This column is provided for me to document my travels and experiences while traversing the country following drag racing. I have gone to all of the major venues for both NHRA and IHRA events in addition to some of the more obscure places like George Ray’s Wildcat HotRod drag strip in Paragould, Arkansas. Although it was raining during my visit to George’s place and all I got to do was look. I plan to go back and actually see a car go down the track.

During the majority of my travels, it has been in a Chevy Astro van that has affectionately become known as Rodney. Of course that is after the comic Rodney Dangerfield, who always claimed that he got no respect. Astro vans do not come to mind very often when you are talking about drag racing; however, Rodney had a loyal fan following within the readership of Torco's CompetitionPlus.com and this column. Once I started documenting my travels with Rodney, it is amazing and humorous how many people would ask me how Rodney was doing.

RIP Rodney-Long Live Little Rock

This column is provided for me to document my travels and experiences while traversing the country following drag racing. I have gone to all of the major venues for both NHRA and IHRA events in addition to some of the more obscure places like George Ray’s Wildcat HotRod drag strip in Paragould, Arkansas. Although it was raining during my visit to George’s place and all I got to do was look. I plan to go back and actually see a car go down the track.

During the majority of my travels, it has been in a Chevy Astro van that has affectionately become known as Rodney. Of course that is after the comic Rodney Dangerfield, who always claimed that he got no respect. Astro vans do not come to mind very often when you are talking about drag racing; however, Rodney had a loyal fan following within the readership of Torco's CompetitionPlus.com and this column. Once I started documenting my travels with Rodney, it is amazing and humorous how many people would ask me how Rodney was doing.

Well, I am sad to say that Rodney has suffered severe problems and has been asked to retire from the circuit. During the trip to the NHRA event in Norwalk, Ohio, the intake manifold gasket ruptured and caused a major water leak. It was touch and go for a while at the event and during the 10-hour drive back home, but Rodney never gave up and brought me safely back to South Carolina. After making multiple stops to replenish the water in the radiator, we made it home and parked in the driveway where Rodney still is on life support. We are not sure what will eventually happen to the valiant steed but he stands there silent and proud, if somewhat haggard.

Beside Rodney in the driveway now is his replacement Astro. I managed to locate another in very good shape and the two have been sharing tales during the few hours that I am at my home in Greer.

Until now I have not been able to attach a name to the new vehicle. I usually let the vans earn their own name and had not found a name that was appropriate to the history of the new vehicle.

That is until the new van took his first trip of historical importance within drag racing. We had traveled to a couple of events and we were still looking for a moniker.  During the Labor Day weekend, we went to INDY. INDY was great this year. We got there on Tuesday and managed to enjoy everything we could possibly fit in until we left on the following Tuesday.

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On Thursday at the dedication of the Eric Medlen Project at the John Force shop in Brownsburg, IN, the new name was given to my new van. We were touring the room set up with all of the memorabilia from Eric’s career. It is a wonderful room. I had not really come to grips with the accident and for what ever reason still had trouble believing Eric was no longer with us. In that room however, listening to all the stories told by friends and family and looking at all the history of a young life, it hit home. It was wonderful to be there at the opening and just standing beside his car and remember. It was also the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. It is a great room and you should make a visit there but it is a place that I may never visit again. Or at least for a very long time. I am even having a tough time typing this as my eyes mist up again.

During the visit there, I wanted to do something personal to show my respect to Eric and I couldn’t figure what to do in my small way. As I scanned the pictures, my eyes settled on the one with Eric riding his roping horse. I decided that I would find the name of that horse and give it to the new van. Now that may seem silly and trivial to some, but to me it just made sense.

I contacted Dave Densmore (John Force Racing PR extraordinaire) and asked if it would be ok and to provide me with that name. Densy responded:

Roger:

I think it's a wonderful gesture.  Eric's favorite horse was named Little Rock.  He is a cutting horse, owned by Jerold Camarillo, the horse Eric always used to ride when he went back home to Oakdale to rope.

Densy

Silly or not, I will now be riding to and from all the event in my new van named “Little Rock” and every time that I tell someone the name of the van, I think I will see Eric smile one more time.

The luckiest man in the world.

Roger "Geezer" Richards