A great night of racing, a scary night of racing

Last Saturday night was the annual Kids Bike Night at Eagle Raceway. A huge crowd was in attendance as many youngsters received a brand new bicycle, thanks to "Saint Rhonda of Eagle".

The Bryan Race Team, led by "Saint Rhonda" Bryan, puts their hearts and souls into this event every season. It was started after Bernie (Rhonda's husband) had to undergo heart surgery. A young man who was a racing fan was suffering a terminal illness at the same time, and the Bryans wanted to do something in his memory. So, Eagle's annual Kids Night became Eagle's annual Kids Bike Night. A few bikes that first year quickly became a few HUNDRED bikes, passed out to young fans such as the one who lost his life.

At intermission 3 semi-trailers filled with bikes were driven into the infield and then unloaded by a group of volunteers. After they were all lined up on the frontstretch, the lucky children who were selected at random and their parents were led down to receive their prize.

The total count of beaming, happy faces was a record in the history of the give-away. 354 bikes were donated thanks to racers, race teams, fans and Roger Hadan and his wife Michelle. Roger and Michelle, who promote Eagle Raceway, purchased 1 bike for every 2 that were payed for by others.

I can't believe how many people who have commented on Bike Night to me in just the 4 days since it was held. That night, as I prepared to leave the track after interviewing the evening's Feature winners, a lady came up to me and related this story.

She and her son came out to Eagle every Saturday night and had never missed a Bike Night since her son was old enough to attend. Her son, named Dylan, had never managed to be one of the lucky ones to win a bike. After Saturday's racing was completed, they made their usual trip out to the pits to see her son's favorite driver Dylan Smith. As they young man approached the elder Dylan, he saw the big smile on the driver's face. Now, Mr. Smith had reason to not be cheery that night, given the fact that his race car had been disabled very early in the A Feature that night. But, he had a better reason TO grin as the younger Dylan neard the trailer.

As young Dylan approached him, the driver asked if he'd won a bike that night. The boy replied "No, not this time". Smith's grin widend as he said "Well, we can't have that" and went into his hauler, emerging shortly after with a bike he had purchased for Dylan.

The younger Dylan's mother wanted EVERYONE to know about Smith's deed, and asked that I use my writing to pass it along. After hearing about it, I wanted to shout it from the rooftops, let alone just passing it along. I made sure that it was related in my write-up of the evening's events, have been mentioning it to friends and acquaintenances ever since and of course am including it in this blog.

Today, while returning home after taking my wife to an appointment, we stopped at Subway for lunch. They young lady who served us was a casual acquaintence from Eagle Raceway, and she also had a story to share.

As she was standing in the area above the grandstands, a young boy using a walker was heading to be a part of the festivities on the front stretch of the track. She told me that the young man looked like "Christmas morning". She also wanted me to let everyone know what a great thing Bike Night was.

I can personally testify that I witnessed every one of the kids bringing their new bikes back to the grandstands, as I was one of the Eagle employees assigned to assist in routing them. And, if you could harness the smiles on their faces, you could light the world. I know that my heart was filled with joy; their glee was THAT contagious.

Thank you Rhonda, the whole Bryan Racing Team, all of the volunteers who helped load and unload the trailers, everyone who donated their hard-earned cash for the bikes, and Roger and Michelle for keeping the tradition alive at Eagle Raceway. "Blood, Sweat and Tears" isn't just a horn rock group from my younger days, it's a reality for those involved with Bike Night, especially Rhonda and her family.

Rhonda, you've earned a rest, but I'd bet a dollar to a dime that you won't. I know you all too well to ever entertain such a thought.

After intermission, the night's feature races began. In the 360 Sprint Car A Main, there was a terrible accident shortly after the race began. One young driver, Trevor Grossenbacher was forced into the wall on the back stretch. The contact sent his car flipping violently, eventually coming to rest at the bottom of turn 3. Tadd Holliman came roaring up and ran into Trevor's racer full speed. After several long, terrifying moments, Tadd was released from the wreckage and loaded into an ambulance and taken to a Lincoln hospital.

I've been going to dirt track races for a LOOOONG time, and have sadly been in attendance when three drivers met their demise. Most fans have seen innumerable incidents where cars were completely destroyed and the driver emerged relatively unscathed to take the long "Walk of shame" as it's known, back to the pits.

This time it was different, especially from my point of view. This was my FRIEND, and he didn't walk away. As soon as the races were over, I went directly to the pits where some of his family and friends were in order to get a shred of news. What I heard eased my tension slightly, because at that time I was told he had suffered a broken arm and a rib injury. Feeling a little better, I went about the task of collecting interviews.

The next afternoon I headed to the hospital to check on him. I got there in time to be met by his wife and son, who informed me that they were moving him to a different room. As we followed them they said that it was a little worse than I was originally told.

Tadd had suffered a broken right arm, and the surgeon had placed a rod in it to stabilize it. His other injuries were a bruised lung and 6 broken ribs, as well as a concussion. A CAT scan was performed, and was thankfully negative. But, as his crew chief said to me "What would you expect?? They DID take a picture of Tadd's brain after all".

Tadd was wheeled in finally and put into bed. Now, I've known Tadd a lot of years, and very seldom is he not smiling. Even on a bad night, there's a little lifting of the corners of his mouth as he despairs over a showing not up to his standards. This time though, it was obvious that the smile was not there in the least. His race car was destroyed, his nearly new helmet cracked in two places making it unusable, and one of the straps that his son bought him for Christmas had been cut to assist in extricating him. Throw in the fact that he would be unable to race, and more importantly might have to put off preparing for his daily job of teaching school, and you can see that he had a right to be a little down.

Thankfully, I had the forethought to pick up a card and a gift to give him. I handed the card to his wife to hold so Tadd could read it. A little smirk was my reward, but after I gave him his gift it was even better. As I handed it to him, I told him "I bought these for you to play with to pass the time" and handed him a bag of toy soldiers. That big grin brightened his face, and lightened my heart.

I went up and visited him again this morning. No smile, because he was hurting, upset that he was still in the hospital, told he couldn't go home until at least tomorrow, and wanting to get home and back to his wife and children. No doubt he just wanted to return to his normal life. I felt for him, but I wasn't too worried because as he said "I'm where I need to be and getting the care I need".

No, he probably won't be racing at Eagle again this year. Yes, he is determined to compete in the Chili Bowl. And I don't doubt that he'll do not only that, but be back to instructing our nation's youth very soon.

Most importantly, he's still with us. I thank God for allowing Tadd to stay with us and brighten our lives with his smile.

I've said for years now that "Any night at the races is a great night", and I stand by that statement. Sometimes, such as last Saturday night, I question the sentiment. But, with every bad, such as Tadd's injuries, there's something good, like the bike give-away.

"Any night at the races IS a great night". Some just scare us a little.