John Berget

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Originally Posted by Rick Iverson

Eric:

Yep on everything.

I recall an on-course National incident with John and the son of Donnybrooke’s owner in George Montgomery. In the paddock, it became a bit heated, where young Montgomery was hot and bothered about EVERYTHING.

John CLEARLY had the line, but young Montgomery took a chance.

I recall the conversation as it were yesterday:

• Montgomery: “Don’t you check your mirrors?”
• John: “If you want to live in mirrors, go back to Regional racing.”

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That’s awesome, Rick!

I never knew George or his son… but our first trip there was “Donnybrooke’s” finale under George, when Francois scored his only Can-Am win in true and brilliant style… and Donohue broke something (a tire?) into 1 on his first race “back” after Road Atlanta at, they announced, a hair over 200.

I struggle to think today’s drivers fully realize how “safe” things are now.

Cool kid moment for me was taking my bicycle around at 5:51 at 13 at the first BIR Race, the Uncola Nationals (1974), and winning the impromptu Sunday lunch hour bicycle race in the 13-16 group (and a $75 bike shop gift certificate in Minneapolis). Connie personally timed me, and I think you know who I mean.

So I recall Berget from maybe 1975, but maybe more so in 1976. Bob Paladino won that ‘76 race in a Lola T340 sponsored by “1-2-3 Disco,” his only National win so far as I remember.

Rumor had it that his motor was perhaps “a hair too fast,” or maybe Disco just brought that out. ;) ;) ;)

Lest we remember it was 1976 after all, when we feared we’d lost Zeppelin and the rest forever — and the hood from “Welcome Back, Kotter” was suddenly an international superstar.

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Originally Posted by E1pix

Rumor had it that his motor was perhaps “a hair too fast,”.

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Eric:

And EVERYONE knew it.

But feature this: crewing for these two Fellas out of Winona, Sprints or the Kettle Moraine, circa 1974/75. One of these two (not to be named, (but in Dan Storhoff)), decided to change cams between qualification sessions. We removed everything from the car (gas, oil, battery….), removed the rocker shaft so the lifters could fall, and summoned as many people in the immediate area (say 12). We then inverted the car to R&R the cam.

Sounded like a AA fuel dragster on the line. Siebkins that night was throbbing.