, the information gathered is important to preserving the safety of those involved. Doing that, while continuing to try our very best on the track this weekend, is the only way to truly honor the memory of a great kid taken from us way too soon."
STEVE JOHNSON - "Eric was among the best of the new drivers on the circuit," Johnson said.
"He was a joy to be around, always smiling, always with a good word for the
fans. When something like this happens – and thankfully such incidents are
extremely rare – it puts everything into perspective. Racing may seem important,
but what really counts are family and friends, so we'll go on after attending
the funeral in an effort to honor Eric's dream of becoming a champion."
KENNY KORETSKY - "It's a real shame . . . I didn't know him well, but I liked him because you could tell he liked drag racing. He was always smiling. I know he will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his dad John, the Medlen family and everyone at John Force Racing. It's going to be a tough race. I know a lot of people are going to be thinking of Eric. I know we will."
ANNE PALUSO, Harley-Davidson Racing Manager - "This will obviously be an emotional weekend for everyone because Eric was such a presence at the track. We asked him to speak to a group of Japanese media that came to the track last year and before we brought them over, Eric learned a few words in Japanese so he could greet them properly and make them feel welcomed. He didn't think anything of the extra effort. He was a great spokesman for the sport and it won't be the same without him. Our condolences and deepest sympathies go out to the Medlen family and John Force Racing organization."
JIM OBERHOFER, Kalitta Motorsports Manager - [In Hillary Will's blog on NHRA.com for March 26] . . . "Drag Racing is a tough business in many ways but it is toughest when
something like this happens. I know that after watching Hillary's accident
during testing in Las Vegas I was devastated to say the least. One of the most
amazing things I saw afterwards was Hillary standing there saying she wasOK. I
know that accident took its toll on [team owner] Ken Black, myself and our team
because Hillary is like family to us and we don't ever want to see anything
happen to her. Hillary reminded us afterwards that this is what she wants to do.
Eric would tell us the same thing.
"Right now our thoughts and prayers are with Eric, his father John and the
rest of the Medlen family along with everyone at John Force Racing. I can only
imagine how tough the last week has been for them and how the upcoming months
will be. I am going to miss a lot about Eric, his goofy text messages, his goofy
phone calls, how he would call me 'Pop' and I would call him 'Son' but most of
all I am just going to miss him because of the good person he was. Thanks for
being my friend, Eric, and thanks for making Ashley feel special whenever you
talked to her. Rest in peace, Eric."
TODD MYERS, Kalitta Motorsports Public Relations Representative - "Everyone at Kalitta Motorsports is deeply saddened by Eric's death. To lose a competitor as well as a friend is completely unimaginable. Eric's smile and gentle-hearted laugh was inescapable to his peers and to drag racing fans across the world. Eric will be irreplaceable, but we as a drag racing community must continue to do our best to honor his name in all of actions from this point forward. Our condolences go to the Medlen family, John Force Racing, and everyone privileged enough to have known the great man that Eric Medlen was."
BOB GILBERTSON - "I just don't know what to say or think. I talked to Eric in the staging
lanes in Gainesville on Sunday and now he's gone. All of us feel sad, but I
can't even imagine what his family is going through. Eric was such a cool guy.
Everyone loved him, and he'll be missed. I don't know why but Houston has
always good to me. We've always run well at Houston Raceway Park, I have many
great memories from there, and I'd like to be able to go one more round than we
did last year and dedicate the win to Eric. It's going to be a tough weekend on
all of us, but I'm positive that Eric would want us to keep on racing. And we'll
all do that in his memory."
DEL WORSHAM - "It was really hard this past weekend when we were racing in San Antonio.
Eric got injured on Monday, and we were all beginning to think he would finally
pull through, in some way. Then the word that he had passed away started to
circulate on Friday afternoon, and it was all kind of surreal. We had to somehow
digest the news, try to make sense of it all, and then get right in the car and
make a lap. Something like this tests your focus, and it hurts you inside.
"Getting together at the track in Houston is when the healing will really
start to happen.
We'll be back where we all belong. We'll get back into our routines, focus on our jobs, and move forward. It's just that Eric won't be there."
We'll be back where we all belong. We'll get back into our routines, focus on our jobs, and move forward. It's just that Eric won't be there."
JEFF AREND - "I've spent the majority of my life racing on the drag strip, and a big
hunk of my adult life driving Funny Cars, so this is absolutely where I'm meant
to be. My wife, Windy, and I talk about it all the time. Del [Worsham] and my
teammates talk about it. This is what we do, and we're lucky to do it. Eric was
doing what he loved, and although we lost him, it doesn't diminish our love for
this. It's going to be good to get back to the track, and it's going to be good
for all of us, as drivers, to get back in our cars."
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