Fseara

It’s a strange chance to get to meet someone that becomes your best friend in your favorite hobby. Really to talk about one I’ve got to talk about both because they too were best friends. I’m talking about Eddie Herrmann and Rocky Hagan both from Pinellas Park (I did not say Tampa as I was corrected many times).

Both of these guys were my best friends and I met them both on a phone call from a friend from a hobby shop here in Jacksonville. Back in 1979 I needed a safer hobby than racing Motorcycles in Enduros and Hare Scrambles ( I was even on a few teams back then). My good friend called and said there was a guy getting out and he had two new complete cars ready to race for sale. I went down and there was two cars and Associated and Leisure. Who would have thought a simple choice of a car I would find such a best friend that we all lost yesterday (March 8th). My choice was the yellow corvette leisure. After my first local race (1st in the D main), there were several guys racing for different teams. So I was the only guy racing Leisure here in Jacksonville and contacted Leisure in California. They said their team captain was here in Florida and it was Rocky Hagan. I had to get the okay vote from the others on the team-Eddie Herrmann and Art Scarvelli. I would talk with them about local and state racing.

Just how did I get to meet all of these guys. On a business trip to Tampa I made plans for a side trip to met everyone at Art’s business (Around the block for Minregg). These guys were something else always playing tricks on each other. Racing was no different with gear ratios, motors and many other tricks. It was always worth the trip to a state race to hang out with these guys. I talked to Eddie and Rocky weekly about racing and the newest and greatest stuff. Eddie switched teams to Bolink and me-Rocky and Art stayed with Leisure. Well, when Leisure started to fade away so did Rocky. He decided to do real car racing. We tried to talk him out of it but he did it anyway. The only time I would ever see Rocky would be a local state series race in Tampa. I would always ask Eddie how he was doing and when is he coming back to r/c’s.

Then both Eddie and Art stopped racing and it was only me. I still stayed in touch with Art and Eddie trying to get them back. Then a cheap car came out and I got it into the series – A Bolink Digger then the following year it became the Legends. It was formed into a class and I got both Art-Eddie and now Butchie (Eddie’s son) into racing, still no Rocky.

After Eddie started going down hill with his illness Rocky was going to make his grand racing return only to have it postponed because of his heart. He had a triple bypass the week before the race (at Speedline). As Rocky got better he too made it to the Bolink Legends class. Now we the old gang was complete again and racing. That’s when I made our Team BullFrog poster and it was great going to the races.

Then three days before the state race at Minregg (2002) I got the phone call from Art about Eddie. He would not talk with me the night before (he said he was tired and we’ll talk later) and that was the last time we ever spoke. My race at Minregg was one of my best ever and I dedicated my wins in Legends and 1/10th scale to Eddie. We visited Linda (Eddies wife) both Friday- Saturday night and Sunday .Art soon quit and that left our group to just the two of use-Rocky and me.

To jump back a little Rocky worked for Honeywell and was on the board for Minregg. It was both him and Sam Ledford that got the r/c racing going there. With out Rocky there probably would never have been any racing there. Since the passing of Eddie Rocky became my best friend. He was even closer to me than my own brother. He understood what was going on with me. He was always the one in a good mood regardless at the races. Ask him anything and he gave you the honest answer (unless you were Eddie).The expression he would give you the shirt off his back –that was Rocky. When the races were close enough to is house he always had the spare bedroom ready for me and Shannon.

Because of both Eddie first and then Rocky I keep my promise to step down from doing the ROAR thing. I thanked Rocky many times for his advice as I enjoyed racing more. On some of the lighter things Rocky would do: He was always full of surprises some of his more resent ones was we talked for several months before the new Corally PHI came out. We were going to wait but as soon as it was out he got one before me. Then called and said by the way guess what I got. I got into R/C tanks he wanted one for him and one for Joann. I got them for him and brought them to the race at B&B. Then several months ago he went on a road trip to Indy (a Colts fan) to visit his family. On the way back he did another side trip visiting Joann’s daughter in Virginia. He when to the Tank Museum ( the unofficial National r/c tank battle field). I never saw the pictures but he did that before I could even tell him about the place. He and Joann even stopped by work on the way back to Tampa. Then a few weeks ago he calls me about a trailer he was looking at. We talked and that was just before the Miami race. I called me up that Saturday and he was at the race with the trailer. I didn’t know he was going to the race much less getting the trailer. We talked about what he needed to get for the trailer and that was on his to do list when he got back home. Only the trailer on the way home had other intentions. He even told me about the boy he gave his car to in the race.

Well as this weekends racing got closer we talked. He told me about the clean up surgery that he was going to have in a few weeks. He was going to have everything ready for the next race ready to go. I on the other hand was working on my 1/10th pan car trying to get it race ready. My TC was ready to go – I even painted a new body-with both Eddies and his favorite color –Purple. When he left Saturday morning I accidentally called the house number and Joann answered. This was one of the first races I can remember that she was staying home (her sister was coming in for the weekend).I then called Rocky on the road and reported in. My next phone call was at Palm Coast followed by after Daytona. Me and the dog made our usually pit stop outside of Orlando. Coming down 436 I stopped at the Dunkin donut (unusual for me – it’s usually the McDonald). As I pulled into to the parking lot there was Rocky. He already got that huge generator out of the trailer and hooked up. We both set up our pits in the trailer. I asked about everything including the TV. As we began working on the cars he was busy working on his TC and I was working on the pan car. I got it to the point of 6mm ride height front and rear. Then he said he check mine (4mm front and 6 in the back). I said we’ll turn over the adjuster and see. Man he car sat at 4 front and rear. I said I can’t believe this I’ve been work 3 days my car to attempt to get it to 6 and in less that 5 minutes I got your car perfect. He just laughed and continued just working away on his car. I was working away getting my pan car ready to go on to the track when I heard call 911 –Bill it’s Rocky. I ran out side and saw Rocky on the ground and Greg Jr getting to work on him- Thank you again. I could not get a hold of Joann as my phone again was playing tricks on me – it transposed the last digit. I finally got a hold of her to come to the hospital. At noon we got a call from Lynn Munno at the hospital as they said everything was stable. Later I figured out stable was he had passed away and they stopped working on him.

I’m in shock- by two best friends Eddie first and now Rocky have gone. Rocky keep me hanging on to racing. The talks weekly are now gone. The guy helping me at all times is gone. Even his secret TC tire stuff that’s all we ever used. I only saw him mix it up once .It’s something to do with real racing stuff he used. My desire to even go to a race is gone. All my best friends I could have (from the Tampa area) are gone. Rocky passed way doing what he liked. I gave him that Purple body several years ago and he would always use it. I don’t know why- maybe it was the Purple? We even joked about dying some white zippy ties purple for the next race.

I do appreciate everyone and what ya’ll did for my best friend. I really have no desire to race again much less unload my truck but I did.

What Eddie and Rocky has meant for the series? Plenty; these two guys helped in the formation and later Rocky with Minregg. To many in the series his friendship, and the fun of racing with his many friends. I was always and have been stressed out- just to go to the races with Rocky kept me going. Now my weekly phone conversations will be silent. My prayers go out to his family in Indy and Joann. I’ll miss you my friend from your Team Leisure teammate and the end of the BullFrog team. I’m just one of the guys that will just fade away. I enjoyed the hobby and the tremendous friends I have met over the years. It just won’t feel the same without my buddy making hotdogs and going out Saturday night. Thank you Eddie and Rocky for the great Memories and friendship you’ve give me over the years. Yes Rocky would have wanted me to continue but I just can’t see going to the races and Rocky and Joann are not there.

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