Greg is no stranger to victory lane. Fans from across the region have come to admire Greg for his determination to be one of the best drivers. With numerous wins, he has certainly proven that his DEAFNESS is not an obstacle.
Greg greeted the Deaf Kids and Teens Club
By John Moore
Greg came to Columbus, Ohio to present to the members of the Deaf Kids and Teens Club on Saturday November 3rd. Greg has been racing sprint cars for over 12 years and has aspirations of becoming the first deaf NASCAR driver.
Greg, in his presentation, shared with us how he became involved in car racing. He narrated how his family members were very involved in racing in the central states region. He said he hopped on a race car as a toddler and wanted to do it. It is in his blood. In addition, Greg got the group involved by discussing real life situations and how to respect others in life and in competition. One of the 25 plus members of the Deaf Kids and Teens Club got an opportunity to wear Greg's racing suit. This member said "boy it’s hot inside it!”
Greg shared with the members of the difficulties of becoming a NASCAR driver. He said that it would take a lot of money just to get started. He said there is still hope but money considerations are what prevent him from becoming the 1st Deaf NASCAR race car driver. He shared with us a communication device called the Ubi Duo which enables him to communicate with his pit crew and racing colleagues. The members of the club loved it.
We all want to say a big Thank You for coming to Columbus, Ohio and sharing your life experiences in the world of car racing as a deaf person!
Greg will be behind the wheel of #39 sprint car in 2008!
Greg Gunderson to serve as ambassador for CSD and first honoree in CSD’s “I Can Do Anything…” campaign
December 17, 2007 — Greg Gunderson, a nationally recognized deaf racecar driver, is joining CSD’s “I Can Do Anything…” campaign as the program’s first honoree and will serve as an ambassador to raise awareness of the fact that deaf people can do anything but hear.
As an ambassador for CSD, Gunderson will promote the “I Can Do Anything…” campaign, inviting deaf and hard of hearing people, as well as their family and friends, to nominate potential candidates who could serve as successful role models and who would be willing to share their journeys of success. Nominations can be sent to info@c-s-d.org.
Greg reads to SDSD kids on
St. Patrick's Day
March 17, 2008
By Carmen Steen
Greg O'Gunderson visited my classroom on St Patrick's Day to find that the naughty leprechaun had already visited my classroom and left it a mess. He added to the story
by telling them that he knew the leprechaun but wasn't able to catch him because he is so fast. If they were to see the leprechaun they were to tell him hello. Greg then read a book to our preschool and kindergarten classes. The students enjoyed having a male role model to read to them. Thanks Greg for taking time out of your busy schedule to read to our classes.
Gunderson entered the sport with an iron determination and little regard to his deafness. This bright-eyed, redheaded driver has a fierce competitiveness on the racetrack and his successful records have proven that deafness is no hindrance. Both on and off the track, Gunderson has continued to prove
himself as a highly successful driver setting standards in sprint car racing and motor sports. In recognition of this accomplishment, CSD is proud to select him as our very first honoree in the “I Can Do Anything…” campaign.
Additionally, Gunderson currently appears on CSD-TV’s "FYE: For Your Eye", a web cast program found at http://www.csd.tv and he will also be making a number of special appearances throughout the next year, including the National Leadership and Literacy Camp (NLLC) for deaf and hard of hearing children later in the summer of 2008 held at Madison, SD – another annual program provided by CSD.
For more information on CSD, Camp Lakodia, the NLLC for deaf and hard of hearing children, the “I Can Do Anything…” campaign, or CSD-TV’s programming and to view the brand new F.Y.E. show, go to www.c-s-d.org.
Greg is very excited to team up with Justin Saathoff for 2008 sprint car racing. The Saathoff Motorsports team will be running J&J Chassis with ASCS motors. Greg will use his famous #39 while Justin is still running his familiar #85. The team will be based out of the Saathoff Motorsports shop in Bruce, SD. They will announce their racing schedule as soon as local race tracks and racing organizations release their 2008 schedules.
Greg Visits Omaha
April 24, 2008
On Friday April 18, Greg Gunderson was the guest speaker at Christ Community Church. He shared his story of success both on and off the race track and he motivated them to leap forward and do anything with their life!
On Saturday April 19, Greg and his CSD sprint car made an appearance at Deaf Nation Expo. His fans and those just curious to learn more about the life of a driver stopped by the booth to get autographs, take pictures, and get to know one of the Nation’s few deaf race car drivers.
Jackson Speedway
May 14, 2008
After traveling over 360 miles roundtrip to Jackson Speedway in Minnesota, Gunderson finally hit the racetrack, the first time of the year. After a few practice laps, Gunderson started the heat race, but electrical problems stopped him after only ONE lap. Due to the mechanical problems, Gunderson was scratched for the rest of the racing events that evening. Luckily, the problems have been fixed and Gunderson is ready to make it through the entire race this weekend.
Worthington Race Rained Out
I was looking forward to the race in Worthington, Minn. on Friday, June 6 but again, it got rained out! We had several flood warnings around here along with some tornadoes. The race at Jackson, Minn. on Saturday, June 7 was also rained out. The staff at I-90 Speedway in Hartford, S.D. worked very hard and got the race track ready for Saturday night racing. There were 26 sprint cars in the race. I started in the 4th position in the heat race and I won it! I was pleased that the car handled so well. Then I started 6th in the final race and I passed all but one car and was in 2nd place with half the race left. Unfortunately, the magneto (electric part on engine) started to die and I was lucky to finish the race in 10th place. I was very happy because both the car and motor ran AWESOME and I knew I could have won this race if not for the last-minute problems.
Storm Tailgate Party
Saturday, June 14, the CSD #39 Sprint Car made an appearance at the Sioux Falls Storm tailgate party for the evening. Let me also mention that the Storm won their last home football game! Next on the agenda was a trip down the road to Hartford to race that night! A 6th place start ended in a 3rd place finish for the heat. The car ran strong and qualified for 8th position in the final race. With a showing of 24 cars for the night, 8th is a great place to be! Just before the green flag dropped, the left rear tire started to leak some air making the car difficult to handle. Hoping that air would build up during the race, I kept the car on the track. Unfortunately it was not successful! After the race, we discovered that the air bleeder had broken off the tire resulting in a slow leak. The yellow flag came out after a few laps...it was then that my left tire went completely flat. I pulled into the pit and parked the car. It is said that there is a reason for everything which held true Saturday night because just after I parked my car, there were several wrecks. I am so fortunate that my car is safe and in ONE PIECE!
Another Good Race!
Greetings once again race fans! Let me recap for you what has been happening on the track. Saturday, June 28 brought forth some typical South Dakota winds but that didn’t pose a problem for Greg! I-90 Speedway still had a showing of 24 sprint cars which made for quite the race. Greg started in the 4th position in his heat race for the
night but quickly found his way to the front of the pack! He was able to walk away with a first place finish in that heat. Starting in 10th for the A-Main put Greg at a real disadvantage, but with some perseverance, he was able to wiggle his way up
into 2nd place for a great finish! Everything just keeps looking better on that blue #39.
Jackson Speedway
I-90 Speedway
Saturday, Aug. 2 was Express Printing night at I-90 speedway. Express Printing is one of my sponsors for the 2008 season. I had the opportunity to display the car near the stands prior to the races beginning. I raced under #85 on Saturday night because Justin Saathoff, the car owner, didn't have his car together and he is racing for points this year. I started last in a field of 22 cars and finished 15th.
Golf Fundraiser Appearance
Friday, Aug. 1 brought about a unique opportunity for the #39 sprint car. I visited Spring Creek Golf Course and displayed my car for all CSD Golf Classic golfers to view. They had 16 teams of golfers this year for a fundraising event which aids National Leadership and Literacy campers. The turnout was GREAT and a good time was had by all!
Gunderson at ASCS Show
Greg visited 58 kids
Go-Kart Races at Thunder Road
Greg in New Orleans!
National Deaf Youth Campers Attend Gunderson Race
We served 168 guests at the Banquet for breakfast on June 27. We had 11 Heartland Ephphatha members help serve the meal. We served French Toast with Brisket and fruit. It was wonderful rewarding experience. Thanks to all who helped! Please visit Heartland Ephphatha Ministries at http://www.deaffaith.com/ for some more information.
#39 in the car show
June 18, the CSD #39 sprint car was displayed at Automania, the largest car show in the state of South Dakota, held in historic downtown Sioux Falls! The weather was perfect! They had hundreds of cars and thousands of people! Great Music! Great Food! Great Times!
Crash Ends Race Year Prematurely
With only 3 races left in the 2008 season, the #39 car has seen the last of the track! Saturday night at I-90 speedway was met with vehicle tragedy. The car was running fantastic in the heat race, passing cars and hitting a speed of 103 mph when the car in front of me blew his engine and came to a sudden stop. I had nowhere to go! I ended up running over the left rear tire of the other car, which sent me into a catapult and ended in a series of multi-flips end over end down the front straightaway. The #39 car was completely totaled, beyond the possibility of repairs. As a result, the Saathoff/Gunderson racing team have decided to retire the #39 car for the year.
Saathoff Motorsports and I would like to thank our families, friends, fans and sponsors for the 2008 Racing Season! They have helped me by promoting my campaign of “Not only do I want to publicize an exciting sport of auto racing; I also want to emphasize the fact that Deaf people can do anything except hear!”
Thank you again for your great support and see you next year at the races!
Thursday, July 24 I went to Madison, SD for the NLLC Middle School Camp at Camp Lakodia. I gave a motivational speech to 58 Deaf/Hard of Hearing and CODA children. Following the presentation, all of the children had an opportunity to sit in #39 sprint car and learn about the racing.
Tuesday, July 22 was "Greg Gunderson Night" at Thunder Road in Sioux Falls, S.D. What a blast! Quite a crowd showed up to have a chance to sit in the #39 car and challenge me to a round on the go-kart track! The smiles were plentiful that night. I raced so many times around the track that I woke the next morning with sore muscles. Thanks for a great workout everyone!
I attended the NAD (National Association of the Deaf) Convention in New Orleans, LA during the week of July 7. I worked in the booth with Ubi Duo to hand out the 1/64th die cast #39 toy cars. It was great meeting new friends, catching up with long time friends, and sharing fun and exciting stories of the track!
It proved to be an exciting night at the track on July 5. Over 100 Gunderson Racing fans flocked to the track to watch me race! We had fans from the National Leadership and Literacy Camp (NLLC) (grades 9-12), the Gunderson family reunion, and other people from the local deaf community in attendance.
The heat race was fantastic! I started fourth but worked my way to the front of the pack and took the win. The A main was quite eventful! I started the race in the middle of 25 cars in 8th place. I moved up to 5th place at the start of the race, but fell back into 8th after a few laps. As I began working my way back to the front, another driver lost his footing and started to spin out. With cars on both sides of me, I had nowhere to go and ended up hitting the other driver as well as flipping my car end over end. A win and a crash in the same race ... what a wonderful opportunity for the NLLC kids to witness both!
Saturday, Aug. 9, I went to Jackson speedway in Jackson, Minn. It was great to see so many fans (18 deaf Minnesotans) there. It was surprising to have this high of turnout with all of the other
events occurring simultaneously: the Sturgis Rally, Knoxville Nationals, and NHRA Nationals at Brainerd, Minn. Not a bad showing Saturday night. I started last in a field of 14 cars and finished in 8th place. No bumps or bruises to report so all-in-all
a great night of racing.
Friday, July 25 was a tough night at the track for yet another week. I-90 speedway hosted 34 sprint cars for their special ASCS show. I had a fantastic 3rd place finish in the heat race, qualifying me for 12th position in the A main. I was thrilled to be put straight in the A, but was met with disappointment with just before the green flag dropped. A strong vibration in the car led me to turn the engine off in hopes that nothing was wrong with it. Frustrated with missing the ASCS race, I turned into my pit. We discovered the following day that the engine was fine and the culprit was simply a broken u-joint.
July 4, Friday morning, the Blue #39 made its way up to Madison, SD for the NLLC High School camp. I gave a motivational speech to 38 Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing kids. Following the presentation, the kids had a chance to hang out with the race car to get a better understanding of what it takes to make it on the track.
Gunderson visited deaf kids at Camp Lakodia
Greg and HEM served breakfast at the Banquet
One Piece!
May 23 - At the I-90 Speedway brought an exciting
2nd place finish in the heat race. With this strong
finish, I was able to run the A-feature for the night.
Unfortunately, the power steering line blew up in
the 2nd lap, forcing me to race with only muscle
power. As hard as I tried to hold onto my 4th place
standing, I had to pull in with only 8 laps remaining. It was not safe for me and others to continue running without the power steering and feeling so fatigued. The positive part is the car is in one piece and so am I!
Good News!
May 21 - Grandpa Dewey has received good news about his cancer treatments! His tumors have all shrunk in size over the last month. He is feeling good and has his appetite back. Thanks to everyone who has kept him in your thoughts and prayers ... it is working!! Greg Gunderson shaved his head in support of his grandfather, who is fighting cancer.
More Bad Luck!
May 16 - This week proved to be another interesting week
at the track. I again made a showing at the I-90 speedway
in Hartford, S.D. With limited seat time in the last couple
of weeks, I was thrilled to pull a third place finish in the heat
race. With that type of finish, I was positioned in the Pole
(starting) position for the feature. I quickly took a strong
lead and maintained that lead through the majority of the
race. It wasn't until the very end that the #39 motor blew
up ... thus ending the race right then and there.
Justin, the car owner, tore out the motor the next day and sent it directly to the motor builder. Unfortunately, the motor is beyond repair! After some serious searching, Justin found a used motor for us to put into the car. He is working furiously to get the motor in and ready to go for the weekend. Looks like I will be back in action this weekend!
Greg visits SDSD!
May 13 – I was invited to the South Dakota School for the Deaf to meet with the primary grade children for a morning. I brought a couple of books with me and read with the kids. They really got a kick out of “The Monster at the End of This Book”. We all anxiously awaited the MONSTER…but silly us…it was just Grover, the lovable furry blue monster from Sesame Street!
Following our time of reading together, the kids and I talked about car safety. They were very curious about how I stay safe in my race car. I showed them all the safety equipment I use while driving my racecar and what each piece of equipment does. It was great for them to see all the equipment and a good reminder to me how important all the safety devices are.
This Year's Plan!
May 2 - I plan to race Saturday nights
at I-90 Speedway in Hartford, S.D. I
have found my way to a new class of
racecars this year, the B-Modifieds.
Last Saturday was my FIRST complete night of racing in the Modifieds. I have never driven a Modified car before and I am very
pleased with a second place finish in
my heat race. I was in the Top 5 in the
A-main feature race up to the last three laps. At that point, the third place car lost control, hitting my rear end and knocking me
out of the race! That is just part of
racing! That picture is available here.
I want to thank CSD for giving me opportunity to race again this year!
Thanks to all of the sponsors who have put their faith in me this year. If not for their support, I would not be on the track doing what I love most. Please visit my website to check out all of the sponsors who are helping us this year! I also want to thank Justin Saathoff, my car owner. He is generous enough to provide me with a top notch B-mod this year! Lastly, I want to thank my family and GREAT FANS for your ongoing support! If not for all of you, racing would not be the sport that it is.
See you at the races!
Welcome to the 2009 Racing Season!
April 25, 2009 - Greetings from the Gunderson Racing Team! The 2009 racing season has officially begun! Time has flown by and this is our first E-news of the 2009 racing season.
I want to dedicate this 2009 Racing Season
to two special men: Harold Petree and Grandpa Dewey Dirkson,
both of whom helped me start my racing career. Harold was the
driver for my grandpa many years ago. He passed away on
April 19, 2009. Dewey Dirkson, my grandfather, is currently
fighting his battle with cancer, with the goal of watching me race
this summer! Harold and Grandpa won 36 features at Husets
Speedway, two feature wins at Soo Speedway, 10 feature wins
at Lake County Speedway, and five Super Modified feature wins
at the Sioux Empire Fairgrounds. They won the 1963 and 1965
point championship at Husets Speedway and the 1963 points
championship at Lake County Speedway. Grandpa Dewey
won the 1963, 1965 and 1971 Mechanic of the Year award.
Thank you for the Great Memories creating a GREAT LEGEND!
Photo by Todd Hoffman
T-Shirts Available
Gunderson Racing T-shirts for BOTH the #39
B-mod car AND the #34W Sprint car are
available now! Only $15 each. Email directly
to me at greg@sio.midco.net to make your
order. Supplies are limited this year so grab
your shirt while you can.
July 4th at Hartford
Saturday, July 4 brought us to the I-90
speedway in Hartford, S.D. With all
of the kids and staff from NLLC in attendance
along with numerous other Deaf fans, the
pressure was high. The track was in
mint condition helping us get a
2nd place finish in the heat AND a
2nd place finish in the feature. With
the most phenomenal fireworks
display I have seen in years, the
weekend was complete.
Kopellah Speedway
Friday, July 3 was a FANTASTIC night of racing for the #34W sprint car. Tony, my lead pitman, and I headed over to Wisconsin on Friday morning for a night of fun-filled action. We were not disappointed. The car ran perfectly allowing us to grab a 5th place finish at Kopellah Speedway. With so many Deaf fans making their way to the track, the night was complete!
Fireworks made a perfect end to a perfect night.
Visiting NLLC Campers
What a fun-filled, action-packed week for the Gunderson Racing team!
The action started on Tuesday, June 30 with a trip to Madison, S.D. to present at the High School section of the National Leadership and Literacy Camp for Kids who are Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing. Following the inspirational presentation, the kids had an opportunity to get into the #39 B-Modified. The kids were so excited to have some hands-on experience with racing.
Like Driving On Ice
Saturday, June 20 was quite a night! The track at I-90 speedway was not watered and prepared properly. Without proper treatment, the track becomes VERY dry. A dry track is very similar to driving on ice. If any of you have ever been stuck in an ice storm before, you know the feeling! Patience was the key in this race. I came out alive and pulled a 2nd place finish in the heat and a 4th place finish in the A-main. With 21 cars on a ¼ mile oval dirt track ... I would say that's nothing to be upset about! Click here to see the picture
Automania
The largest car show in South Dakota took place on June 17th in downtown Sioux Falls. The #39 B-Modified was displayed on the corner of 11th and Main for Automania! The bright warm sun brought out thousands of curious people. The variety of cars was amazing ...there was everything from the old-time hot rods to the brand new Mustangs. My racecar was unique and one of the only cars that the kids could climb in and out of. Good music, good food, good crowds ... all around good time!
Exciting Weekend!
What an exciting weekend for me! I had the most amazing opportunity to make the trip from South Dakota to St. Croix Falls, Wisc. to drive and #34W sprint car! A couple of firsts for the week: First look at the #34W sprint car, First sprint car race of 2009, and First time racing in Wisconsin, CRAZY COOL!
Friday night, June 12 at Kopellah Speedway brought a rough start. The car was not handling right in the heat and challenge races. We were able to identify the problem. The torque ball and jacob ladder locked up. We loosened things up a bit and were ready to roll in the feature. I had to start in the back of the pack (16th) but pulled through to a 7th place finish. Racing on a tight ¼ mile track is never easy so we were all happy with the finish. The best part about the whole night was the number of fans who made it out to cheer for me! Thanks to each and every one of you!!
Saturday, June 13 we headed out to Brainard, Minn. for our second race of the weekend. Unfortunately, the rain DUMPED down just as we were pulling in! Mother Nature wins again!
Thanks to Dave & Margaret for your hospitality over the weekend. The grill-out at your cozy country estate was fantastic! Looking forward to more trips this summer.
FINALLY!
May 30th had plenty of excitement for the #39 B-Mod car! A race full of thrills lead to a WIN in the heat! That win set me in the Pole (front) position for the A-main race. I was excited to run in second place for the majority of the race. With only 3 laps left in the final race, we had a yellow flag. On the restart, someone bumped into my car causing me to lose some ground. I ended up finishing 5th out of 23 cars. I'm thrilled!
Forcing the way to the front
The #39 B-Mod made a great showing at the I-90 speedway on July 25th.
The heat race was questionable at best closing out with a 6th place finish.
But to make up for the disappointment, the A-main was nothing short of exciting.
23 cars started in this A-feature race putting me into position 17. I was not real optimistic
when I thought about the journey I would have to the front row. When the green flag dropped, I forced my car to run as hard as it could go. The end of 12 laps found me in a 5th place finish. Given a few more laps I may have even been in the front.
B-Modified Race at I-90
I-90 was the hot spot for the July 18th B-modified race. Starting in the front of the pack, I kept the first place position until we reached checkered. Check out the video at: Click Here With the fantastic show in the heat race, I expected to take the feature. With the
wrong gears in the car, I couldn't hold my position in the A-main. I closed out in 6th position, which is still respectable when considering there were 24 cars on this 3/8 mile track. Thanks to all the NLLC kids who came out for a fantastic night of racing.
Kopellah Excitement
July 17th brought a thrill at Kopellah Speedway in the #34W Sprint car. Surprisingly, one of the World of Outlaw drivers, Brooke Tatnell, showed up to race. Everyone put the pedal to the metal that night! Brooke and I started in the same heat race, him taking first and me second. In the Dash Race, I finished 2nd behind Jerry Richert, Jr, a well-known 410 sprint driver. In the A-Main, I started on the inside pole. Both Brooke and Jerry found their way around me in the first turn! I held my 3rd place position through the first half of the race. Unfortunately, on a restart following a yellow flag, I got bumped from behind and sent to the back of the pack. With some fast tracking, I was able to secure a 4th place finish! Thanks
again to all the GREAT Deaf fans who found their way to the track once again!
NLLC Middle School Visit
I had the pleasure of attending the NLLC Middle School Program at Camp Lakodia on July 15th. The kids got a kick out of the racecar on display and enjoyed hearing the inspirational words I had for them. We did lots of pictures of the kids in the car as well as signing autographs.
Sticky Track at I-90 Speedway
July 11th at I-90 speedway. The track was really moist and tacky on this night. A sticky track puts lots of pressure on the motor. I walked away with a first place finish in the heat race and a 4th place finish in the A-feature. I would have to say I was pleased with these results considering I am running my
"back-up" motor.
sdf
The New News Page is Under Construction
