Mike McKenna: On All Things Racing

If you have been keeping up with my blog entries so far this season, it?s likely that you have taken notice of my interest in auto racing. And for the first time in my career, I actually have some teammates who are passionate about the sport as well.

Jason Ward is a NASCAR guy, somewhat of a rarity among Canadians since the series only crosses the border once a year for a Nationwide race in Montreal. Brent Henley is a Formula 1 fan, as are my Finnish goaltending partners, Karri Ramo and Riku Helenius.

My hockey-related travels have enabled me to see many different forms of racing in person. I?ve attended IndyCar races in Toronto, St. Louis, Las Vegas, Nashville, and practice for the Indianapolis 500. I?ve seen Formula 1 at Indy and NASCAR in Las Vegas; World of Outlaws in St. Louis and countless late-model, modified, and sprint car shows on dirt ovals throughout the country. I made a point to catch the NHRA drag racing series when it came to Las Vegas. I?ve even seen snowmobiles in Watertown, NY. Racing has run in the McKenna family blood for years. My grandpa took a strong interest in it, my Dad actively competed for a number of years, and even I attempting racing go-karts on several occasions.

However, not everyone is raised with it. Jason Ward?s case is typical of many converted racing fans. While growing up, he occasionally watched races on television, but once he saw it in person, he was hooked. This is the harsh reality of racing; very rarely does it translate well on live television. When you see it in person, you have the luxury of watching different drivers move forward and backward through the field, making passes and completing pit-stops in order to gain track position. Unfortunately, TV cameras can only capture so much, and many great battles get left out of the broadcast. Also missing are the sights, smells, sounds and overall energy of raceday: being in the stands when the green flag drops provides an unexplainable rush of adrenaline.

For Brent Henley, his introduction to the sport happened over the past several summers. As he explained to me, his best friend back home is an engineering/construction wiz, an overall gearhead who delights in the technological aspects of Formula 1. After viewing several races together, Brent started to pick up on the finer points of the most expensive and prestigious division of auto racing. It?s not surprising that Brent and his friend favor European-style road courses; Canadians have a long history of supporting this style of racing, whether it be the (now defunct) Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal under Formula 1 sanctioning, or the IndyCar races held yearly in Toronto and Edmonton (and formerly Vancouver, just ask Brandon Segal or Bracken Kearns about the old Molson Indy).

As for the Finns, their enthusiasm for Formula 1 is a direct result of their countrymen?s success in the series. Current Ferrari driver ? and 2007 World Champion ? Kimi Raikkonen is quite possibly the nation?s biggest celebrity and one of the highest paid athletes in the world. Finland has also produced two other World Champions; Keke Rosberg topped the field in the early eighties and Mika Hakkinen won back-to-back in the mid-nineties. According to Karri and Riku, F1 is as big in Finland, if not bigger, than NASCAR is in the United States.

It?s been a lot of fun talking about racing with my teammates this year, although I seem to be the only one with any interest in the IndyCar series. My passion is truly in American Open-Wheel racing (IRL, formerly CART/Champ Car): my Dad actively raced this style of car while I was growing up and it?s always been the focal point of our household. In fact, Dad won multiple national championships and was awarded the 1982 Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) President?s Cup, which is bestowed upon the top amateur driver in the US for that year. He?s got pretty good company on the list of winners: names like Roger Penske, Skip Barber, Bobby Rahal, Paul Newman, and Jimmy Vasser also adorn the trophy.

For some reason, hockey and racing seem to go hand-in-hand in St. Louis. One of our best friends, Mark Weber, is a professional photographer who earns his living shooting racecars. His work has been featured in countless publications and websites. When he?s not traveling the country for work, Mark ? who bears a strong resemblance to either Jerry Garcia or Albert Einstein depending on your viewpoint ? can be found playing hockey alongside my Dad once or twice a week. During the summer, Mark races his red #25 Austin-Healey Sprite in two classes of SCCA racing: F and H Production. He?s also a great golfing buddy who makes a point of bringing his clubs wherever he travels. Truth be told, Mark?s got the world in the palm of his hand.

Another great example of a racing convert is our friend Stan Elrod, a longtime hockey guy who for years has played, coached, and (most recently) refereed the sport. A few summers ago, Stan showed an interest in attending a race at one of the dirt ovals located in the St. Louis area. It turns out that the very next night; a POWRi Midget Series race was scheduled for the ? mile oval in Belleville, IL. Stan tagged along and was instantly taken aback at the speed and physicality associated with the sport. We now make a yearly pilgrimage to I-55 Raceway in Pevely, MO for the UMP Late Model and Modified divisions, as well as the cultural experience of attending a race in small-town Missouri.

My final story occurred just this past summer. For months, my girlfriend and I had been dreaming up a scheme to get our old pal Meier to finally attend a race at Pevely. Despite being a serious racing fan ? rarely a weekend goes by that he misses an IRL race ? Meier for some reason avoided the dirt track like it was The Plague. And so Rachel and I hatched a plan: we would kidnap him. About a week in advance, I told Meier that we had an invite to a party he couldn?t afford to miss; all he had to do was be ready by 6pm and we?d pick him up. We arrived that Saturday to find Meier dressed to the gills in pinstripe slacks, a lavender shirt, and flawless grooming. Clearly he was ready to party.

In order to mask our dubious plan, I drove directly towards downtown St. Louis, a route that would add ten minutes to the trip length but keep Meier from getting paranoid along the way. However, once we reached city limits, I veered south onto Hwy 55 instead of continuing into the city. After several minutes, Meier?s eyes began darting around, clearly nervous about the increasingly alien scenery. Sure enough, as if on cue, Meier questioned: ?Hey?where are we going?? to which I had no reply other than a sly smirk. ?Mike, where are we going?? he asked a second time. Again, there was no response from myself or Rachel. At this point, Meier realized that something was up. He?d been kidnapped, and knew exactly what the intended destination was.

Meier lost it. He proceeded to unleash a string of expletives, none of which are suitable for the PG content of this blog. The outburst continued in waves until we arrived at the track, although it did subside considerably when we offered to pay for his admission, dinner, and drinks during the evening. Meier ended up having a great time that night, but Rachel and I both know we?ve got it coming to us at some point. Practical jokes of that scale usually warrant retribution. We?ll have to be on our toes this summer.

In closing, I?d like to present a list of can?t-miss races for the upcoming season. I?ve purposefully not included events like the Indianapolis 500, Daytona 500, 24 hours of Le Mans, or the Grand Prix of Monaco as they are already well-known by much of the general public. Even if you?re not a racing fan, give these picks a try. Maybe you?ll be the next hockey/racing convert.

IRL IndyCar Series @ Texas Motor Speedway
Bombardier Learjet 550
Saturday, June 6, 9pm EST on Versus
Featuring speeds in excess of 220 mph and three-wide racing under the lights, Texas Motor Speedway provides non-stop excitement and imminent danger from start to finish.

American Le Mans Series (ALMS) @ Road America (Elkhart Lake, WI)
Generac 500
Sunday, August 16, 2pm EST on SpeedTV
Widely considered the best road course in North America, Road America features a 4.048-mile, 14-turn circuit in Wisconsin?s Kettle Moraine. Watch purpose-built prototype race cars navigate the gorgeous track in a 4-hour endurance race.

NASCAR Nextel Cup @ Bristol Motor Speedway
Sharpie 500
Saturday, August 22, 7pm EST on ESPN
You never know what will happen on this ? mile concrete short-track, and the term ?rubbing is racing? couldn?t be any more applicable. Drivers need skill, resilience and a bit of luck to win here.

Formula 1 Grande Premio Do Brasil @ Interlagos (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
Sunday, October 18, TBD on SpeedTV
The past two races at this world-class road course have determined the World Champion by the slimmest of margins. Although no longer the season finale, Interlagos features plenty of good passing opportunities and the ever-present chance of inclement weather.