| Probably the worst things about the wreck were losing Bob, and the fact that Bob's wife, Sheila, just got out of the hospital for severe depression. She seemed okay at the funeral home the Thursday after the race. There were pictures of Bob racing, pictures as he grew up, pictures of Bob being himself when he was not racing or working. They had his coveralls hanging that he wore while working on the car and welding things. One of Bob's old body guys and crew members was there, and he got up to the podium and shared some of his cherished moments with Bob. I ended up sharing some tears with many others that went there to see their friend for the last time in person. I will remember the exact details of this for the rest of my life. Bob was a huge role model for me in most ways, and I really learned quite a bit from him, by being around him all of my growing up years, and being with him recently and enjoying traveling for a weekend to a track and staying in hot tubs, pools, hotels, and other things. I am working more with Tom now, but my time on earth with Bob will never be forgotten. I can only wish to be as successful as he, and if I am, I would owe it all to him. Godspeed. |
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| Page 3 We were visited by a few of the track's workers, and were all talked to by a speaker. She said a little something like, "We have all lost a great friend. He was the heart warmer for some of us, and he filled most of our hearts with much joy. He is gone, but not forgotten. He is not here, but we can all say he died doing something he loved." She went around asking people if they needed hugs. Most of them turned the offer down since they had people they could hug to feel better, but it was worth asking. Carolyn and I started walking around the track talking it over, sharing our feelings and visiting one of the track people that worked at one of the corners. We became really good friends sharing our feelings about this touchy subject. We shared jokes and such, mentioning things like Bob would have hated to be old and crippled and not be able to climb into a racecar and go 200 mph on a regular basis. |
| We walked back to the trailer, and started packing stuff up and putting it in the trailer with the guys. They would leave the trailer by the inspection garage so that when the car was finished being inspected, it could be taken back to Bob's house and unloaded in his garage. It was picked up a week after the race and kept at a racetrack by his house until we unloaded it after one of the races in the beginning of September of that year. I used the 4-wheeler to help pull the mangled car into the empty garage. |
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