This is an example of why I wish I got into the sport earlier. No matter the organization, the racing community is great. Hi Everyone- I have been going to the race banquets for many years now and out of all the raffle tickets that I have purchased I don't think I have ever won more than a T-shirt. Come to think of it I haven't won much of anything ever in a raffle in my whole life so this was very unexpected. And thanks to all of you that bought raffle tickets the total amount was fairly significant...............$2604.00 clams to be exact so I got to tote around the $1302.00 for holding the lucky ticket. As Doug mentioned, the money never really came out of my pocket but in never went in my pocket either and as the winner I could do whatever I wanted with it. After I realized I held the winning ticket, my wife Lisa and I had a very quick discussion about what to do with the money. We are both hard workers and are far, far from being rich but we have been blessed in many ways so it wasn't too hard for me to think of a couple good places for the cashola. An air fence is something that none of us ever want to sample if at all possible but air fence is much more edible than concrete or an armco barrier.........I'm sure you will all agree with me on that one! So the more air fence the better! It will not only help to protect you (my friends) but I may need it too! I'm going to contact John Ulrich to make sure the money is applied to air fence that is going to be purchased for Loudon. Many of you didn't know me when I was actively competing. In 1992 I was injured in an accident trying to avoid hitting a couple lapped riders that had crashed just over the crest on the hill in turn 5 as I was ripping thru lapped traffic. My "highside ride" started at the crest of 5 and I ended up in a pile on the grassy knoll on the outside of the entrance to turn six.......roller coaster ride over!!!!! The end result wasn't too good to my bike and worse to my body. Multiple compound fractures of my right tibia and fibula. I really didn't plan on using one end of my tibia as a kickstand that very warm July day........honest. Karen Hornbecker was there with me in the turn six dust bowl and kept things calm at the infield medical center until I got transported. Oh yea.......and that wasn't the first time Karen had picked me up and helped to put me back together. She always made you feel like everything was okay even when it wasn't. She simply just made you feel safe. I had more surgery in 1996 and 1997 due to complications from that 1992 crash. Karen wasn't with me then as she had passed away in April of 1995. I never got the chance to say goodbye to her so by donating the other half of the raffle winnings to the Karen Hornbecker Injured Riders Fund her memory can live on by helping other injured LRRS riders. Roadracing with AAMRR and then with the LRRS and now continuing to work with the Penguin School has given me many great memories and I have met many nice people who are now my friends ( and I hate to admit it but that includes Brett Guyer! HaHa!!!! ). Have a fast and safe 2008 racing season. See you at the track in April! For now.......over and out- Steve Nogueira
