Reflections of Eric- (1 Viewer)

[r2]

I thought that I would start this thread so EVERYONE could share a story, pictures, even your memories of the BROTHER we lost today... Maybe sharing a few of your thought's and the encounters you may have had with Eric over the years will help you as well as the rest of us, who would much rather remember a life lived to it's fullest... Rather then dwelling on another terrible day in our world...

Here is mine...
St.Louis 2005; My sister JoAnne had asked me to pick any race I wanted to go to, and we would go... My first thought was Bristol, beautiful mountains, track, it's Bristol, you get my thinking... Nah, maybe Indy, yeah, everyone goes to Indy... NOPE!! I wanted to go to St.Louis, where the year before, we had lost Darrell Russell, That was the place that was calling me... I wanted to be where my fellow Brother had been taken from us... I needed some closure so to speak... I needed to be THERE!!! I keep a picture of Blaine and Darrell, right on the wall as I walk out my door; to look over me as I pass by them, going out into the real world...

My sis and I take our Aunt and Uncle with us, fly to St.Louis, stay with our cousin and his family... Since he got out of the Marines, we only saw him at funerals in Ca. for our Grandparents... Thought it would be great for all 8 of us to enjoy some time together of a happy nature...
We go to the S/L Arch, Bud factory, etc. Three days and NIGHTS of NITRO and you have the ingredients for?? a GOODTIME!! Saturday, I believe, Eric had a pretty good boomer and fire... My cousin and I walk back in the pits a while later, and Eric was walking back up to watch from the starting line as many of you have seen many many times... I patted him on the back, and told him; I'm glad you're O.K.!! He had his head down as he walked, and he turned and looked at me and simply said, Thank You...

It may have taken me a while to get to my point... But I just wanted to simply say to Eric, no...
THANK YOU!!

 

[Paul]

Nice thought Ray, here's a link to some of the driver's reactions. It will bring a tear to your eye, I know it did to me.

NHRA News: Fellow competitors, others remember Eric Medlen (3/23/2007)

 

[.]

I never did get to speak with Eric but I sat next to him at the Sunday church service at Seattle in 2004. It surprised me to see him there (don't know why, just wasn't expecting him to be there) but remembering seeing him there has convinced me that he's now in a better place.

 

[none]

Well Ray, I`ve already told you in private about the encounter my friends Antone, Stacy and I had with Eric at Johnny Carinos in Ennis last fall. Basically, we`re all just sitting in the bar eating dinner after Sat. qualifying and an obnoxious, drunk fan at the end of the bar (closest to Eric) is nonstop trying to chat up Eric and his gal. We really felt bad for Eric, just trying to eat a meal in peace, so we didn`t say much to him. Well, my friends and I finish dinner, and as we`re going by Eric out the door, he comments on my Darrell Russell tribute tshirt..."Hey, I like that shirt, Darrell was a good guy." I turned and said thanks, and wished him good luck the next day. Pretty ominous now that I think about it, him commenting on my Darrell Russell shirt. Seemed like a genuine nice guy!

 

[mike]

I only ever had a brief encounter with Eric, and that was back in 05, he was one of the most straight up guys to go up to in the pits. I'm just glad I had a chance to say a few words to him, even if it was very brief. He sure carried a big smile, and had a fun/kind personality.

Ray good idea on the thread.

Godspeed Eric.

Mike

 

[d'kid]

My only encounter with Eric was a moment or two at Richmond last fall... I just glad I got to see his last National Event Win... (and Take low ET)

 

[.]

I know that I posted this picture in another thread; however, this picture sums up my memories of Eric better than anything that I could ever write.

 

[Just Paul]

I took this right after Eric won his first race.

 

[Bobby]

When I got home from the Gators Sunday night, I watched a tape of the broadcast. After Ashley hit the wall, she was standing out of her car at the top end watching her car get taken care of, and I 'm pretty sure Eric was standing next to her talking to her. (who else has hair like that )

I just thought that was cool how he was there for her at that moment, when I could see she was feeling pretty down.
I don't know why , it seems like not such a big deal , but it made an impression on me at the time.

 

[mike]

I just came across these pics taken by a young Australian kid, who was lucky enough to be at Eric's debut race, I asked if he minded me posting them here, and he was fine with it, I think these two pics really capture the kind of guy Eric was...

Mike

 

[d'kid]

Mike....

you're making me tear up again.... one thing I did catch at Richmond, Eric was all about the kids....

 

[afx421]

i met him 3 years in a row @ the englishtown event, i got my picture with him 1 time and all i can say is that huge grin and smile and great personality was genuine. on and off the camera eric was amazing! and yes i will tear up for a long time every time i look at that picture on my wall of eric and myself, but i also will always cherrish that picture, me and 1 great funny car driver and an even better person. god bless you eric, see you on the other side cowboy!

 

[nitrogirl]

I was at the Brainerd race for Eric's first f/c win. I had just had my birthday a few days before and knew it was his birthday that weekend, so I stopped by his pit to wish him a good one. When I walked up, he was cleaning the outside of his trailer, up on a ladder.
When I said it had been my birthday a few days before, he smiled his goofy smile and said, "Was it your 16th birthday too?" We both busted out laughing, we hugged, we took a picture, and said goodbye.
I would post the pic if it were digital.
In the fall Vegas race, I took the pic to him and asked him to sign. He was gracious and signed it happily. John Medlen was standing there and I just looked over and said, "You did a great job raising him. You must be proud." He just thanked me and we both smiled and I walked away.
Eric was just a genuinely nice, real person who didn't let his fame go to his head.

 

[MM]

i remember last spring at the race at route 66.....i was just toolin around the pits and i was passing the John Force Row (as it has commonly become known as) and the Powerade guys were interviewing Eric for the pit show they do...and i stopped to watch and at the end of the interview the guy interviewing Eric pretty much volunteered him to do an impromptu autograph session and i dont know why this has stuck with me, but it made me smile and i think it shows how genuine Eric was, and his quick wit. His response "Yea sure what the hell, I'll sign anything but the front side of a check"

RIP my friend

 

[Textoad]

An interveiw from Eric's rookie season. Helped a bit.

Eric Medlin Interview

Eric, you earned ALOT of respect.

Godspeed

 

[burnie]

I was in Vegas a few years ago at a Top Comp race and the pros
were testing before the Winternationals.
Eric was waiting to run his car in the lanes.
He came over to find out more about the cars we were running.
I thought that was pretty cool of him.
This week I was on the John Force web site and decided to purchase
2 of Erics t-shirts now I will put them away and save them forever.
Rest in peace our friend.

 

[StockersRock]

I saw this photo on johnforceracing.com, and it reminded me of Eric running all the way up the return road from the far end at E-town last year. He was the first guy out in Funny Car that day, but you would have thought he'd just won the race! While sporting that trademark smile, he waved to the crowd the whole way up. We were sitting on the right lane side of the track, and you could hear the cheers follow him up the return road like a wave. We were laughing our butts off at how hard he was running. I remember turning to my dad and saying "That'll be the best run we see all day!" In hind sight, it really was.

 

[HEMI6point1]

From G-ville last week.

From E-town in 2004.

Somehow, when I went on to NHRA's site this morning I was hopping what I read Yesterday was a misprint, that Eric is still alive he'll be driving by the end of the year. It's still all surreal.

 

[nitrobobby]

june of 2005 at joliet, I met eric for an autograph for my wife . our dog had one more day to live and thought his personal signing would cheer her up. I'll always remember the brief time spent that friday afternoon - nitro-bobby

 

[downtime]

I only met Eric once, briefly, as one of thos many faces in the crowd that people in the limelight see and speak to but could never humanly remember. I have been in those shoes following some events in my primary profession after speaking engagements at trade shows or seminars.

What I can say is that through the glimses of his public life, and through the comments made following this tragedy is that we all feel the loss.

In our lives we all lose people close to us and we keep those individuals in our hearts and minds. We honor them through our thoughts, our words and stories, and our feelings. It seems something is not right with the world following an accident like this but I contend that if anything, the goodness and caring exhibited by Eric, as evidenced by the outpouring of support here and all over this virtual world, confirms what I already know: That Eric's shadow will be a bright spot of hope and example by which we can all benefit.

O only personally know a few larger than life personalities within the drag racing community well enough to mention, Snake's family and Don Garlits... What I have learned from these larger than life people is that we are all the same. We eat the same food, we put our pants on the same way, and we strive each day to make today slightly better than the day before.

In my brief few moments with Eric I could see that he too, was just like the rest of us, and that he had a big heart and a big smile.

The world is a little bit poorer without him as are our lives. But I can already see that his presence with us has created far more goodness than heartbreak. We shared a common love of speed and competition, and that common love is what defines us all as drag racers.

I am grateful for this community and for the personalities within it who openly share their thoughts and feelings on tough events such as this as well as the intricacies of the sport. I suspect Eric would be extremely grateful for much of what has been written about him on this site and on others as well. I think he would simply want us to remember him for who he was and to use his best qualities as a way to better ourselves and the people around us. He was an example to us all as seen though our own eyes.

Please keep the stories and pictures coming.