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PHOTO SCRAPBOOK
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Bikes | Wolverine
WOLVERINE AT MID-OHIO 2001
What a summer and what a year! It is July
already and I do not have any idea of where the time has gone.
I remember being a child and hearing my mother say to me "when
you get older the time goes by so fast". I thought that she
was just pulling my leg but at 43 years old I can truly attest
that she was correct. Mom always has and always will know best.
The Motorcycle stuff is so fun and even allows
Patti and I to travel. When we owned our deli for almost 20
years we could hardly get four days off in a row. I guess we
are making up for lost time by doing all these events and getting
to be able to meet so many really neat people.
Roger Lippiatt rebuilt our Wolverine motor
right after last year's Mid-Ohio race. Roger and Harry Taylor
are the only two guys to touch the motor and both men do it
out of a love for Hodaka. We have followed all the ideas and
specs that Harry has directed. Both are the most knowledgeable
Hodaka high performance motor guys I know. Harry is the general
of this project and we will be heading in whatever direction
he guides us. Being the head of Hodaka's R&D dept. and
a consultant to Starting Line more than proves his capability
as "the man".
Last year's motor held up well but Greg felt
that he needed more bottom end power from the bike to be consistently
more competitive. He was right for sure seeing that Harry and
I also rode the bike and felt that there was not much to be
had on the bottom. We had great top end and O.K. mid range
but I needed to supply a bike for him that could consistently
win. Harry went back to the drawing board and has since found
much better pipe specs for this bikes needs. There was not
enough time to have the new pipe built for the Mid-Ohio race
so we went with a new Super Combat down pipe. This pipe actually
worked exceptionally well for a pipe being designed and built
close to 30 years ago.
I have a tendency to put off my own projects
so that I can try to get parts and help to those Hodaka guys
that need it. I should have had the Wolverine ready over the
winter but just like me I waited until it was close to race
time. Until a month before the race I wasn't even sure that
we would race this year. Anyone that really knows me knows
that my family and friends are the most important thing in
my life. Hodaka has been a fringe benefit of all these friends.
I am so lucky to have surrounded myself with the best of the
best friends. Roger to the rescue!
 Roger
and Nancy Lippiatt flew to R.I. and stayed with us for several
days only a week before the race. Within two days the bike
was together and looking good. We made frame modifications
over the winter which caused us to build a new airbox and new
side panels, new custom cables, etc. It sounds easy but only
because Roger made it easy. I cannot stress enough when you
build a prototype bike how things just don't fall into place
exactly as planned.
I have sent another motor to Harry who has
since ported it for us and Roger has it already put together.
We are building a "Wolverine" practice or play bike. This will
enable us to try new and different things without doing it
on our #1 bike. I hope to have our modifications available
at some point for all Hodaka guys to use in their racers. When
any of us needs help one or all of us are there to help each
other.
Where I am going with this is to tell a story
that to this point not many people know. For my friends and
myself this has been a life-changing situation. It does have
to do with racing and life.
Greg Bastek called me on a Tuesday in March.
We had just gone buying more bikes and parts two days before
so his call was expected but not what he had to say. "Paul,
it's Greg". I answered "Where have you been? I have called
you for the last two days and you didn't get back to me." "I
thought you went to Florida with Denise and Patty to visit
your mom and dad." He responded "No I have spent the last two
days at the doctors". I said sarcastically to him "what did
they look in your ear and see daylight?" " I wish" he said
to me, "hey man I have cancer". I remember falling to my knees
in disbelief. I always have something to say but not this time.
I felt my heart ripped out in a matter of seconds. What can
you say to a guy who is like your brother when you hear this?
I called Nancy Lippiatt right away. Nancy
and Roger's faith is a lot stronger than mine and I felt the
need to ask her for a favor. I explained what Greg had told
me and asked her for prayers on his behalf. Nancy happily ablidged
and stated she would keep working on it.
Two days later Greg was operated on successfully!
After three months of daily radiation treatment (which was
sure hell for him) he is cancer free!! We were ready to call
off our plans to race but Greg would not have it. I'll be there
he said. I feel good and I'm ready.
Well the day before the race Greg took the
bike for a ride in a field outside of the Mid-Ohio swap meet
area. This is the first time he was on the bike since last
year. He came back in after riding the bike saying that it
was faster than last years bike but needed some minor changes
to the race the next day.
Saturday night was our traditional dinner
at the "Outback" in Mansfield. This year there where even more
Hodaka fans than last year.
Sunday morning "race day" Greg, Bill and I
left early for the track. We let Patti and Amy (my daughter)
sleep in a little while we did tech inspection and got everything
ready to race.
 The
practice moto went fairly well seeing it was the first time
in a year on the bike for Greg and we had made some frame modifications
over the winter. When the time for the 1st moto came I was
ready, Bill was ready and Greg was ready. The line dropped
and he was off.
I think he was 5th into the first turn but
I was just happy to see him on a bike again. Because of the
frame modifications it was hard for him to handle the way the
bike turned in the corners. I wish we could have had more time
to test it out prior to the race but with his schedule and
mine that was impossible to do so. The first moto had us coming
in at 11th place. The shift spring on the control rod stretched
but there was Roger to fix it before the start of the 2nd moto.
 When
it came time for the second moto Greg had the look of fire
in his eyes.
He was focused and ready to race. The gate
dropped and he had the hole shot. He looked great and the bike
seemed to be better than in the 1st moto. He had the lead half
way through the first lap when a guy on a Honda caught and
passed him. They both had stretched out a substancial lead
over the rest of the pack. Everytime Greg went by the Hodaka
crowd let out a huge scream of encouragement! I looked over
at Patti and Amy during the race and saw a big smile on both
their faces. Roger gave me a huge hug and said we did it. You
see Roger was hoping that the bike and Greg did well for me
and Greg. I was hoping that the bike and Greg did well for
everyone that was there to root on Hodaka especially Harry
who was waiting for my call at home in Oregon .
Prior to the start of the 2nd moto when Greg and I were on
the starting line I told him just to have fun and most of all
be safe!
The Honda rider may have won the race but
we won by having our friend back in it again.
 It
took a lot out of him to finish that race. I know that he was
surprised by how much the cancer had taken out of him but he
finished and raced a great race. He came in second in the 2nd
moto but to me and all the people that know and care for him
he WON!! Maybe not the race but he won in the game of life.
I asked Greg if it was all right to mention
his cancer in this article. He stated that this was fine with
him but not to use it in any way as an excuse why we did not
win. I can say in this open letter that I know that I speak
for everyone that knows you when I say " on or off the track
you are the best !!" Don't ever Change!!
Paul
  
  
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