It was a beautiful day
09-20-2011, 02:55 AM
#32
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No flames from me, I understand the risks and choose to run the race for my
own personal reasons. This is also understood by the families of the people
involve in the crash.
http://silverstateclassicchallenge.h...16007872543142
I race motorcycles in the 70s and saw many more fellow racers give up
body and sole in the attempt to reach their goals then in ORR. There is
a spirit that lives in all racers that finds it's own destiny.
George
own personal reasons. This is also understood by the families of the people
involve in the crash.
http://silverstateclassicchallenge.h...16007872543142
I race motorcycles in the 70s and saw many more fellow racers give up
body and sole in the attempt to reach their goals then in ORR. There is
a spirit that lives in all racers that finds it's own destiny.
George
I might get flamed to no end on this.
I agree with everyone's posts here, thoughts and prayers go out to the family that has to carry on. It won't be easy.
However, I hope the guys who died in the accident went out the way they wanted to. Everyone knows racing of any kind is dangerous. Didn't Hemmingway say that that racing and bullfighting were the only real sports, the rest were just games?
Everyone has to die, not everyone really lives. And I hope these guys got to live their dream. I've worked a lot of places in the world, and most of them sucked. A whole lot of the world just hangs on everyday. I've seen people working 12+ hours a day for companies that didn't give a damn about them, and seen the life disappearing from their eyes as they spent the better part of their days in concrete canyons.
I like to read Steve Jobs' address he gave at Stanford to keep things in perspective. Helps you understand the craziness of life.
So I agree with the sympathies sent out to the racers family. But I do pray that they went out the way they wanted to. I road raced motorcycles for a while when I was young, back in the Jurassic Era. At most races I thought for a second, what if this is the race where I buy it, big? Don't come home? Every time I said if that's what in the cards for me, at least I go out enjoying myself. I think sometimes that's a pretty square deal from life.
So once again, sympathy for the family. But I hope those guys got to live their dreams, and do something and feel some joy and exhilaration that few ever get to. And say they got a square deal.
I agree with everyone's posts here, thoughts and prayers go out to the family that has to carry on. It won't be easy.
However, I hope the guys who died in the accident went out the way they wanted to. Everyone knows racing of any kind is dangerous. Didn't Hemmingway say that that racing and bullfighting were the only real sports, the rest were just games?
Everyone has to die, not everyone really lives. And I hope these guys got to live their dream. I've worked a lot of places in the world, and most of them sucked. A whole lot of the world just hangs on everyday. I've seen people working 12+ hours a day for companies that didn't give a damn about them, and seen the life disappearing from their eyes as they spent the better part of their days in concrete canyons.
I like to read Steve Jobs' address he gave at Stanford to keep things in perspective. Helps you understand the craziness of life.
So I agree with the sympathies sent out to the racers family. But I do pray that they went out the way they wanted to. I road raced motorcycles for a while when I was young, back in the Jurassic Era. At most races I thought for a second, what if this is the race where I buy it, big? Don't come home? Every time I said if that's what in the cards for me, at least I go out enjoying myself. I think sometimes that's a pretty square deal from life.
So once again, sympathy for the family. But I hope those guys got to live their dreams, and do something and feel some joy and exhilaration that few ever get to. And say they got a square deal.
09-20-2011, 02:55 AM
#33
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Driving at any triple digit speed is a risk anybody takes when they do it, even in a Porsche 928, I feel sorry for the families, the camaro was going an estimated 200mph when the tire blew according to the article, that is scary fast for any street car. Condolences to the families, that is a terrible thing to happen,really awful for the families.
09-20-2011, 04:04 AM
#34
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I might get flamed to no end on this.................................................................... ........................................................................ ........................................................................ ..........
But I hope those guys got to live their dreams, and do something and feel some joy and exhilaration that few ever get to.
But I hope those guys got to live their dreams, and do something and feel some joy and exhilaration that few ever get to.
Not exactly flame material.
09-20-2011, 04:49 AM
#35
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I'm sorry to post so late, but I just got home from the event and have just started searching for more info when I came across this. Bill, thank you for the moving write-up and the point of view from your end of the race.
With such a heavy heart, I write this knowing that the organizers of the Silver State Classic Challenge who have helped me fulfill my dreams of pushing my limits and driving fast have lost two of their own in this tragic accident.
With my navigator, Jim Dawson, I drove in the 125 MPH class for the first time in my '93 GTS. (I drove in the 110 MPH class in May and navigated twice before with Jim in his '89 S4). We always go back to Las Vegas after the event for the usually jubilant Sunday night awards banquet at Sam's Town Hotel & Casino. This is where they give the official times and the first, second, and third awards for the closest average times in the various speed classes. Jim and I were very excited because we stopped our clock right on time and saw the average on our GPS right at 125.0 MPH. We were very hopeful for a podium position.
As the large group of participants and families gathered at the doors of the banquet room before the 7:00 pm start, the news that two had died in the 180 MPH class started to spread around. Who? How? What happened? Trying not to listen to rumors and conjecture, I was searching for anything on my iPhone to get the story straight, but nothing could be found. Then I learned the driver, Richard DeKneef, was one of the tech inspectors and the navigator, Merle Hill, was the son of one of the ladies at registration. My heart sank. Would there even be an awards banquet? I lost interest in what our final results were.
As the time passed to 5 minutes after, 10 minutes after, 20 minutes after 7:00 and the doors still didn’t open, I knew that they were inside trying to figure out how to proceed with the evening’s affairs. As they finally let us in, nothing was announced about the incident until after dinner and Steve Waldman (the event’s President and creator) introduced the driver's wife. Kelly proceeded to tell us that Rick would not want us to be sad, he loved the event and died doing what he loved to do, would have wanted us to continue with the banquet in their honor, and not let the incident deter us from participating in the event in the future. So, with her incredibly strong presence and uplifting words, the awards were presented, with a bit less of the jovial manner than tradition dictated.
Since I’ve been doing this race in 2008, the threat of blown tires causing fatalities always gives me pause. Before the race, I run through my head what would happen if one of our cars had a blowout during the race. How would I react, would the car roll, are all the stories of the 928 being incredibly strong and protecting drivers true enough that it would protect us from the rigors of the rough shoulders of Highway 318?
My deepest condolences go out to the families of Richard DeKneef and Merle Hill...
With such a heavy heart, I write this knowing that the organizers of the Silver State Classic Challenge who have helped me fulfill my dreams of pushing my limits and driving fast have lost two of their own in this tragic accident.
With my navigator, Jim Dawson, I drove in the 125 MPH class for the first time in my '93 GTS. (I drove in the 110 MPH class in May and navigated twice before with Jim in his '89 S4). We always go back to Las Vegas after the event for the usually jubilant Sunday night awards banquet at Sam's Town Hotel & Casino. This is where they give the official times and the first, second, and third awards for the closest average times in the various speed classes. Jim and I were very excited because we stopped our clock right on time and saw the average on our GPS right at 125.0 MPH. We were very hopeful for a podium position.
As the large group of participants and families gathered at the doors of the banquet room before the 7:00 pm start, the news that two had died in the 180 MPH class started to spread around. Who? How? What happened? Trying not to listen to rumors and conjecture, I was searching for anything on my iPhone to get the story straight, but nothing could be found. Then I learned the driver, Richard DeKneef, was one of the tech inspectors and the navigator, Merle Hill, was the son of one of the ladies at registration. My heart sank. Would there even be an awards banquet? I lost interest in what our final results were.
As the time passed to 5 minutes after, 10 minutes after, 20 minutes after 7:00 and the doors still didn’t open, I knew that they were inside trying to figure out how to proceed with the evening’s affairs. As they finally let us in, nothing was announced about the incident until after dinner and Steve Waldman (the event’s President and creator) introduced the driver's wife. Kelly proceeded to tell us that Rick would not want us to be sad, he loved the event and died doing what he loved to do, would have wanted us to continue with the banquet in their honor, and not let the incident deter us from participating in the event in the future. So, with her incredibly strong presence and uplifting words, the awards were presented, with a bit less of the jovial manner than tradition dictated.
Since I’ve been doing this race in 2008, the threat of blown tires causing fatalities always gives me pause. Before the race, I run through my head what would happen if one of our cars had a blowout during the race. How would I react, would the car roll, are all the stories of the 928 being incredibly strong and protecting drivers true enough that it would protect us from the rigors of the rough shoulders of Highway 318?
My deepest condolences go out to the families of Richard DeKneef and Merle Hill...
Last edited by jpriv928; 09-22-2011 at 12:12 AM.
09-20-2011, 10:21 AM
#37
Rennlist Member
So very sad, and I'm terribly sorry for the loss. Life is so very short, and this is indeed my second reminder of that in the last 12 hours. My wife's cousin unexpectedly died last night of a heart attack, age 36 (was turning 37 in two weeks). Life is short, and I'm confident, as the navigator's wife stated, these gents went out doing what they loved most. Live to the fullest with no regrets. Go hug your kids; call your parents and tell them you love them. Because you just never know.
09-20-2011, 01:37 PM
#40
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I might get flamed to no end on this.
I agree with everyone's posts here, thoughts and prayers go out to the family that has to carry on. It won't be easy.
However, I hope the guys who died in the accident went out the way they wanted to. Everyone knows racing of any kind is dangerous. Didn't Hemmingway say that that racing and bullfighting were the only real sports, the rest were just games?
Everyone has to die, not everyone really lives. And I hope these guys got to live their dream. I've worked a lot of places in the world, and most of them sucked. A whole lot of the world just hangs on everyday. I've seen people working 12+ hours a day for companies that didn't give a damn about them, and seen the life disappearing from their eyes as they spent the better part of their days in concrete canyons.
I like to read Steve Jobs' address he gave at Stanford to keep things in perspective. Helps you understand the craziness of life.
So I agree with the sympathies sent out to the racers family. But I do pray that they went out the way they wanted to. I road raced motorcycles for a while when I was young, back in the Jurassic Era. At most races I thought for a second, what if this is the race where I buy it, big? Don't come home? Every time I said if that's what in the cards for me, at least I go out enjoying myself. I think sometimes that's a pretty square deal from life.
So once again, sympathy for the family. But I hope those guys got to live their dreams, and do something and feel some joy and exhilaration that few ever get to. And say they got a square deal.
I agree with everyone's posts here, thoughts and prayers go out to the family that has to carry on. It won't be easy.
However, I hope the guys who died in the accident went out the way they wanted to. Everyone knows racing of any kind is dangerous. Didn't Hemmingway say that that racing and bullfighting were the only real sports, the rest were just games?
Everyone has to die, not everyone really lives. And I hope these guys got to live their dream. I've worked a lot of places in the world, and most of them sucked. A whole lot of the world just hangs on everyday. I've seen people working 12+ hours a day for companies that didn't give a damn about them, and seen the life disappearing from their eyes as they spent the better part of their days in concrete canyons.
I like to read Steve Jobs' address he gave at Stanford to keep things in perspective. Helps you understand the craziness of life.
So I agree with the sympathies sent out to the racers family. But I do pray that they went out the way they wanted to. I road raced motorcycles for a while when I was young, back in the Jurassic Era. At most races I thought for a second, what if this is the race where I buy it, big? Don't come home? Every time I said if that's what in the cards for me, at least I go out enjoying myself. I think sometimes that's a pretty square deal from life.
So once again, sympathy for the family. But I hope those guys got to live their dreams, and do something and feel some joy and exhilaration that few ever get to. And say they got a square deal.
Although I am a thrill-seeker by nature and I clearly accept some risk in doing so, I am not so enamored with speed that I would accept more than a very small risk. There is risk everywhere once you get out of bed and start moving. How you view and calculate your risk-acceptance is a choice you need to work out personally and with your family.
I'm more closely aligned with Mark Anderson's view in this case. What seems to me to be the most unfortunate feature increasing risk in these races is that lack of flat run-off on these roads.
09-20-2011, 02:31 PM
#41
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That is a very sad story! My heart goes out to those that have lost a family member in such a unexpected way! Talk about shock! OMG
They lived their lives the way they wanted!
They lived their lives the way they wanted!
09-20-2011, 03:23 PM
#42
Three Wheelin'
Very well written Bill. Thoughts and Prayers for the family and
friends of the Racers. Is there anything we as a group can do?
A quote from Bruce McLaren upon hearing of another
drivers passing seems to help .
http://www.bruce-mclaren.com/intro-quote.jpg
friends of the Racers. Is there anything we as a group can do?
A quote from Bruce McLaren upon hearing of another
drivers passing seems to help .
http://www.bruce-mclaren.com/intro-quote.jpg
09-20-2011, 09:22 PM
#43
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I really would love to help out someway too, Rick would always help me out if it was a question about a vehicle to letting us use his shop.
I haven't spoke to his daughter since she got home, i text her asking how she was doing today but she didn't reply. She said on Sunday that it hadn't hit her yet, but it would when she got home. I spoke to her yesterday to see how she was and she was telling me how every moment was getting worse as she neared home.
I wonder what they will be doing with his local automotive shop in Kerman, to my knowledge that was his family's main means of support.
I continue to pray for his family and for the family of the navigators. I see at the banquet Kelly was saying that he passed doing what he loved and i have been telling my father and brother the same thing. My deepest condolences to Kelly,Ridge,Kasey, Dick and the rest of the Dekneef family as well as Hill's family.
I haven't spoke to his daughter since she got home, i text her asking how she was doing today but she didn't reply. She said on Sunday that it hadn't hit her yet, but it would when she got home. I spoke to her yesterday to see how she was and she was telling me how every moment was getting worse as she neared home.
I wonder what they will be doing with his local automotive shop in Kerman, to my knowledge that was his family's main means of support.
I continue to pray for his family and for the family of the navigators. I see at the banquet Kelly was saying that he passed doing what he loved and i have been telling my father and brother the same thing. My deepest condolences to Kelly,Ridge,Kasey, Dick and the rest of the Dekneef family as well as Hill's family.
09-21-2011, 11:58 PM
#44
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To send a contribution in lieu of flowers...
This post was from Gail Waldman (sscc.us@gmail.com) on the Silver State Classic Challenge forum. She asked me to post it here:
http://silverstateclassicchallenge.h...97482887338244
Kelly DeKneef, Rick's wife, sent the following message:
"The memorial is this Saturday, September 24th at 10 am at Kerman High School in the multi-purpose room.
Racing t-shirts and Hawaiian attire, including flip flops. Rick's style.
We really understand if it's not possible for people from SSCC to come. That's why it was important for me to be at the banquet amongst his friends there." [on Sunday night]
Kerman High School is located at 205 S. 1st St., Kerman, California.
Kerman, CA is about 15 miles west of Fresno, California.
Email me [Gail Waldman - sscc.us@gmail.com] if you would like to send a contribution in lieu of flowers.
http://silverstateclassicchallenge.h...97482887338244
Kelly DeKneef, Rick's wife, sent the following message:
"The memorial is this Saturday, September 24th at 10 am at Kerman High School in the multi-purpose room.
Racing t-shirts and Hawaiian attire, including flip flops. Rick's style.
We really understand if it's not possible for people from SSCC to come. That's why it was important for me to be at the banquet amongst his friends there." [on Sunday night]
Kerman High School is located at 205 S. 1st St., Kerman, California.
Kerman, CA is about 15 miles west of Fresno, California.
Email me [Gail Waldman - sscc.us@gmail.com] if you would like to send a contribution in lieu of flowers.
09-21-2011, 11:59 PM
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