[LoneWolfGal]

A little interlude while I agonize over the IMS decision...

Back in the olden days when I was just a kid, we lived in Reno and I owned a vintage Honda motorcycle, a twin, which I'd bought for $150. As it happened, our house was only a couple blocks from Bill Rudd Motors, a speed shop and Honda motorcycle dealership. I decided to rebuild the Honda's engine, so I bought all the parts from Bill. He and his mechanics, greatly amused by this girl would-be motorcycle mechanic, indulged me.

I spent the entire winter rebuilding that DOHC engine, and when I was finished I pushed the bike over to Bill's so they could help me if it wouldn't start. The whole crew gathered around and I pressed the starter button... and it fired right up and idled smoothly. Bill and his guys all applauded.

What I didn't know then and only found out years later was that Bill Rudd had been a famous Ferrari Team Racing mechanic, worshipped in racing circles. But he was such a humble, unpretentious guy, he never talked about it. At least, not when I was hanging out there, and I used to hang out a lot with Bill and the guys.

Anyway, folks, although I couldn't appreciate it at the time, I rubbed shoulders with racing royalty!