Four and a half years ago, Rick Jocham and I were invited to race Tjets at Pete Santini's, a friend of ours. It was quite an affair! We met Bob Marketos and Rich Phyllis and many people that I did not know at the time who came down from Northern Cal to attend this event. Rick said "These cars are too slow - I won't have anything to do with them...".

The very next day, we had another race at a show in Ontario. We raced on Brad Bowman's original Champion Raceway. I met Mike Engelage and Rick Burneson at this race, and after the race was over, Mike bought the track on the spot. Little did we know that from that day forward we would be heading up to Ferndale, California each year to race in the redwoods at the largest Tjet race in the world! Our first year we only brought four people, and had to have alternates race with us all during the day to make up the five man team. That first year we got a fourth overall plus second (Engelage) in the main.

Mike Engelage - Former 1:1 race car driver. Has raced in Formula Ford, SCCA World Endurance Series, and the Corvette Challenge series with such greats as Jimmy Vasser, Paul Tracy, Juan Manuel Fangio and Tommy Kendall. Currently owner of a well respected real estate agency. Mike drives slot cars on a "mission". You can never shake him off your tail, and if he is in front of you..... you may never get past. Mike is probably one of the best when it comes to tuning a Tjet to optimum potential.

Rick Jocham - 200 and something bowler (former pro). Great golfer (former instructor). Slot car driver extraordinare. Started racing slot cars 5 years ago with the SCHOR club in Southern California and had never touched a Tjet until that race in Ontario (guess he decided they weren't that bad after all). Currently sells fire sprinkler systems to contractors. Rick is Mr. Setup when it comes to slot cars. If there was a dial on the car that said "turn here to go fast", he would go past that point - way past!

Rick Burneson - Bicycle rider and bicycle officianado. Former Editor for HO-USA. Slot car collector and well respected in all slot car
circles. Raced at the HO-LEMANS the last 2 or 3 years. Currently works for a bike rack manufacturer. Rick is a "beast" when it comes to Tjet racing. A normally un-assuming kind of guy, he can quickly change from Mr. Mild Manners to "get outta my way!!!!", and if you don't... he'll pass you anyway. (And never, never, ever unplug his controller during a race!!!)

Chris Wiley - Computer guru. Former producer of TV commercials and a former "wrench" in the Formula 5000 series for such well knowns as Elliot Forbes-Robinson and Dan Gurney. Helped to win Best of Show for Restored Historics in 1994 and won best of class other years. Member of SCHOR for the last 8 or 9 years. Currently owner of a computer networking company. Chris is a determined racer. He is almost always the first "out of the gate" and forces everyone else to push too hard playing catch-up.

Gary Patton - Raced Pro motorcycles from 1979 to 1989. Raced in the 500cc Grand Prix PROTWIN series at Laguna Seca, even stayed in the room across the hall from former World Champion Marco Luchinelli (who lapped him twice during the race). Races in the SCHOR club (another one?) off and on, but admittedly prefers Tjets over "sucker" cars. Currently (19 years) works for the postal service. (So watch out he don't go postal on ya'!!) Gary is one of the nicest (and funniest) guys to race with and then he quietly passes you on the track, without any warning, notice or fanfare.

That's it. Just a bunch of guys that accidently got together and formed a team to race Tjets at the Fray. The rest is just history in the making (we hope). Our hats are all off for the effort everyone puts on to make the Fray happen each year. It is some of the most competitive racing I have ever
been to.

Milt Surratt for the So-Cal Team