This Kind of Thing is Always Painful to Write About.

This may be the toughest thing I have ever had to write in my life.

This story starts on July 21, 2008. I woke up that morning to my alarm clock as usual, and then proceeded to hop online for a little bit, as usual. But when I looked at my e-mail, it wasn't usual. I had gotten an e-mail from Mike Fields of Long Island Motorsports only mere minutes after I had gotten up for the day, asking for me to call him about my blog. He mentioned in both the e-mail and the phone call that I had placed the very next day that he had gotten word about my blog through Deane Mercier.

After a good talk with Mike, I accepted the task of writing for Long Island Motorsports, covering Stafford and writing up weekly stories. That Friday night, the night of the SK Modified 150, I found myself in the press box for the first time in my lifetime, speaking to Deane in person at some point in time before qualifying. Sure, it was a "get to know you" kind of thing, and it wasn't a long talk, but I met him and we talked and I quickly apologized for stranding a friend outside of the box.

He said that I could go in and out whenever I pleased, and I was on my way.

Unfortunately for myself, I had only talked to him possibly one or two more times after that first meeting; and when I look back at it, I now regret my decisions for not getting up to the press box on a weekly basis.

Today, the racing world learned that Deane had passed away on Monday.

Sure, I had only talked to him in a business perspective in regards to working for Long Island Motorsports. But during those few conversations I had, I came to find out that he was a very nice gentleman.

I'm sorry for not saying a lot for this. My mind is clearly elsewhere tonight. I think I'm speaking for a lot of people, however, when I say that the track's going to miss Deane when the Fall Final gets here this weekend. It won't be the same when you don't hear him on the PA system, chatting it up with Ben and Matt inbetween cautions.