10/06/2002

FORMER QUARTER MIDGET RACER RETURNS TO HIS ROOTS
by Dan Dombal

             This past Sunday, I took a trip to the Riverhead Raceway for a day of fun and excitement for my three daughters, wife and myself as we attended a day full of racing, presented by the Eastern Kart Racing Association (EKRA). It brought me back to my roots of racing. I first raced at 4 ½ years old  in my ¼ midget  with the Nassau Quarter Midgets Association.(N.Q.M.A.) . The N.Q.M.A. sprouted great drivers which I raced with and against such as NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series regulars, Tony Ferrante and Mike Ewanitsko.

            As I witnessed the future of Long Island Racing, it brought back fond memories of yesteryear. I had put myself in the novice class when I used to have a red flag off my rear bumper, to and thru all the classes (12) that ran that day. I had put myself in the positions.  I remembered also such as setting up the cones, tires, flags, scale, etc.

            The overall feeling I got was that the EKRA consisted of a group of well-behaved children and adults working together for a common cause. The cause I would best describe as  “A FAMILY GET TOGETHER.”  I saw all the dads, moms, grandparents, sisters, and brothers and most of all the track officials intertwine with each other in such a way of harmony that the day created a memory of a lifetime for each and everyone that was there.

            To see the track officials that on a Saturday night of racing in enforcing mode, and to see them on a Sunday of karting is truly different and amazing. Right from Charlie at the pit gates that on a Saturday enforces the pit pass to be exposed, to him on a Sunday saying have a great day enjoy the karts. Mike who usually is with me in turn three on Saturday nights telling the modifieds to get in line and slow down, to him on a Sunday help put wristbands on toddlers at the pits gate telling them be careful and enjoy. Joe Larsen who on a Saturday night gets “ IT ” from all drivers, owners, crew members and fans, to a Sunday where his hands are dirty from working on one of his children’s karts saying oh well we always got next week, this is racing. Bill Denniston who on a Saturday night is so busy with ALL the decisions of the track that he is in a basically YES! or  NO! mode, to a Sunday where he is in the safety, team player, help yourself to the cooler, ok, and whatever mode.

            With the busy life that we all have, family karting is a staple of a child’s life. I remember that my Dad was always working and never was around except to cut the lawn on Saturday and bring me on Wednesday to an abandon factory parking lot to practice for Sunday. Sunday came and it was a family day.  Every Sunday, we would go to Mitchell Field and race in the ¼ Midgets. That’s what I remember from 4 ½ years old till I was 16 years old.

            Well it is now 20 something years since then and last year I decided after getting the career (auto collision) well under way, establishing a family, house, bills, etc., that I was missing something very important in my life. Racing!!  Even though I came to the races at Freeport, Islip, and Riverhead periodically I still was not close enough to the action. I set up an Enduro car and raced this whole year, did pretty good finished most and came in eighth in one race which let me race with the crème of the crop in the Enduro Invitational a couple a weeks ago. And I finished that race.

            So seeing that the LongIslandJam.com needed a photographer, a perfect opportunity prevailed and there I was sitting every Saturday in the infields taking action shots of the regulars.  So I actually am back to my RACING ROOTS and once you have racing in your blood there is no transfusion that can take it out of you. The reason you can’t take it out of your blood is because it is in your heart and soul. In closing with my sole opinion stated, I would like to say that this past Sunday was a refreshing burst of racing at its best.  Racing that is family-driven.  That’s the foundation of racing and hopefully it will not be forgotten.

 Special Thanks go to EKRA, Bill Denniston, and Joe Larsen.

Sources:  Dan Dombal/LongIslandJam.com
Posted:  October 11, 2002