The phone rang today. It wasn’t the best time; I was in the middle of taking down some dry wall. I stopped the sawsall and picked up the phone. It was a number I knew well. It was Rick Schmidt and I thought he wanted to borrow my mountain cabin for the weekend. Yes, Rick it’s OK and say hi to Lucy and Roman. The call wasn’t for that reason. It was to tell me about Rich Vito’s medical condition. I nearly dropped the phone for many reasons. I have been in the ICU with my son and the results of that story – most of you fellow karters know wasn’t good. It was like someone had reached out and just kicked me to the ground.
I will continue as not many of you know what Rich has meant to me. During the first World Tag event at IMI, Rich was sure that Rod and I had some special secret. We did – and as the Welch’s of Shockwave attest to – there is no substitute for testing and seat time, seat time, seat time. We simply invested of a lot of time and money into the chassis and the motor and had endless seat time against the stopwatch. We knew a sub IMI minute lap was needed. We just didn’t know if we could do it when it counted. We did and it was a great trophy to win, a Tag national eagle. It looks good on the mantle, hey Freezeman?
I was racing at Steamboat in a CSC race in the Tag Master race. Rich, feeling that he was the senior man of Tag Master (my senior by four months) told me to be careful in the first corners and not take him out. I thought that if I could get around Rich it would be a great day for me. We enter into about turn eight or nine. Charles Gordon had spun in the middle of the turn. One driver went to the left Rich who was in front of me went to the right. He went through the plastic barrier. I followed and about that time another karter hit me. Rich’s head was already down and snapped back went I hit him. His head stayed down and as I jumped out of my kart screamed, “RICH, ARE YOU ALRIGHT?” He said, “Yes – I’m just really pissed right now.” Right now, I want only one thing and that is for Rich to say to me “I’m OK – just really pissed”.
I urge everyone who has ever raced, thought about racing or seen a race to understand what a real racer means. It means that at one time you get to meet a person like Rich. He’s one of a kind. I won’t race here in Edmonton, Canada this week and will send the money to support my friend, Rich Vito. I urge all karters, track owners, and friends to reach down and provide financial and emotional support to Rich and his family. Let them see the light that we karters provide for each other.
Craig Mansfield