Thank you to all the folks I have met in the racing paddocks over the years! Those meets started when I was 9 as a super lightweight kid that lived next to a gas station in New Sharon Maine...small town where everyone knew everything I did good or bad. Lived with a dirt poor family with my divorced mom and her parents and their adopted daughter. With mom the only pay check. Yeah I was the kid with the home made pants and old shoes. We did not have Walmarts then With no dad around I got my father figures from the garage and a small engine shop that did chain saws lawn mowers ect. They both let me hangout(Think my mom had something to do with it) and they both taught me about life and engines. One was a circle track car racer the other just a old man that knew 2 strokes and went to school with my mom. The circle track guy took me under his wing and taught me engines that make loud noises and smelled funny. I was hooked for life. Grew older and dumber circle racer sold the garage left me with no more guidance and I slipped and slid going into high school drugs and the wrong crowd. We knew the local cops by first name it was a different time.. School for me sucked hated it so bad I was not the round peg. If I made a C it was a good grade. All the way up I knew the same kids..remember I was the kid with the home made clothes that shit sticks with ya...I was in and out of school with suspentions detentions were the norm Fights all the time no girl friends just a passion for loud things that went fast. My grandparents died when I was in grade school my adopted Aunt moved out that just left my MOM she stuck by me and tried her best to keep me from real trouble. She saw good in me deep inside as it was. She told me you can drop out if you can pass the ged...yeah good luck on that I thought. We had a meeting with the district school super leader. Those are bad meetings by the way He started with your son has the most suspentions ever on record! We feel it is best he not be in the system anymore. He has a choice we know he like cars and his grades are not good enough for the automotive vocational program offered by the high school but I will wave that if he will get his shit together. What did I say..of course it was a smart ass comment..I know more than that clown teaching the class...He was in the room too Little did I know that he knew my mom too...He was prepared the slapped a test in ft of me and said prove it! Well I did prove it and passed his fricking test...and told him If I wanted to learn how to paint cars then I would be interested... The super dude was getting pissed my mom was grinning I was ready to tell they them all to get fucked. I remember a strong hand on my shoulder he squeezed hard and said asked me if I like the outside better. Yes I do like it outside better than in here. He looked at the super dude and said give him to me I will take him into the forestry program. He walked out...I asked why would I want to learn about forestry I live in Maine! He said it is your only shot kid take it or leave. Next day walk to the door marked forestry inside I go They guy with the strong had saw me and asked me to come in the office. He knew the other guy in my life with the small engine shop real well. He told me all I needed to know was to keep the drugs out of here listen to me and all will be good he said go get steel toe boots safety hat gloves and saw chaps. I did and we learned how to cut trees run bull dosers skid steers heavy equipment along with saw mill stuff. It saved my life.. Joined the Army had basic training in the summer before my senior year finished school on the honor roll got a fricking scholarship for the most improved student. Bet I hold the record still for most suspentions. More Army stuff for the summer. Now what my mom asked lets get you into a tech collage. She did it somehow. I walked in and had my friend with me had a big choice to make Machine tool or Automotive they were both side by side. I stood in the hall for 20 minutes took a tour of both places. I wanted machine tool with my buddy but my gut and my past grades said Automotive. Sat down at the desk with the head guy in charge of the automotive Wally Fish I will never forget him. He sat down and I handed him my papers. You can imagine the look I got. He pushes the paper work back at me crosses his arm and says give me your best interview...Gave him my speech on my background in automotive and the fact I was in the Army. He stared at me for what felt like a hour. He said I do not think you are a good fit to my program! WTF I thought I am paying for this. He said you know too much. You know what is wrong with the engine from doing it. You know how to get to get to the fix and how to do it. I have to teach the class from the start of the problem. He stood up and walked me to the door and turned me around and said I will give one semester to see if it will work. The semester flew by got on the honor roll..Was called to the office there sat Wally arms crossed sit down I was told. He says you still liking this? Your instructors say you are good and know what you are doing. You get me next semester (he taught engines) He said you get to build my truck engine and it better be a good one...... he washed out 1/3 of the class that day told them they would be better off doing something other than cars. Wish more teachers had that kind of insite! I graduated the program with honors There are many more pages to my story filled with past events many with Wera AMA CCS Nascar Pro stock drag racing to having my own motorcycle shop.To this point my life has been filled with so many memories. I look forward to many more. So if you see a gray haired old fart running around the paddock working on his super trick fzr 490 with white plates for the second time say hi or flip me off because you will be part of the rest of my life story...
Charlie, you are one of the best. I miss seeing you and hope your family is well. I really loved reading your background story.
Happy Birthday Charlie!!!! I am only a few Months Behind ya!!! I will be stopping by in a couple Months for a tune... Marc!
That is many chapters Paige. The Family is good they account for much of the gray in my hair. Melissa and me just made 19 years yesterday. She has allowed me to do what I do and be the one that pushes me to do my dreams. Our children rule our lives. Carol is learning how to drive now and Melanie well lets just say she has learned from what Carol has done to push the bar up Hope all is well in your camp too.:up:
yup, everytime i see her, i can see Melissa holding her in her arms walking thru the paddock. Happy birthday, Charlie!!
Happy birthday Charlie! You are still a young man compared to some around here! And also I hope if I can still navigate that I can ride on track with you this season! AND I read the entire story! Good stuff my man. You could have gone many different ways that may not have been so good. A lotta racers don't come up with the silver spoon; kinda how a lot of us racers are!!!
Cool story Charlie. It's funny that sometimes when you are young you just don't know exactly how poor you are. You just go with what you got. Happy Birthday Charlie
