Way way back, Mark raced WERA on his B50. Captured on some pics I found on The Rider Files here: http://www.riderfiles.com/roebling-road-wera-july-1986/ (he's 284, alloy tank, red leathers, 3/4 down the page) I met him long after he quit racing. Super nice guy, was always interested in my progress, always had a cold beer in the shop fridge, hosted Orphan Thanksgiving for those of us with no where to go, made my steel shoe so I could flat track, tried to sell me a B44 so I could vintage MX, etc etc etc. Beat cancer once but not the second time. RIP Racer.
Hey Chuck, your probably not gonna believe this, so point out any discrepancies, cuz this is strange.....he used to work at Lockheed Marietta, right?.....did NDI / Quality right?....last I heard he took a job running an x-ray unit in a SS pipe factory, in Ky somewhere.....same guy?....he had a brother in the business too, I believe... I'm gonna wait for your answer before I go on with the story, cuz if its the same guy, its very strange.
Yup, that was him Charlie. Used to live in GA, came to Bowling Green KY after that, which is where I met him.
RIP Mark, what a great guy. Here's where things get alittle weird....when did he pass Chuck? I was sitting in his old chair yesterday thinking about him....no BS. I'll cut to the chase...Mark had an office (trailer) in the receiving dept here. He was an hourly NDI Tech and I hired in as an NDI Engineer....we worked together reading casting x-rays from C-130 vendors...a sampling plan deal. Yesterday, I come back from lunch, and there is a "Cycle News" from 1969 sitting in my chair, and a note from one of the other NDI techs who didn't know Mark. I immediately knew where he got it from, and mentioned Mark....the guy who left it confirmed it was from Marks trailer, and also said that the trailer was going away (scrap), and if I wanted anything out of it act fast......so I did, I took the golf cart and drove over there.....I hadn't been in that trailer in probably 5 years, until yesterday. Mark always had a poster behind his desk of Max Biaggi on the Chesterfield 250 2 smoke....I didn't know of Biaggi at the time (1998, I think), but my dad always smoked Chesterfields, and the bike was cool.....I always liked it. I pulled it off the wall yesterday, ensuring not to rip it.....I also snagged an issue of "Classic Bike" from July 1996. I also dug out Marks old "Ink Pad" he used to stamp off jobs....it had a big old WERA sticker on it. It was very quiet in the trailer (it didn't used to be),and I swear I felt a connection to my old friend....now this am, I read your post....:wow::wow: What a great guy. I had spoken with him several times after he left here. It was surreal sitting at his desk yesterday. To make things even weirder....I saw Wayne in a dream last nite...WTF?
Wow. Not sure exactly when he passed, but I got word yesterday. Glad you were able to save some of his things. Great guy, like you said.
I will do that....but it is a "western edition" for some reason. REALLY neat, Rayburn, Rice, Markel Bio's....like "introductions". Hey, If you'd like it as a memento to Mark, its yours sir......gimme an address.:up:
Charlie - obit & service info, plus a guestbook for condolences here: http://www.jckirbyandson.com/obituary/Mark-Allen-Barrett/Bowling-Green-KY/1498218#obit-memories
Thanx Chuck.....I'll pass it along to the boys in the lab. I was just up there talking to them. A couple of those guys had known Mark since his early 20's. 1 guy was his neighbor and they rode to work together. Small world, huh? I'll mail ya his 1969 Cycle News if you want it. I'll keep the Biaggi poster to hang in the shop.
Wow Charlie, that story is eerily beautiful if that makes any sense? I am a firm believer in stuff like that. RIP Racer
