Humbled and Honored

[dontlifttoshift]

What a weekend! This was really the first pro-touring event Angela and I had attended and had no idea what to expect but figured what could go wrong. Great people and cars, you get to drive hard, and outdoor movies at the hotel with your favorite beverage. Sounds like my kind of deal.

We dove in head first and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We drove witihin our limits Saturday, it was the first "big" track we had ever seen. I parked my pile after the first session and with permission swapped my transponder to our Mustang so I could get some real time on the road course.....good move. Driving a late model with a roof isn't nearly as nerve racking. We both ran pretty quick considering our (lack of) abilities for that sort of driving. Big thanks to Randy Bell for getting a ride with Angela Saturday, it boosted her confidence immensely and she is really looking forward to doing as many pdx/hpde events as we can get in before the snow flies. Our SCCA autocross experience payed off on Sunday, however, and we both turned in respectable times in cars that probably shouldn't have. I was glad to be back in the roadster Sunday.



I was airing up tires (to drive the car home) at the DSE truck after autocross when Kyle said to take the 66 Mustang for a ride. I didn't have to think on that one for very long. We are just starting a 66 coupe project and after riding with Ryan around Gingerman and a short test drive on regular roads our Mustang will absolutely be DSE equipped! When we returned everyone that was left was standing by the tent listening to results and awards. Those that know me know that I am NOT a trophy guy....you can't eat 'em. I have always felt, and preach it to my customers as well, that you are driving the trophy and the good times and memories are the greatest awards you could ever get.

I wasn't really paying attention and was more concerned with thanking Kyle for the test drive than listening to Bill Howell and was surprised to hear Bill say "Danny and Angela Freese". That's not the first time someone carved my name up, (say fry-z) I am quite used to it so I knew it was us. What I didn't know was why we were being called up......honestly had no idea.

I never met Todd Gartshore and only knew of him as the guy from Baer. When we got back into the crowd everyone was shaking our hands and congratulating us and I still really didn't grasp it. Tim McGilton said "to me that's the big one", I paused, still unsure. I searched this forum this morning.....it's sinking in. Todd was obviously good people and a force in this industry. I don't know what we did special to have our name tied to his but we are truly humbled and honored to have recieved the Todd Gartshore Memorial Spirit of the Event Award. I consider it a loss that I never met the man, but hope that he would be proud for me to get an award in his name.

We need a better word than thanks to show our appreciation to EVERYONE involved in putting this event together. We had more fun than people should be allowed to have in a weekend and met even more great people than those we already call friends. I look forward to attending more events like this and will NOT miss a Motorstate Challenge in the future.