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  • #16
    Re: Kerch

    But there's fun and glory, too. 1987 was a good year for Strega and for Kerch.
    Attached Files

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    • #17
      Re: Kerch

      I think Bill has been crew chief for 5 major racing efforts since I've been around the Sport. He was with Crocker's #6. Next was a decade with Strega. Then 6 magnificent years with Dago Red. Then came 232. Finally his Voodoo period.

      The only Racer of these 5 which had ever won the Gold before Kerch was Dago, and Dago's lone victory was way back in 1982, 14 years before Bill.

      These Racers under Kerch took something like THIRTEEN CHAMPIONSHIPS, and the only one of these aircraft to ever take another Gold after Kerch was Strega. Even Strega is still today in many ways the same airplane as the Strega Bill turned from a 430 mph also-ran into a 480 mph Champion.

      The Voodoo brain trust fired Bill Kerchenfaut with a phone call.
      Last edited by wingman; 09-09-2016, 01:56 PM.

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      • #18
        Re: Kerch

        When VooDoo stood down in 2012 we were lucky enough to have Kerch with us on Team SteadFast...He was with us earlier in the year when we made the record attempts and at Reno for the races...Even though we were for the most part a Silver Class Unlimited, Kerch was in our pit and we managed to win the Silver Championship that year...The crew was well established and a hard working bunch, but be it from Kerch's input or just coincidence there is no denying that having him on the crew is a winning combination everywhere he goes...There should be a statue honoring that man at Stead somewhere.

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        • #19
          Re: Kerch

          Originally posted by wingman View Post
          I think Bill has been crew chief for 5 major racing efforts since I've been around the Sport. He was with Crocker's #6. Next was a decade with Strega. Then 6 magnificent years with Dago Red. Then came 232. Finally his Voodoo period.

          The only Racer of these 5 which had ever won the Gold before Kerch was Dago, and Dago's lone victory was way back in 1982, 14 years before Bill.

          These Racers under Kerch took something like THIRTEEN CHAMPIONSHIPS, and the only one of these aircraft to ever take another Gold after Kerch was Strega. Even Strega is still today in many ways the same airplane as the Strega Bill turned from a 430 mph also-ran into a 480 mph Champion.

          The Voodoo brain trust fired Bill Kerchenfaut with a phone message.
          The guy has won with everything he's ever touched! If you think about it and try to compare to other forms of racing, sport or accomplishments, Kerch stands alone. I wonder how much faster unlimited's could go by being lightened up from the weight of egos?

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          • #20
            Re: Kerch

            Bill is unique. I suppose he must have an ego -- he is certainly aware of how good he is, and aware of how much he has accomplished over the last 50 years.

            But he manages a crew in a different way than anybody else I've ever seen. He actually encourages crew egos, in the best way. He wants his crew members to think they're the best. He wants them to talk back to him, and to tell him if they think something is going poorly. He expects them to have ideas about how the matter could be handled better. His decision is final, of course, but he wants everybody involved in thinking about problems. Nobody is ever left out, if they are doing their job.

            He is a great mechanic, and one of the best ever at rigging an airplane. He is an innovator, and always thinking. But more than any of this he is a manager of men and women. He puts them where they will work best, and lets them do their job. He organizes their assignments and turns them loose. He makes sure every nut and bolt that is touched is checked, rechecked, and then looked at again. Nobody is ever allowed to say "You don't need to check that -- I know my job". The assumption is that anybody can make a mistake, especially under the pressure of Reno Race Week, but if you look at everything several times no mistakes will sneak through.

            He always manages communication with the pilot during a race (til last year when they took that duty away from him). He is calm, keeps the pilot calm, imparts only critical information, such as how far behind the second place airplane is, what lap it is, and that telemetry is good. No excess chatter, but everything the pilot needs to know, in as few words as possible

            He's a crew chief, in the very best sense.

            Neal
            Last edited by wingman; 09-09-2016, 12:34 PM.

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            • #21
              Re: Kerch

              The reason Kerch is cleaning (and the reason Dago won) in 82, Sumthin Else after the Sunday gold.
              Attached Files
              Leo Smiley - Graphics and Fine Arts
              airplanenutleo@gmail.com
              thetreasuredpeacock.etsy.com

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              • #22
                Re: Kerch

                Look at the canopy -- Crocker did a great job getting that racer down in one piece.

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                • #23
                  Re: Kerch

                  Not to head off topic but I thought the same of Dan Martin a few years ago. Gotta be awful blurry in there!
                  Attached Files
                  Leo Smiley - Graphics and Fine Arts
                  airplanenutleo@gmail.com
                  thetreasuredpeacock.etsy.com

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Re: Kerch

                    Originally posted by Reever View Post
                    The guy has won with everything he's ever touched! If you think about it and try to compare to other forms of racing, sport or accomplishments, Kerch stands alone. I wonder how much faster unlimited's could go by being lightened up from the weight of egos?
                    A lot of people forget that after he helped Greenamyer with the 3K, he was crew chief for Sherm Cooper on "Miss Merced" and won two of the 1000 mile races. He also crewed for Bob Love and Jack Sandberg's crews in 1973-75 timeframe, but without the success he'd find later.

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                    • #25
                      Re: Kerch

                      Originally posted by Big_Jim View Post
                      A lot of people forget that after he helped Greenamyer with the 3K, he was crew chief for Sherm Cooper on "Miss Merced" and won two of the 1000 mile races. He also crewed for Bob Love and Jack Sandberg's crews in 1973-75 timeframe, but without the success he'd find later.
                      I forgot that Kerch chiefed for Sherm Cooper on "Miss Merced". For John Sandberg, was that "Tipsy Miss"?
                      Last edited by Reever; 09-09-2016, 02:45 PM.

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                      • #26
                        Re: Kerch

                        Originally posted by Reever View Post
                        I forgot that Kerch chiefed for Sherm Cooper on "Miss Merced". For John Sandberg, was that "Tipsy Miss"?
                        Yes....and he said it was one of the most frustrating experiences in racing he ever had.

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                        • #27
                          Re: Kerch

                          Maybe "bluffman", who contributed greatly to mickey thompson's book could get together with Kerch and get a book going.

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                          • #28
                            Re: Kerch

                            Originally posted by Big_Jim View Post
                            Yes....and he said it was one of the most frustrating experiences in racing he ever had.
                            Didn't Sandberg try to run "Tipsy Miss" on alcohol?

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                            • #29
                              Re: Kerch

                              That's why the name -- think about it...

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                              • #30
                                Re: Kerch

                                Originally posted by Big_Jim View Post
                                A lot of people forget that after he helped Greenamyer with the 3K
                                Was that with the Bearcat? I know this clip has been posted before but it is still fun.

                                Random Air Blog

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