Rare Bear-Where is my Friend?

[deadwood]

Hey Rod,

Take down the crime scene tape and let us talk to the crew. That's the way it use to be when we were donating money at a thousand dollars a pop when there was no money to operate. Fans felt like they had a little piece of the Bear. At least SteveO and Dad are on the line talking to everybody. We've been pulling for the Bear since the '70s. Lyle and John were very personable in the past, but now we can't even get near the Bear or Penny! Guess we'll throw our support over to Dago, SteveO and Dad until you get your spinner out of your tailpipe!

[spacegrrrl]

Re: Rare Bear-Where is my Friend?

Hey Rod,

Take down the crime scene tape and let us talk to the crew. That's the way it use to be when we were donating money at a thousand dollars a pop when there was no money to operate. Fans felt like they had a little piece of the Bear. At least SteveO and Dad are on the line talking to everybody. We've been pulling for the Bear since the '70s. Lyle and John were very personable in the past, but now we can't even get near the Bear or Penny! Guess we'll throw our support over to Dago, SteveO and Dad until you get your spinner out of your tailpipe!

Lyle was amazing. I remember catching him walking from the pit to an awning to get out of the sun. He'd just run a super fast test lap. I asked him what he thought the engine was producing. He motioned me to follow along, took me into the private area they set up for shade and pulled out a knee board and did some quick calcs, he then sad, almost 3800 and smilled. Then he offered that he hadn't touched the nitrous yet and that was set for another 600. I still have a flyer somewhere that he then wrote that down for me and signed. I'm just some random race fan and he's taking the time to really talk to me. Wow, simply wow!

Spacegrrrl

[Hans Oberev]

Re: Rare Bear-Where is my Friend?

Deadwood. You mean Strega don't you?

[Race 29]

Re: Rare Bear-Where is my Friend?

I have to agree that I was disapointed to see, not only the Bear was not in the regular pits, but that the rope in front of the hanger was so far out in front of the hanger door that you couldn't see anything. I asked Mrs. Race 29 if they had Aerosmith in there.

I remember one of the years before they had the fan sponsorship, Lyle and the Bear (sans engine) were in one of the hangers behind the pits. Lyle was sitting in a fold up metal chair behind a folding table next to the Bear. He was asking for donations, but also signing anything a fan wanted, and answering any and all questions. Talking to fans for hours on end. He was such a great guy and really got it that it's about the fans. I'll never forget how kind he was even though he'd probably heard all of my questions at least a hundred times that day alone. A class act!

Race 29

[Hans Oberev]

Re: Rare Bear-Where is my Friend?

I agree, the "crime scene" chain is a little over the top. On Wednesday, I did get a lady from the crew to come over and she respectfully got Penney to come over to sign a few autographs. The only redemption would be for the Bear to win Sunday's gold. If it continues to run sub Bear laps, i.e., 450mph then I say get off your high horse and remove the chains.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Rare Bear-Where is my Friend?

It's all different this year.... Dosn't seem even old friends are welcome.

My money is on "Good Will Hunting"....

[mgbf4u]

Re: Rare Bear-Where is my Friend?

Come on ya'll. You've seen the poster. It's the "Next Generation".
RARA will lose some and gain some. Look around at Red Bull, NASCAR, NHRA and F1 cars. The times, they are changing. RUSH did a song about big money. NASCAR is riding high. NHRA changed the track for TOP FUEL and F/C. F1 is building a track in Austin. Rod Lewis is doing it his way. Red Bull looks like it has problems.
NCAR became my only competition for speed sport. It too may fall by the wayside. My Rare Bear money supporting friend fans are disappointed with the current state of affairs. It's a next generation thing. Change with it or move along. NHRA can blow 1000 feet. The rich that control the interest will run things their way.

[Rampman]

Re: Rare Bear-Where is my Friend?

It's was pretty disapointing to see a line of fans waiting to buy t-shirts today in front of an empty pit. Watching the teams up close makes air racing different from all other big league motorsports. I hope it never gets so big that it loses that, like Nascar did.

[holmes9]

Re: Rare Bear-Where is my Friend?

I think Rod gives a lot to the sport. Bringing four aircraft and racing three of them is certainly not an inexpensive proposition. However, by all accounts, Rod is someone who seeks to stay out of the lime light. He routinely denies requests for interviews regarding business or otherwise and seems to prefer to keep information regarding his plans fairly secret. It's just they way he is. I think we should just feel fortunate that a man with as deep of pockets as him has any interest at all in entertaining us with his prized possessions.

[deadwood]

Re: Rare Bear-Where is my Friend?

Too many barley pops yes I meant Strega sorry but ya'll get the jest of it. thanks Deawood

[deadwood]

Re: Rare Bear-Where is my Friend?

Dang it when germans bombed pearl harbor i'm on a roll dang can'nt even spell my nick name deadwood thanx

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Rare Bear-Where is my Friend?

Lyle was amazing. I remember catching him walking from the pit to an awning to get out of the sun. He'd just run a super fast test lap. I asked him what he thought the engine was producing. He motioned me to follow along, took me into the private area they set up for shade and pulled out a knee board and did some quick calcs, he then sad, almost 3800 and smilled. Then he offered that he hadn't touched the nitrous yet and that was set for another 600. I still have a flyer somewhere that he then wrote that down for me and signed. I'm just some random race fan and he's taking the time to really talk to me. Wow, simply wow!

Spacegrrrl

Lyle was one of the greatest contributors to the sport, he would shake hands and sign autographs until his hands were tired. He would sit and visit with all his fans that he could. Lyle and Clay Lacy drove for over an hour in 1971 at the Cape May race to visit with a young man that they heard about but was to physically sick to attend the races. One year at the races Lyle had the crew lift a kid from his wheel chair and Lyle gave him a tour of the cockpit personally. In my opinion the only other person that does as much for the fans is Tiger Destefani, This next comment is not any way to be meant as disrespect for Rod Lewis, he runs his team as he feels he should, I guess. I have not had any personal contact with him since the sale negotiation with Lyle, Bill Hickle, and myself. But Lyle had always said "it's his airplane now to with as he pleases."

Lyle had always had a "super great" relationship with Tiger, and was very happy for him when he won his last race. Lyle followed Stevo through my reports to him from Stevo last year and was glad to see the "New Kid" do so well. I am sure that Lyle is still pulling for the "New Kid" and his old friend Tiger to win. I was able to sit a couple of times this summer and talk with Stevo, he is as accesable as anyone in the sport ever was, he is also as focused on winning as my dad was, he seems to think about it all year long. I am a fan of his and of Tiger's, and LD Hughes, good luck to them all.

[spacegrrrl]

Re: Rare Bear-Where is my Friend?

I am sure that Lyle is still pulling for the "New Kid" and his old friend Tiger to win.

Makes me think of the movie "Always". Maybe Lyle "passed it on" to "the new kid".

Spacegrrrl

[deadwood]

Re: Rare Bear-Where is my Friend?

Sorry Rod, I heard you helped Jimmy Leeward with the Galloping Ghost. I really respect Jimmy. He drove my VW around Road Atlanta when he was racing a Chevy March back in the early 80's. when I was flying corporate in a King Air. He let me have the track to drive on until he repaired the March. Thanks for helping another "Old Friend", but I still wish you would open the pit so "old friends" could visit with the Bear!

[C_roundy]

Re: Rare Bear-Where is my Friend?

Lyle was one of the greatest contributors to the sport, he would shake hands and sign autographs until his hands were tired.....

John thankyou very much for embodying your dads generous spirit yourself! Guys like you help us all keep history alive by sharing it with us.

Example: Myself and my molding mentor decided to recreate a little of the essence of the glorious, record breaking, unbeaten orange years of 1988-1991 to share as best we can. But there were no useful photos publicly available.
All I had to do was ask, and you, team photographer Neal Nurmi, and Bucky_D responded pronto with the knowledge and photos you had. Only because of your generous sharing spirit do I have the privilege of flying and sharing some of that vintage BearKitty-ness with all of the new generations that will listen!

Sincerely, Chuck Roundy