I-95 NORTHBOUND

 

On an expedition to add another experience among the plethora of those which racing offers, your scribe was riding shotgun on the post-Roar rebound with Michael Shank Racing’s transportation and logistics Main Dude (and one-time, only, tour guide) Ralph Lohr (at left).

Lohr’s main set of wheels is the black-on-blue transporter bearing the dated likenesses of John Pew (at right, flying to 2010 Mid-O podium) and Michael Valiante. Tucked above and behind us in the trailer were the No. 6 Continental Tire Ford-Dallara and the No. 23 “Living Legends” Ford-Riley.

Again bearing the Crown Royal XR liquor colors for 2011 (below left; in yet another hauler), Pew hasn’t officially been in the No. 6 car since 2009 and has since become clean-shaven (spouse Stephanie reportedly “likes it, too,”).

On the other hand, Valiante’s unchanged year-over-year general appearance lends itself to be among a Photoshopping graphic artist’s ideal subjects. Indeed, surely arising would be general talk of apocalyptic proportions should Valiante change.

Nevertheless, in his five decades of watching race cars do strange things (not to mention the rest of humanity undertaking still stranger stuff, all the while each believing themselves expert drivers), Ol’ DC had not previously even pulled an air-horn rope (which ain’t no more, sad to report) much less taken to the road in 70-feet of a supposed18-wheeler (“supposed” because not actually counted where the wheels, but they were up there).

Mike Shank and Lohr were initially reluctant to allow a wet-behind-the-ears old guy experience the “glory” of riding in a big rig . . . until realizing this writer was more serious about doing so than Mark Patterson (at left, and, that is, excepting when Patterson is not at “war” in his usual playpen among the world’s financial elite).

Variously described as “one of the worst” winter storms among those recently caused by “global climate change,” Lohr and his MSR trucking cohorts – Tom Finley and Rich Vance – dueled with Mother Nature and, all things considered, did so rather admirably.

(Is it just me or has anyone else noticed the years-old, good old “global warming” descriptive now is morphing into “climate change” and into the boundaries of which can be lumped any anomalous weather pattern without alteration of the underlying hypotheses?)

The precipitation falling around us as we passed into northern Georgia, through South Carolina and into North Carolina made some tree-lined Interstate stretches look like a picturesque “winter wonderland.”

Far from what one would ordinarily see in a mind’s eye, the aforementioned otherwise “beautiful” snow and ice were a “hell” for those in want of traction.

On one four-lane, otherwise abandoned Internet stretch a black VW Jetta was inadvertently doing doughnuts when Crown Royal XR 18-wheeler driver Tom Finley in front of us adeptly did a “lane toss” that would make any Skip Barber instructor proud.

All but one of the four lanes was snow-covered and virtually indistinguishable – with even the excepted lane having but two tire grooves.

Trailing Finley, Lohr and I had little clue as to Finley’s need of the toss until the CB (Citizens Band radio) crackled simultaneous to our suddenly clear site line to the little car, which soon after started doing a dance that told us why Finley had wanted to move in the first instance.

“I gotta get outside of this one,” Finley said, while simultaneously undertaking his toss even though broadcasting a CB warning to the trailing Lohr and Vance haulers.

Not long after we learned of the VW’s fate. The driver, for whatever reason, came to a stop in the middle-right traffic lane – basically smack-dab in the middle of the highway – and was absolutely the wrong place, as would later CB chatter confirm when soon skipping ahead from one truck to another were reports of a half-dozen vehicles that one-by-one plowed into the Jetta and/or a tractor-trailer whose driver first plowed into the car.

Bummer.

On the sharpest Interstate curves – especially interchanges tracking from one highway to another – repeated silently in this rider’s mind was Skip Barber instructor Terry Lee Earwood’s (at left, accepting some trophy somewhere, credit Earwood, of course)) admonition of “every male child was born turning too early” whenever a single, white lane-marking line appeared from beneath the snow and ice.

Just about that time, Earwood’s “early in; early out” chant would follow.

Made by others traveling the same path before him and having zero clue as to whether it was a lane’s left or right-side solid line, Lohr just kept on trucking through the established radius, even when one eventually tracked onto roadside shoulders, mainly because one isn’t inclined to quickly attempt bucking one of Isaac Newton’s famous “Laws” – especially at the fore of a 75,000-lb. load.

Seen throughout the journey were others who tried and clearly lost.

Lohr’s tuning of XM Satellite’s Deep Tracks couldn’t have been timed better - if nothing else but to keep Ol’ DC chilled.

Still, the highway was largely devoid of traffic because “Climate Change Ice Storm 3” (of one doesn’t count the big Yurripean storms, too)had scared most folks off the roadways.

Largely, “parking it” was a good thing in such weather because far too many “four-wheelers” scare the daylights of truckers who far too often encounter glib drivers even when dry and in perfect light.

Such being Lohr’s point of view even though the chances are good he’d come out of an untoward unscathed, given that he’s driving a veritable battleship as relatively compared to the dinghies and speedboats below him.

Yet a collision, even one laying no blame at all at the feet of Lohr, would turn upside down a tight timetable that depends on him delivering “the goods” on time.

Although someone will grouse should the United States Postal Service’s “Priority” mail take five days instead of two or three (I know, I’ve groused a few times in the last year, alone - and the USPS wonders why revenues keep declining) a car race positively, definitely runs as scheduled. (Then again, there was 9/11 and the hurricanes of 2004).

For sure, though, a race won’t be delayed on account of Mike Shank’s delayed truck.

Imagine Patterson’s wail if his No. 23 didn’t arrive for the Rolex 24? Heck, one bets even Ozz Negri (at left) would be a tad bothered if his Crown Royal XR car didn’t arrive as scheduled – assuming no one was injured, of course.

No folks, 18-wheelers carrying upwards of 40 tons are hard to stop on dimes, nor within that distance achieved by a decently maintained car, nor tossed – unless by Tom Finley – from one lane to another.

Nevertheless, Lohr will deliver his goods on time, every time. Whether going to or returning from the track, as was the case on Jan. 10, when we really nailed the snow and ice just so that the boys could have some cars to rebuild upon return to the MSR shop, Tuesday.

There is a lot more to the “glory” of trucking than easily meets the eye, but all that is being reserved for a video to be seen sometime down the road, such as it exists.

Later,

DC

P.S. Yes, “AJ Said He Was Okay” is coming up.