Grand Valley Magazine - Fall 2013 - (Page 32)

O F F T HE PATH by Nate Hoekstra S aturdays in the summer are special for Mark Nawrocki, because Saturdays are race days, when he spends time turning wrenches and adjusting the tire pressure on the 1988 Chevrolet Monte Carlo that his son Tyler, 23, races at Berlin Raceway in Marne. Nawrocki, assistant facilities manager for the Recreation Center and Fieldhouse, is the de facto manager of his son's racing team, and owner of the No. 20 car that Tyler is driving for the second year in the Sportsman division at the track. The three main sponsors for the car are Kaczmarski Hearing Services, Nawara Brothers Home Store and Direct Fitness Solutions. Nawrocki said that while Tyler handles most of the mechanical work on the race car, he helps when he can, including 32 Fall '13 working on tires and maintaining the car throughout the season. The brunt of the work comes from planning and organizing what will be needed for races, and driving to specialty shops to buy new springs, shocks, carburetors or body panels when they need to be replaced. He also works hard to recruit sponsors for the car. Upkeep is pricey; Nawrocki said it costs about $10,000 to keep the car raceready during the off-season, including refreshing the motor, rear end and body, and at least $5,000 during each season, including racing tires and special 110-octane racing fuel that sells for about $7.60 a gallon. Nawrocki said that he's always looking for sponsors, and added that it is a mutually beneficial relationship. "the biggest win on race day is being able to spend time around my wife, my kids, and my friends. there's no better finish than that." Mark Nawrocki He and Tyler patronize their businesses, advertise for sponsors, and will bring the car to locations for special meetand-greet autograph sessions. Another sponsor is Earthtone Landscape Management and Services, a lawn care, landscape and snow plow company owned by Tyler's brother, Eric. Tyler works for Earthtone when he's not working on the car or racing. Nawrocki said getting sponsors is all about asking. He approaches restaurants, apartment complexes and other businesses. "Sure, it's a lot of hard work, but I help Tyler as much as I can because I love to do it," Nawrocki said. "I'm a big family man, and racing cars is just one way I get to spend more time with my kids, with my family." Race days at Berlin often turn into family affairs, with Nawrocki's wife, Kay, a teacher at Grand Rapids Public Schools, their three other children, and Tyler's two nephews, Mason and Jack, ages 4 and 2, sitting on pit road watching the race. Friends and neighbors come to the track as well. In fact, it was a neighbor, Chris Anthony, who first

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Grand Valley Magazine - Fall 2013

Campus News
Athletics
Arts
Donor Impact
A Laker bucket list
Bridging the justice gap
Seidman House holds hidden national gems
International Education
Research
Why the humanities still matter
Q&A James Smither
Off the Path
Focal Point
Sustainability
Alumni News

Grand Valley Magazine - Fall 2013