Bob's talents and successes were not limited to the racetrack. He was highly respected in the business world as well. Kasik began his career in 1967 as a research microbiologist with Beatrice Foods. For 21 years he held positions of increasing responsibility and was serving as VP of Research and Technical Services when Beatreme (a division of Beatrice) was purchased by Kerry Ingredients. He authored or co-authored numerous patents and was instrumental in developing new products, exploring new markets, and reviewing potential acquisitions for Kerry.
He traveled worldwide for the company and especially enjoyed visiting their facilities in Japan. Bob was the ultimate "go-to" person and took calls from Kerry people all over the globe. It didn't matter if they were calling from Canada, Brazil or Malaysia; Bob understood the issue and would tell them to cut down on this or add some of that. If he didn't know the answer right off, he would figure it out.
Whether at work or at play, Bob was an unforgettable person to know. Numerous personal accounts were shared and scattered over the internet following his death. Here is an excerpt from the ApexSpeed.com bulletin board...
I first met Bob at the 2000 runoffs. He had very strong opinions about the "GT Proposal" that had been floated by the Comp Board and was instrumental in the creation of the GT1 Drivers' Association to express our shared outrage. I remember him spending most of the week visiting various paddock spaces on his 4-wheeler making sure all the GT1 drivers would be at the "town hall" meeting so our opinions would be heard. He was a fierce competitor and a front-runner that cared deeply about our sport and the people in it. We certainly can't choose how we go out, but the option of running 160 mph at the time has its merits...
These comments were from a driver who only knew Bob casually, so it's clear that he made an impression with everyone he touched. Here are a few other comments I enjoyed:
His love of racing extended beyond the track. You were racing every time you rode with him. He didn't turn onto exit ramps; he slid into them. When the bar went up at the toll booth, it was like the racing flag went down. I used to tell him he was the only guy I knew who would go from zero to sixty in the drive thru lane. One day, I rode to lunch with him from work. I swear it took us 13 seconds to get there. He was going crazy because Harry, a co-worker, was driving the car ahead of us at about the speed limit. Bob accused Harry of being a member of the Anti-Destination League.
There are many more quotes such as these, far too many to list here. Some of the most endearing stories can be found at the website GT1da.com which, as it happens, Kasik was instrumental in creating. |
