| Back to Mini Sprint Racer Home Page |

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY 2008

Every year Father’s Day presents the same dilemma—what do I get dad?  We’ve covered the litany of shirts, books and other stuff.  This year I’ve opted for something different, a story honoring one of my best friends, my dad.  Although his name is not well known or one that will be chrononicaled in the sport’s history books, in my mind he is a quiet hero because of his love of the sport, family and God.  Although this story is about my own father, watching the parade of fathers and sons/daughters that pass through our family’s race shop, I know that this story could just as easily be about any one of the fathers who have endured countless hours, made difficult decisions and spent more money than they have for the opportunity to share a special part of their children’s lives—Happy Father’s Day.

My Dad – The Racer
At the young age of ten my dad endured a life altering experience when he lost his mother.  Relatives, neighbors and family friends stepped in to become a part of his extended family offering supervision and assistance while my grandfather was at work.  While he very much enjoyed spending time with each one, there was one neighbor who caught his interest, Ralph Embler.  Ralph was a motorcycle racer and mechanic.  My dad began to spend considerable time in Ralph’s garage learning about racing and motorcycles.

When my dad, Larry Fasse, started racing the minimum age was 16.  He got off to a winning start very quickly. 

While we live in a day and time where racers are expected to have hit their stride by age sixteen, my dad wasn’t allowed to even begin racing until his sixteenth birthday.  His first event was ridden shortly after his sixteenth birthday.  His mentor, Ralph Embler, took him to a hare scrambles in Northern, Ohio.  Several miles before reaching the track Ralph’s car broke down.  Ralph unloaded my dad’s bike and sent him down the road to the races.  Although Ralph would show up at the track later, my dad faced much of the nervousness of his first event without his friend’s help.

Here he is pictured on one of the Bultaco's that he rode for several years.

Just as so many of us have experienced, it only took one race before my dad was bitten.  He had a hobby that remains an important part of his life, even to this day.  From the very start he demonstrated a talent for racing—scoring victories in several types of motorcycle racing events including hare scrambles, flat tracks and TTs.  However his very favorite races were the TTs which is essentially a road race on dirt.  As his talent grew, he continued through the American Motorcycle Association ranks scoring victories along the way.  Eventually he was approached by a businessman and his tuner with the opportunity to ride for them.  It provided an opportunity to get on better equipment and to spend less time in the shop.  The partnership was an extremely successful one that lasted for several years.

At the same time he was enjoying success on the track, there were also changes in his personal life including the birth of me and my brother and the start of a career at IBM.  Although he still pursued his love of racing on the weekends, he was forced to make a difficult decision and forego graduating to the AMA’s Expert division.  In his many years of racing he had suffered injury and lost friends.  Although I was very young at the time, I understood the danger associated with my dad’s hobby and choose to bury my head in a pillow in the car during his races, only to emerge when it was time to go get his trophy or purse money.  My dad’s last professional event was at Zanesville, Ohio.  He was leading when he and another rider went down because of debris on the track.  Although my dad broke his leg, the other rider was killed when he struck a fence post.  In addition to his broken leg my dad was also pretty banged up and spent the next few days in bed attempting to recuperate.  During this time he made the very difficult decision not to continue as a professional racer.  Although he still had a strong desire to compete, he knew that the reality was that he had a family and other commitments that now took precedence.  Over the next few years he made a few limited appearances including an indoor series in Ohio that attracted a few of the countries top riders.  Although just riding for fun at this point, he captured the series championship.

My Dad – The Crew Chief
Just as my dad’s career as a racer was winding down, I was becoming interested in getting involved in racing myself.  While the finances were really not available to do so, my dad found a way and an old go-kart was purchased.  Unfortunately until lately the majority of my dad’s career as my crew chief has been with outdated equipment which has necessitated additional effort and creativity—but he always comes through.  Our first go-kart engine was worn out when we got it, but we wanted to race.  The valve guide was worn and well beyond simply being able to lap in.  In order to seat the valve the only option was to cut a groove in the top of the valve and use a drill to get it to seat.  We ended up winning the race, but were disqualified for removing metal from the engine.  With relative little money to spend and few tools, my dad had found a way to put me back on the track.

After a few successful years in the go-karts I wanted to take the next step and race with the Sports Car Club of America.  With the knowledge I now have of the financial burden of keeping a family running, I am surprised that he ever agreed.  We were lucky enough to meet up with a man who loaned us an old super vee.  Although grateful, the car was well past its prime and required considerable work.  My dad rolled up his sleeves and went to work on the old car so that I could get my competition license.  After getting my license it was evident that the car was just not competitive.  We found a wrecked Formula Ford in Oklahoma.  After purchasing the car and spending what we didn’t have we went racing.  My dad’s hard work had payed off and we had a car that we could consistently run top five with in regional competition.  We continued with SCCA competition and through a set of fortunate circumstances even got the chance to run in a Pro Formula 2000 event—which unfortunately despite a second place run cost us our entire season’s budget. Forced to sit out for a while and regroup, we discovered mini sprints.

My dad still proved that he was a racer through and through and received high marks from the instructors when he went through a road racing school.

During the entire time I was racing, I could still see my dad had a desire to compete.  Although he always put my racing first, at one point I talked him into going through an SCCA school.  His instructor was a former national Formula Ford champion.  At one point during the school he pulled me aside and told me he was amazed at how quickly my dad was up to speed and what great car control he exhibited.  It was not a surprise to me since I had a much better knowledge of my dad’s racing past than his instructor.  He also climbed into my mini sprint during a mechanics race and distanced himself from the field.  The last actual racing my dad did was in a mini sprint.  One of my favorite memories is going into the first turn and getting hit so hard from behind that I thought I was going to flip.  After the race as I coasted into the pits, I caught a glimpse of my dad’s car with the front bumper all caved in.  His response, “you slowed down to much going into the corner.”

Here is me and my dad after he won the Mechanic's Race at 35 Speedway in a mini sprint.

My Dad- The Businessman
The biggest part of my dad’s career has been spent in corporate America working for IBM and other large software companies.  There was a point when he was still actively racing motorcycles that he was approached about opening a motorcycle shop in Greeneville, Ohio.  Although he ultimately made the decision not to pursue the opportunity, I always noted a tinge of regret in his voice regarding the subject—everyone would love to have a chance to do what they really love.  I honestly believe that God’s timing is always better than our own and patience is a virtue.  As my dad’s career in corporate America was beginning to wind down a new opportunity began to emerge.

Today my dad enjoys helping young racers enjoy the sport of auto racing.

Out of frustration over the lack of racing coverage in Cincinnati, my dad and I started a website, www.cincy-racing.com.  The site’s original intent was just to cover racing news from in and around the Cincinnati area.  The site quickly developed a following and was receiving several thousand visitors every month.  At this point we wondered if there might be a way the website could help support our own racing.  Starting with a simple product that we still carry today, the SmartTool Digital Level, an online parts business was launched.  For the first few years the business operated as Exposure Motorsports Marketing while we began orienting our product line towards the motorcycle powered race car market.  My dad was still working his full-time job as a Director of Distribution for a large software company.  He carried a cell phone with him at all times and attempted to catch every call he could.  In 1999 the parts business had grown to the point where it had overtaken one of the bedrooms in his house.  At this point he made the decision to really give this thing a go—and the company officially became Speed Partz LLC.  Relationships with vendors like S&S Headers, Autometer motorcycle gauges and Kinser Air Filters helped the company get a foothold in this motorcycle powered race car market.  

In 2003 the business made the move out of his house into a 1200 sqaure foot warehouse space.  It was around this same time that he made the decision to leave the security of a good paying, stable job and enter the parts business full-time.  The shop had a small office, a small inventory area and an even smaller work shop.  

It only took a few years before the 1200 square feet could no longer contain the growing number of parts and accessories he was carrying.  Space became even more scarce when the opportunity launch a new line of upright mini sprints came knocking.  During discussions with famed midget and sprint car builder John Godfrey, the idea for a new upright mini sprint chassis was born.  Although building race cars was never part of the plan, he knew that he didn’t want to pass up the chance to work with someone the caliber of John Godfrey, so he took the plunge.

  
The business has grown and today is housed in this 7,000 square foot building located just outside of West Chester, Ohio.

Today Speed Partz has spread its roots out into many areas and is operated from a 7,000 square foot building in Hamilton, Ohio.  In addition to the FOZ upright mini sprint, the company now also private labels its own line of parts.  Its customer base not only spans the United States, but now also the globe.

Today the business even has its own line of upright mini sprints, the FOZ Race Car. 

While the lessons I’ve learned in Corporate America make me feel obligated to discuss growth goals, business strategies and return on investment, my dad chooses to focus on people and the businesses’ duty to help them have fun.  Although it increases the level of stress and makes for longer hours, he makes an effort to talk to and take an interest in every customer.  I am always especially proud when someone stops by our race trailer to see if they can meet ‘Speed Partz Larry’ just to say thanks.  A business lesson learned that I’ve not found in any text book or business seminar.

I have much to be grateful to my father for, but most of all the time he has spent and the choices he has made in the best interest of me and my family.  Happy Father’s Day to my dad and all the Father’s who make up this sport we all enjoy.

| Racing News | Calendar | Tracks | Drivers | Racer's Mall | Racing Clubs | Classifieds | Message Boards | Links |