Bowhunter's blog

The smell of high octane fuel and rubber burning. The sound of a 355-cubic inch racing engine roaring. On the weekend this is what I live for. This weekend was the 40th annual Spring classic at the Rockford Speedway. So here is a little background. My parents took me to the Rockford Speedway for the first time when I was about 5 years old. I heard the roar of the engines and cars going really fast around this quarter mile oval. I fell in love with the sport. We would go to the races every weekend when we would stay at my fathers after my parents divorced.  Rockford Speedway is not the only track in the area but was as close to home as you can get. We would travel all over the state of Wisconsin and visit other area tracks like Madison International Speedway, Jefferson Speedway, Slinger and Lacrosse.  As a kids my sister and I would pick who would win the races no matter what division and there was always a dollar for the winner.

(Area Tracks) 

Well lets fast forward to 2001. I had just graduated high school and was given an invitation to come out to the speedway from my best friend. We never knew what he was doing on the weekends until we went to the track. He started off racing in the lower division (American Short tracker) and by the end of his first season he wanted more of an adrenaline rush. He moved up to the late model division. At the time, I was doing some crew work for him. I got to learn the inside and out of his car. All the mechanical things that you need to know to make a car go fast. His first season he won a few heat races. Then I enlisted in the army in the summer of 2003. I kept in contact with him. He was getting better until he got into the wrong crowd. Unfortunately, we lost him in 2006 to an accident which should have never happened. I miss him every day.

(Rockford Speedway Late Model)

I returned to Illinois on February 19,2015. Of course, driving back into Machesney Park you can’t miss the Speedway. I used to pull into the parking lot and just think of the weekends of the past. The passion was burning to get back into the pit area. In April 2015, my sister invited me to go to the races. It was the season opener granted we were only in the stands but the smells and sounds heightened my imagination. I wanted to get back into the pit crew scene. I found a driver who was looking for a guy and worked with him in the beginning of the season. Things didn’t pan out by the way I wanted and I was coming out of pocket for entry. Around mid-season 2015 I linked up with another driver. I started doing what I loved again changing tires, checking pressures, and writing stats. I came up with a stats book to track everything the car was doing and with the vast knowledge I have learned from years earlier it all started coming back. 2016 I worked a full season tracking stats, changing tires, and getting the car faster. We traveled with a series all over Wisconsin. Different tracks almost 2-3 times a month. Our home track was the Rockford Speedway. We would earn points based on qualifying and finishes in each race. At the end of 2016 we finished in the top 10 of the travel series. We finished in the top 8 at our home track.

On April 22, 2017 I was browsing Facebook and saw the lineup for the season opener at the speedway. Big 8 series late models, Mid-American stock cars, and Legends were scheduled to race on the 23rd. I have a good friend who races the Mid-American series. I wrote him on Facebook and asked him if he needed any help. He replied and said if you would like to help I have a car that needs a crew man. I showed up at the speedway around 10 am, paid my way in, and walked down the gravel path to my destination. I met with my friend and I was a little late getting there. The car I was supposed to be working on was already on the track. I watched as the car made a few laps and noticed the car was sliding around. The driver brings the car in to the pits and pulls into his stall. We get introduced and I start to do my tasks. I check the tire pressures and the stagger on the car. I notice that the car was way off from where it was supposed to be. We lift the hood off the car. I notice that one of the shocks was rubbing against the control arm. We change out the shock and send the car back onto the track for another set of laps. The car settled in the corner where he was sliding. The problem was fixed. Before the last practice session, we put brand new sticker tires on the car. We set the car up to run 3 laps to break the new tires in. He brings the car in so we can set it up for qualifying. We end up qualifying last but with a faster time than any of the previous laps ran today. We set the car for the heat race where there was some stiff competition. We finish the heat in 2nd. On to the feature, we set the car just like before. After about 25 laps in the feature race the driver brings the car in and says it has lost power. We push the car back to the pit stall and pull the hood off. We were looking around to see what had caused the malfunction. I look at the top of the alternator and the nut that holds the power wire had fallen off. We load the car on to the trailer and our day was finished.

I love racing and working on race cars. It has been my passion my entire life. Weekends can’t come fast enough because the season has started. If you like racing come on out to the speedway and enjoy the races.

There has always been this stigma since I grew up how the WWE is fake. I have been a fan of the business for over 30 years. Of course, it is fake well most of it. I love the sports entertainment industry, but there are those out there that were either bandwagoners or just hated it all together. When I first started watching Hulk Hogan won the championship from the Iron Sheik. The casual shift of a real-life comic book right in front of you is every entertaining. The haters of the sports entertainment industry did everything they could to get rid of it. Unfortunately, as the years went on, content followed social trends and started turning heads. Now the only surviving mainstream company left WWE still has its haters. There are so many loyal fans like myself. Even through the change in times from “Wrastling” yes, I spelt it wrong on purpose to sports entertainment. I have missed one WrestleMania because I was in Europe. The WWE has risen to the biggest heights it has ever been. Last year alone WrestleMania brought in over 100,000 people to Dallas Cowboy’s stadium. These men and women are active in the community. When I was 18 years old I went to the Metro Center which is now the BMO and sat in the 3rd row from the ring. This area is usually where if the wrestlers are going to go outside the ring and throw their opponents over the guard rail that’s where it happens. The “Undertaker” vs “Stone Cold” Steve Austin match got heated. Well, my night got exciting when I had “Stone Cold” Land on my lap. The undertaker threw him over the guardrail and they fought right next to me for like 5 minutes. I could not believe how real the hits were on the outside. The cracking and slapping of their skin. I haven’t been back to an event in years, but every week I follow them on the USA Network like it’s a basketball game. This year’s WrestleMania after 27 years the “Undertaker” has rumoured to retired. There are still haters and people that still dislike this kind of entertainment, but I don’t care. I love watching it and at one time I really wanted to be one of them. I could not put my body through a 300-day schedule plus taking care of a family. The events they do for their fans are amazing. This is all my opinion and you can choose to agree or disagree but now you know how I feel about sports entertainment.

I love the sport of bowling. I am a youth coach here in the local area. I see the future of this great sport several times a week. This is one of the ways that I still stay competitive and get my exercise. I bowl on Tuesday evening and Friday mornings at Don Carter Lanes.  

The programs that have been established by the United States Bowling Congress and the Illinois State Bowling Proprietors Association are top notch. The future of the sport is right in front of us every day.   The motivation that keeps me going every week is seeing young people enjoy bowling.

 I will be interviewing the head coaches for both Harlem High School teams for the start of this story, Mike Dole who is the pro shop operator and Roto Grip Staffer at Don Carter Lanes.  Brad Sommer, a bowling proprietor here in Rockford and is also the head coach of the Runner Up Hononegah Indians boys team, and Tim Stoecklin East High School head coach.  

The Stateline is on Fire

I.            Northern Illinois Bowling

A.     2016/2017 proved to be the Stateline’s year for bowling. Mike Dole makes the cut at the masters. 8 Local High School teams make it down to State finals in both the Boys and Girls Divisions. One high school team visits the state tournament that never has.

B.     The Stateline scene for bowling has gotten bigger than ever before two teams from the same high school win state champions in the same year. They along with several other teams in the local area compete at the state finals. The Stateline invited Professional Bowling association’s Pete Weber and Jesse Buss to town for a testing session of new equipment.  This was brought to us by Roto Grip Stand out Mike Dole.

C.     The northern Illinois area has become a melting pot for some of the best bowling in recent years. Harlem high school won both the boys and girls state championships. Mike Dole a local pro shop owner and Roto Grip staffer at Don Carter Lanes qualifies for the USBC Masters and takes 12th place. East high school makes state for the first time ever being led by Tim Stoecklin.

II.            Harlem Boys and Girls State Championship

A.     Harlem boys qualify at sectional in

1.       Harlem scored the win at sectional in Vernon Hills 

2.     At state, they Held a commanding lead throughout the tournament 

3.       Feelings about winning the state championship?

B.     Harlem Girls Qualify at sectional

1.       Harlem girls take first at section here at home at forest hills lanes 2.       Girls state was held here at Cherry Bowl in Cherry valley.

 3.       Feelings about winning the state Championship?   

III.            Mike Dole Making USBC Masters

A.     Preparation

1.       What did you practice time like? 2.       What were your expectations going in?

B.     Qualifying

1.       How did you feel when you knew you made it through?

C.     Match Play

1.       Who was your hardest opponent and why? 

2.       How did you feel knowing you made it into the top 12?            

 East High Making State for the first time ever

A.     Qualifying at sectional

1.       Rockford East places second at Vernon Hills to move on to State 2.       What kind of work did your team put in?

B.     State Tournament

1.       What was the mood of the team going to state? 

2.       How do you feel about the overall performance of your team this year?

         Conclusion

A.     The northern Illinois area has become a melting pot for some of the best bowling in recent years. Harlem high school won both the boys and girls state championships. Mike Dole a local pro shop owner and Roto Grip staffer at Don Carter Lanes qualifies for the USBC Masters and takes 12th place. East high school makes state for the first time ever being led by Tim Stoecklin

B.     The Stateline has 2 championship teams from the same school, Mike Dole places 12th at the masters. East high makes it to the state finals for the first time ever.

This is a true story and it is graphic for those who can see what they read. To this day, I can remember the vision of a charred arm lying in the floorboard inside a burned-up bus. The smell of skin that was burnt to a crisp. The overall aroma of death made you vomit at the sight. I have had many sad moments in my life and this is the one that will haunt me until the day I die.

 So, here is the saddest moment that I am going to give you. I want you to be able to feel the pain, anxiety, and sadness that I felt when I had to haul a bus that was blown up by a terrorist. I know I have held back on my other writings. I do not want to open the Pandora’s box to which I hide all the sad and horrible incidents I have experienced. I have seen piles of dead bodies in a morgue because terrorist chose to unleash their evil ways upon innocent people. 

This day we were in the motor pool doing our daily work.  To the north of us, the hot desert was putting up a mirage. The sound of an explosion takes over the entire area. In the north-west corner of our compound flames were raging. Having no idea what this was a call comes over our radios. “Motor pool, get a wrecker and HET ready to go out the gate,” Said my Commander.  

We load the truck and start rolling to the gate. As we arrive on the scene the Airforce firefighting squadron began hosing down a structure that looked like the bus. This bus was literally just at our motor pool picking up local nationals who we had been working with that day. The sight of charred skin and bones leaked from the holes in the bus as the firefighter hosed water in. 

These innocent people just lost their lives to an act of terrorism. Now you ask why is this sad. The guy you were just working on a truck with was on that bus. Now you must crane that bus onto the trailer of a truck for an investigator to look at it. Oh, by the way, the investigator was trying not to throw up on your uniform. 

 Rolling around this nice cozy king-sized bed. Kicking the humans in bed trying to get comfortable. The human gets up out of bed and starts his morning routine. The smell of coffee takes over the home. The sizzling of bacon fills the kitchen. Buster still snoring his little pug nose off in bed. Chasing the leaves as he’s dreaming. A small whimper let out. The human comes back into the bedroom to see what’s the matter. Everything seems to be normal. The human returns to his routine. Setting up his tray in front of his recliner. The clasp clicking on the dining tray. Buster trots out of the room sitting in front of his owner. The man sitting down for breakfast. Snarling and blowing at his owner. Buster loves bacon. Dancing around the living room acting a fool for the smallest piece of that delicious bacon. The owner reaches out. The teeth of this docile dog coated with slobber dripping on the floor. Snatching the bacon from the owner’s hand in a playful way.

Now I am a man that loves music. I can listen to just about every genre. I was brought up on music.

Now to start my list at number #5 it actually is a 1950’s song. The King of Rock and Roll himself Elvis Pressley with Jail House Rock.This song was one of my all-time favorites especially because it played every time I was at my grandma’s house.

#4 This song was a trend setter in the 1960’s and the man behind not only the vocals but the guitar is one of the most talented guitar players ever.

“Purple Haze” Jimi Hendrix Experience.

#3 Giving me the chills every time I hear this song, I look back on this song and think about my grandfather. In 1981 Hank Williams Jr. released Country Boy can survive.My grandfather will always hold a special place in my heart. Hell, I even wear his name on my left sleeve.

#2 Brad Paisley teamed up with the late great Andy Griffith on this song it was released June 23, 2008, and holds a place in my heart. This song would be my wedding song Waitin’ On a Woman.

This song pulls my heart strings. The lyrics still stand true every day except when I’m by myself. I wait on my wife to get ready to go somewhere not only that but every day it is worth waiting on her because that is the path that I chose. I love you to death Michell Lane-Anderson.

#1 Now to the final song on my greatest songs ever list. I am an American soldier until the day that I die. I can tell you right now the ones that love you the most are the ones willing got fight for you. I know there is a big political stink going on right now and It makes no difference who is the president of the United States.  I served under two presidents. George W. Bush and Barak Obama. The people to your left and right while you are on the battlefield are the closest things you have to family when you are deployed.  From October 2005 until September 2006 I was in Iraq.  This song shows the epidemic of Homeless veterans, Divorce rates of veterans, and PTSD. No matter whether I served with you in Iraq or just on active duty, if you wore a flag on your shoulder in any branch of service There is help. If you need someone to talk to I’m Here.

This man is the former front man and lead singer of the band Stained. Well before I joined the military I started listening to this band and heard the music they were putting out to the public. This edgy alternative metal post-grunge hard rock band put down 9 albums that have had some of the most personal experiences of the band lives. The primary focuses were Aaron’s life experiences. I bought their album “Dysfunction” in 1999 and yes, I’m old and it was a compact disc and it no longer will even play in a CD player because I wore it out. There are two songs that received radio play from this album Home and Mud shovel. Mudshovel really brings you home because my parents divorced when I was young granted the lyrics being meant for an adult but being able to relate your life to the broken promises of a father who was never there for you. You feel angry and you want others to feel what you feel. Moving on the next album that stood out “Break the Cycle”. 2001 was a hard year for me, I was a senior in high school and not knowing the fate of my future not only that towards the end of 2001 I lost my best friend my grandfather. 

Depression sunk in and my fall back was the music that related to me. I listened to this album over and over burning another CD out. Tough times were ahead granted the song “It’s been a while” is about meeting a woman that took away all the pain. I was dating constantly and this became very personal to me. The second track was “outside” I was on the outside looking into what I thought was to be my future. I was away from home, working all the time, I was in love with a woman who I thought was my future wife. Things were peachy but you start to learn how to read people. She was a beautiful woman on the Outside but inside she was ugly and had bad intentions. In 2003, I moved on with my life moving back in with my parents. I waited until June and found a recruiter and signed up for the delayed entry program for the Army. November rolled around and I was on a plane to Fort Jackson, South Carolina. I returned to the music again while I was deployed to Iraq. When they dropped the track “So Far Away”. I was in Iraq all alone 7000 miles away in my own mind because I left my wife, my family, and friends. It was literally like being in a dream world there. 

. The final time was when Aaron became a solo act his first son was “Country Boy” now granted I was born in Rockford and grew up in the local area but the words of this song are how I am today.