Track Lessons

By Charlie Seymour

George was a quiet, down to earth guy who loved motorcycle racing and later in life learned to love Jesus. The best of his eighty-three years on earth was 1989, when at fifty-four, he got married, adopted a son, and won the United States Motorcycle Association National Championship for the Harley Davidson 883 Sportster series.

Motorcycle racing was the constant in his life. Much of what George learned and much of what he taught came from his experiences on the track. Near the end of his life, his two grandsons pick him up at the nursing home to share a weekend of motorcycle racing. During this weekend, George recounts stories of his 1989 championship season, and other highlights of his life.

In Track Lessons, author Charlie Seymour creates a mosaic of events that reveal the character and life of George. Each tile of the mosaic is simple, but the collection of tiles shows how average events lead to a deep, meaningful life filled with family and love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Jun 14, 2023
• ISBN: 9781665733458

Charlie Seymour

Charlie Seymour has lived in many places around the world and worked as a teacher, computer programmer, corporate executive, auto mechanic, entrepreneur, and farmer. He retired in 2005, and has devoted himself to writing, travel, spiritual growth, tinkering with cars and motorcycles, and staying alive.

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Copyright © 2023 Charlie Seymour.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced

by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including

photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval

system without the written permission of the author except in the

case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents,

organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products

of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

Archway Publishing

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844-669-3957

For more information about author,

Charlie Seymour, go to www.charliesbooks.com

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or

links contained in this book may have changed since publication and

may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those

of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher,

and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are

models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-6657-3344-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6657-3345-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022921182

Archway Publishing rev. date: 07/28/2023

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my beloved

children and grandchildren.

John

Katie

William

Rachel

Audrey

Eliza

Scarlett

Like all generalizations, keep your

collection of rules small and clean.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First and foremost, as in all my endeavors: Thank you, God, for the knowledge, ability, desire, and benefit involved in writing this book. God already knows what I mean by benefit – all are spiritual.

My wonderful editors and advisors made the process fun and educational for me. Careful editing by dear friends, Barbara Benjamin and Skip Ferguson, and their gentle urging for me to clean up my act regarding punctuation, simplicity, and consistency, made the book better and made me a better author.

Big thanks to Maisha Davis, Jacob Champion, and Nathan Kesler who read the manuscript and gave me honest reactions, real encouragement, and valuable suggestions.

And also big thanks to my daughter Katie Halpin, and Barbara Benjamin who both helped me a lot with chapter eight, as I tried to expand my limited understanding of motherhood.

My son, John, knows all the stuff in this book, even before reading it. Motorcycles were always a big part of our home as John and Katie were growing up. We strapped a Yamaha YZ80 on the back of a VW camper, and John raced motocross all over New England for several years. Later, he and I both raced Vintage Ducati motorcycles at many tracks in the USA and Canada. Fathers and sons do seem to have about five or ten years to negotiate the rulebook for a man’s life – values clarification they used to call it. It starts when the son is around ten years old, as his mom lets go, and starts tapering off five or ten years later. John and I hammered out our father-son version of this rulebook using the language and metaphors from the motorcycle racetrack. It does seem a bit odd to thank him now – 40 years after we actually lived it. But I do appreciate it all, so, thanks, John, for reading the book, for the tears, and for your thoughtful comments, kind words, and encouragement.

And, the cherry on the top of the sundae, thanks to Jeff Heino for permission to use the perfect cover photo of him racing his Harley at Daytona. PERFECT! And Jeff’s race number 23, was also the race number of the book’s protagonist, George.

And thanks to skillful digital artist Rebecah Thompson for creating the cover.

So much help, so much love, so much benefit.

THANKS, and I love all y’all.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1     The Beginning and the End

CHAPTER 2     One more thing

CHAPTER 3     Race 1 – Daytona!

CHAPTER 4     Race 2 – Road Atlanta

CHAPTER 5     Race 3 - Bryar Motor Sports Park, Loudon

CHAPTER 6     Race 4 - Elkhart Lake’s Road America

CHAPTER 7     Race 5 – Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

CHAPTER 8     Race 6 - Heartland Motorsports Park

CHAPTER 9     Race 7- Summit Point, West Virginia

CHAPTER 10   Track Lessons – The end of the story

CHAPTER 1

The Beginning

and the End

This is the story of George Gindlesburger and some of the life lessons he learned and taught.

George was pretty much a normal guy. He lasted eighty-three years on earth, which wasn’t bad for a man like him. He loved and was well-loved by twenty to thirty people during his lifetime, including his parents, two wives, two kids, and two grandchildren. He was a good son, a good father, a good grandpa, and a good business partner. He built a small business that outlived him and provided a nice place to work for several people. He never went to jail, never received any social assistance, and he was a national motorcycle racing champion.

Motorcycle racing was the constant in his life. Much of what he learned and much of what he taught, came from his experiences on the motorcycle race track.

The best year in his life was 1989. At fifty-four years old, he married Jeri Davis, adopted her teen-aged son JJ, and won the U.S. Motorcycle Association, National Championship for the Harley Davidson 883 Sportster series.

Probably the worst years of his life was 2009, which went something like this…

POVLeap.jpg

YEP!

George’s last trip to Daytona Bike Week did not go well.

Goddammit! I already told you, it’s a 2005 Chevy Silverado, half-ton. Red with a black Leer cap.

No need to get testy with me, sir. I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on here. It’s three o’clock in the morning, and my deputy spotted you walking down the middle of the street.

"Look, Officer, someone stole my wallet, and now someone’s stole my truck. I’ve been coming here to Daytona Bike Week for forty years. I’ve been up on the banking on a motorcycle at 150 miles per hour. I’ve been in the municipal hospital for weeks, all stove up, but I never had trouble like this."

Tell me your name again.

George. George Gindlesburger.

Do you have some ID Mister Gindlesburger?

Goddammit! I already told you someone stole my wallet!

Calm down, Mister Gindlesburger. Who stole your wallet?

The old man looked stunned, like a deer caught in the headlights.

Mister Gindlesburger, who stole your wallet?

I… I don’t know… it’s just gone…

Where do you live, Mister Gindlesburger?

Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

And where are you staying while you’re here in Daytona?

The old man’s eyes darted around as he searched for a clue.

In the motel.

What motel? What’s the name of the motel?

The old man sighed and slumped forward, a new and deeper slump, looking at the ground, stricken, his failed search flapping in the wind for all to see.

The other policeman interrupted them, Excuse me, Sarge, Unit 12 says there’s a red Silverado with a black cap, Pennsylvania plates, parked over on 57th Street.

OK, I’ll drive over there with Mister Gindlesburger and check it out. You go about your business. I’ll catch up with you on the radio.

Yes, sir.

Mister Gindlesburger, I’m a little worried about you. I can tell you’re not drunk, but you seem to be a little confused. You feel OK?

I’m fine, just a little tired…

The officer opened the front passenger door and invited George, OK, let’s get in the cruiser and go check out the pickup truck.

They drove north six blocks and turned right on 57th Street.

Yep, that’s it!

Try your keys in it, just to be sure.

The old man inserted the key in the driver’s side door and it opened right up.

So you think you parked it there and forgot where you had parked it?

I guess…

Is it OK if I have a look inside your truck? Maybe we’ll find some ID.

Sure, go ahead.

The truck was a mess of food wrappers and coffee cups but no alcohol or anything illegal. There was no ID or wallet in the truck. But there was an insurance card clipped to the sun visor, with the old man’s name and a street address in Lancaster. On the back was noted: In case of emergency, contact Lucy Brown (daughter) 717-643-0002.

I can’t find any ID in your truck. So, where does your daughter live?

My daughter?

Yes sir, your daughter.

uhhh… up north?

And what’s her name?

My daughter?

Silence.

"What’s