I ’ m forever reading on the internet about how people “ pay it forward ,” which is how it ’ s commonly described when strangers commit random acts of kindness , and while I ’ m completely familiar with the concept and approach , it still took me by surprise when it actually happened to me ! As I handed the bill to the cashier and began reaching for my wallet , she smiled and said , “ Two ladies paid for your meal .” I was like , “ What two ladies !?” I couldn ’ t believe it , but it actually happened : Two random strangers bought my lunch , then quietly slipped out the door . My previous experiences with St . Louis had been rather varied to say the least , but after this generous act I was feeling pretty good about the place !

So , as I cruised down the interstate I could see the St . Louis Arch coming into sight , and I knew that Gateway Motorsports Park was now just minutes away . I hadn ’ t traveled to this area in nearly two years , but the advertised “ Heads-Up Hootenanny ” event was enough to lure me in a Midwestern direction . Mel Roth , president of the Premier Street Car Association , had assembled a barnburner event , which also featured the Midwest Pro Mod series . Lots of great sportsman cars were also in attendance during the three-day event , so I made sure I came early and stayed late !

From St . Louis , I continued west as I headed for Kirksville , Missouri , which is best known for being the world headquarters of Drag Illustrated magazine ! DI Editorin-Chief Wes Buck is a lifelong resident of Kirksville . I try to visit at least once a year and participate in “ Taco Tuesday ” with Wes , his wife , Alisha , and their kiddos , Max and Sophia . It ’ s a tradition that usually involves making a run to the local Mexican restaurant and picking

up stacks of to-go boxes , then bringing it back to the Buck house where we can relax and fellowship over food . I ’ m also convinced that Kirksville is the “ Fireworks Capital of the World ” if you happen to be there during the Fourth of July ! Amazingly , the bombs were still bursting in air on July 6th as I was leaving .

On Friday night I arrived in Havana , Illinois , which is where you ’ ll find a neat little eighth-mile track called Central Illinois Dragway . Pictured in this month ’ s column is track manager Jeff Lasecke and his wife , Theresa , along with their son , Joseph , and daughter , Samantha . The Laseckes previously resided in Colorado , where Jeff worked as a safety technician at Bandimere Speedway for years . Frank Hutto , who owns the track in Havana , offered Jeff the track manager position , so after the Laseckes took a vote , each family member nodded their approval to relocate to Illinois and start a new chapter . For the first three months , they lived in the local Red Lion Motel until they got settled . They ’ re now in their fifth year of managing the track , and they earnestly try to improve the facility each and every year .

The track is IHRA-sanctioned , and was awarded Summit Super Series Track of the Year in 2015 . It was bustling with activity on the Friday night I came to visit , and featured a Top 10 race , Street Car Shootout , 8.00 Index , along with test and tune . They had a big weekend planned , which also included the Nostalgia Outlaw Quick 16 series that was set to compete on Saturday with a great

field of front engine dragsters and altereds .

Drag racing has opened so many doors for the Lasecke family , not the least of which is the brand-new friendships they ’ ve made since arriving in Havana . Jeff and Joseph even got the opportunity to travel abroad when they were invited to Kuwait to help get a brandnew drag strip off the ground ! It was great to finally visit Central Illinois Dragway , which is the 134th track I ’ ve set foot on .

After bidding farewell to Havana , I journeyed through the night to Asbury , Indiana , to return to a track I always enjoyed visiting : Muncie Dragway . Built in 1959 , this vintage quarter-mile facility is known for its phenomenally long shutdown . It was a beautiful Saturday to be at Muncie , and while standing in line at the concession stand , the guy behind me insisted on buying my lunch . By now I ’ m thinking the whole world has gone mad ! This “ pay it forward ” behavior has now spilled over to the drag strip – amazing !

After leaving Muncie , I traveled south to the sleepy town of Bean Blossom , Indiana , where you ’ ll find another gem of a track . Brown County Dragway is famous for two things : Pulled pork sandwiches and a racing surface that features split lanes with a grassy section that separates them . Actually , let ’ s make that three things : Sandy Fields , the track owner ... she ’ s famous too ! Now in her 25th year of owning and operating Brown County Dragway , Sandy is also an experienced horse trader and coon hunter ! She even penned a monthly column for 10 years in

a national hunting magazine , outlining her techniques for blasting coons in the dark Indiana woods . As for owning a drag strip goes , when I met Sandy a few years back she remarked to me , “ I don ’ t know of another job where you could have so much fun , get so mad and get so glad , and meet some of the greatest people in the world .” Ditto , Sandy .

I once again bid farewell to Brown County Dragway , completely convinced that it ’ s one of the coolest places on Earth . In stark contrast to the atmosphere that is Bean Blossom , my next stop was Lucas Oil Raceway for the PDRA national event . It ’ s the kind of polar-opposite state of mind that is so fascinating to behold , and I treasure each experience for different reasons . After Indy , I made a stop in Cleves , Ohio , to visit Edgewater Sports Park , another vintage track that is among the oldest in the country .

It ’ s now been nearly three weeks since I left home . I crossed the North Carolina state line early Monday morning , and although I would soon be pulling up my driveway , there was something I needed to take care of before this trip was through : I needed to “ pay it forward .” That ’ s the unwritten rule I ’ ve been told , which keeps the goodwill going . So , I stopped at a restaurant I knew well , sat down and began scanning the dining room for the recipient of a random act of kindness . That ’ s when I spotted them : a man and woman of the baby boomer generation , their faces weathered from years of labor and no doubt raising kids and then grandkids . “ Bring me their bill ,” I whispered to the waitress . She smiled and nodded , and I immediately realized she was well-acquainted with this “ paying it forward ” movement that seems to be sweeping the country . The Bible certainly instructs us to “ Be kind one to another ,” and this sure seems like a good way to do it . I glanced at the couple as I slipped out the door , sincerely hoping that it would brighten their day – the same way it did mine when it happened to me ... twice . I can ’ t help but believe stuff like this will make the world a better place . It sure had an impact on me . DI