Never Lift II

   On this day 10 years ago, the world lost an everyday hero.   My friend and SCCA Co-driver Peter "Pete" Burany, lost his life in a traffic accident.  After his death I wrote an essay called "Never Lift" in a racing Newsletter (they still had those 10 years ago) and  I ended with "Peter Burany never lifted from being a good guy." And Pete didn't.  He took good care of his Mom.  He worked three jobs and In the year 2000, he was graduating from Marquette University with a business degree.  To this day I still find it unfair that he died right as he was realizing his dreams. 

    I met Pete in 1995 and we immediately become partners in crime.  We became Co drivers in an Autocross series then known as the BF Goodrich Central Divison Solo II series.  We barnstormed the Midwest like Gypsies, drove each others cars and generally had a good time.

     In the '90s I was focused on moving forward in racing.  I had little time for anything and little understanding for non-racers.  I followed Steve McQueen's philosophy that "Racing is life, everything in between is just waiting."   Pete was an incredibly supportive friend but he'd usually bring me back down from the clouds and remind what a great wife and family I had.
     In the past when I lost something or somebody important I'd bury things for about a year .  After Pete's
death I raced my Porsche 914 in every Auto X club in Wisconsin.  I literally drove the wheels of it.  I broke it in early '01 and ended up selling it for parts.  I took a little time out on the motorsports  Pretty much had too.  Of course I also had to deal with Pete's death.
      I never did make sense of it.  I did however, make changes.  First, I put my family first, second, I gave up on the idea that racing was my destiny, and third I still pursued my passions.  My family will tell you I had many false starts and set backs in trying those three things. My dirty little secret is I have a huge attention seeking ego that I need reign in every once and a while.
      Pete and  I used to say the YOUNG GUNS line from Billy the Kid, "Gonna make ya famous." with each
other.  Neither one of us become famous.  One of us, though, was a hero.  Rest in peace Pete. 
                                                                                                                   The Milwaukee Kidd