by Chris Meyers

After a winter hiatus, “Crashin with Crazy Chris” is back for the 2009 supermodified season.  This week’s article is going to be a little bit different from last year’s columns.  I’ve been thinking the last four days about how to go about writing this article on two of the greatest people in the supermodified community.  This past Saturday night, the PPG Vibrance Collection Midwest Supers took to Lorain County Speedway for a 40 lap feature event.  After it was all said and done, Randy Burch was back in victory lane in the ACME Racing 49.  This was his first win with ACME Racing and his fourth career supermodified win.  I was introduced to Randy and his wife Rhonda around 6 years ago at Sandusky Speedway.  I happened to talk to Rhonda during a week in June about building a website for them.  I met Randy at the track that week and then talked to Rhonda that night as well.  From that point on, these two special people became an instrumental and valuable part in my life.

 
 Randy and Rhonda are two people whom I admire, respect, and love.  Randy and Rhonda will do anything to make sure people are taken care of. They often put others before themselves.  They want to make sure everyone else is happy.  Randy has been racing a supermodified since the 2002 season and has had some good luck but he’s had his share of bad luck.  Randy has run strong in feature races only to have something bad go wrong with the motor.  Randy has run well in the features only to be involved in someone else’s mishap that often ends up being an expensive fix.  When most people would give up, Randy and Rhonda keep after it. These two people are the epitome of perseverance and regardless of their circumstances; they continue to trudge on through all of their tribulations. No matter what it is in supermodified racing or who’s racing, you can rest assure you will see Randy and Rhonda rooting people on and congratulating competitors after a good race.  They are what the supermodified division exactly needs.  They are true leaders of this division.  They have done so many things for the division whether it’d be marketing, advertising, or just plain promoting a show in general.  They have set up displays for the MSA at the Cleveland Grand Prix and Autorama. Randy and Rhonda are two of the four main leaders of the MSA.

When the MSA hits an out of state show, they’ll have the car setup on display promoting the show at the certain speedway.  Not only does the supermodified division need more people like Randy and Rhonda Burch but the world does too.  Everyone who has been touched by their caring hand is better off than they were before coming in contact with this ‘Never give up’ couple.  I consider myself very fortunate to have been blessed with these two people who serve as parental figures and look out for me. When I was going through a tough stretch in my life, Randy and Rhonda were only a phone call away.  I made sure I would call Randy and Rhonda once a week or two just to talk to them on the phone.  Our conversations could go for an eternity because we would always be talking about the latest in our lives and just racing in general.  Randy could talk my ears off but it didn’t matter because most of the time we were talking about racing. A tremendous amount of what I’ve learned about supermodified racing is because of Randy. He has taught me about what certain parts on the super do and how a supermodified works.

 After graduating high school, I didn’t want to go to college but Rhonda stressed the importance of what it would do for me.  When I hung out around their house or helped crew with them at the track, they always made sure I was taken care.  They would make me dinner; give me a pair of concert tickets or tickets to an Indians game.  It wasn’t the fact that they gave me these items it’s the fact that they make sure that I feel loved and appreciated. I would go missing in action for periods of time during the summer and Rhonda would set me straight.  One of her sayings would be “You’ll hang out with so and so but you won’t hang out with us.  What are you? Too good for us? I see how it is.”  I thought she was upset with me but after a few hours you could tell she was joking.  In 2003, Rhonda came and picked me up for Toledo Speedway.  At the time, I didn’t know about the “no shorts in the pits policy.”  We’re a few minutes away from the track and she noticed I didn’t have jeans.  Well she gave me some money to go over to the store and buy some jeans.  She really bailed me out of a bind.

As a diehard supermodified fan, Randy’s win on Saturday night ranks at the top of my book with Jon Henes’s first win. I know the win was a very emotional win for Randy and Rhonda on Saturday night but it was an emotional win for me as well.  Randy has been so close to a win in the last four years, only to have something break on the car or being involved in a mishap.  Randy and Rhonda deserve the best.  They have enriched my life with respect, guidance, and most importantly love.  Anyone who has never been fortunate to spend time with the Burch family will find out as soon as your hand is shaken that you have been missing out on two of the nicest, most genuine, honest people involved in the division.  They will probably both be upset at me for writing an article on them but that’s just who they are. They believe they are no different from others but they truly are. Next time you’re at the local track and see the Kasper Auto Group #49, be sure to stop on down and look for Randy and Rhonda. The friendships and memories with these two will last a lifetime and you will find yourself being a better person because of them.

Remember to drive fast, turn left, and if you make that drastic right turn, you’re going to be “Crashin with Crazy Chris”.  

The writer encourages comments and opinions to be sent directly to him at meyers2305@hotmail.com.

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