Inside INDOT – July 2021

Employees Fulfill Their Need for Speed on Racetracks

Every week, it’s a race to the finish for several INDOT employees, and, no, they aren’t working on the I-69 Finish Line project. For these workers, motorsport racing is in their blood, and they spend their summer weekends racing cars on speedways across Indiana and around the country. Mike Yacullo, LaPorte District Traffic Investigations Engineer In his weekday role as a traffic investigations engineer, Yacullo prefers that motorists slow down. But on weekends, he’s all about the speed. After starting out on a pit crew in 1994, Yacullo first drove regularly at the former Southlake Speedway in Crown Point, which closed after the 2005 season. He has raced on dirt and asphalt short tracks — either one-fourth- or three-eighths-mile ovals — competing in street stock and thunder car classes. He has raced on 11 tracks, most predominantly Plymouth Speedway (three seasons dirt, one season asphalt) and South Bend Motor Speedway (three seasons asphalt). “I love the adrenaline rush of pushing the car, and yourself, as fast as you can,” said Yacullo. “Also, the camaraderie and friendships that you enjoy in the pits and beyond are special.” At Plymouth Speedway in 2010, Yacullo was named rookie of the year on the asphalt track after finishing the season sixth in points. After the speedway converted to dirt in 2013, Yacullo participated in his first full season as a dirt-car driver in 2014 and finished eighth in points with the same car. Although he hadn’t declared himself a rookie, he was awarded rookie of the year again. “I’ve been fortunate enough to win eight races over the years,” said Yacullo. “All were heat races except one B feature at South Bend. My first-ever victory, at Mottville (Mich.) Speedway in 2011, will always be special. I was so excited that I couldn’t get the helmet off in time for the victory photo. My

second win was also very special as my daughter was on-hand to see that.” Yacullo’s friend, Donnie Rance, helped build Yacullo’s thunder car class vehicle. They built the black-and-gold car from the ground up, using a 1981 Oldsmobile 98

Mike Yacullo after winning a race at South Bend Motor Speedway.

Mike Yacullo after his first victory, at Mottville (Mich.) Speedway in 2011.

Inside INDOT – July 2021

Regency, and named it “the Boat.” The street stock vehicle is a blue-and-gold 1983 Chevrolet Monte Carlo that started from a bare chassis that already had the driver safety cage, meaning the duo just added a body to the car. Yacullo said the key attributes to being a good racer are hand/eye/foot coordination, quick reflexes, quick thinking, and patience. “You can’t win on the first lap, but you do have to be ready to take advantage of open doors that close quickly,” he said. “Sportsmanship is also hugely important as you need to have the respect of your competitors since you never know when you might need their help to get through the night. And there is definitely a lot of help between teams.” On several occasions, LaPorte District personnel have come out to watch Yacullo race. “It’s always nice to have a cheering section,” he said. Mike Jewell, Seymour District Shop Foreman Jewell retired from racing in 2013, but, oh, what a run he had. In his 36 seasons as an oval dirt-track driver, he had more than 200 first-place finishes. “I think a key to my success was that, although I did not construct the chassis, I would assemble my own cars,” said Jewell, who started out in hobby stock in 1978 and switched to late models in 1988. “Because I assembled them, I made all the adjustments, which helped me know what worked and what didn’t work for me.” Jewell raced frequently in Indiana — at Brownstown Speedway, Richmond Raceway, and Twin Cities Raceway Park in North Vernon — but also was a mainstay at Bluegrass Speedway in Bardstown, Ky.; Ponderosa Speedway in Junction City, Ky.; and Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. “Winning the Paul ‘Butterball’ Wooldridge Memorial in Richmond, Ky., nine times was special,” said Jewell of the late model race that has taken place for 34 consecutive years. “I’d consider my other highlights as winning the Hoosier Dirt Classic at Brownstown Speedway and becoming a two-time track champion at Brownstown.” As a boy, he would watch his dad and cousin work on dirt-race cars, known as rail cars, and race them at Twin Cities Raceway Park and Brownstown Speedway. From that point, he knew he wanted to race. While he raced, Jewell treasured the thrill of close competition and meeting new people. Serendipitously, Jewell’s racing career is tied to INDOT Commissioner Joe McGuinness. “I’ve had a lot of good-spirited races with Steve Barnett at numerous speedways across the Midwest,” said Jewell. “Steve succeeded Joe McGuinness as the mayor of Franklin after Joe was appointed as INDOT commissioner in early 2017.”

Mike Jewell won more than 200 races in a 36-year racing career.

Inside INDOT – July 2021

Terry Henderson, LaPorte District Winamac Subdistrict Equipment Mechanic Although he has been racing dirt ovals since 1991, Henderson considers racing a hobby, not a

profession. Still, for a hobbyist, he excels in big moments. With many heat-race victories under his belt, Henderson also has won two A main feature races, including one in 2017 when he won the season pure-street class championship at Pulaski County’s Shadyhill Speedway in Medaryville. “The thing I love most about racing is winning,” said Henderson, who got the bug for racing when, as a child, he watched his dad race around the region. Henderson drives a late 1970s metric-chassis Pontiac Grand Prix at Shadyhill, which in 2019 renamed the pure-street class to bomber class. He finished the 2020 season third in points in that class. Henderson started racing at the defunct Southlake Speedway in Crown Point. He has dabbled at the Kankakee (Ill.) County Speedway a few times, and once at Kokomo Speedway. “I build my own cars, engines, and transmissions, and do all the maintaining of the car,” said Henderson. “It makes the sport a lot cheaper. I became a decent driver by many years of practice.” Henderson enjoys it when INDOT employees come to watch him race. “But most of all, I’d like to thank my wife, Tricia, the most for putting up with all the time I spend on the car in the shop,” said Henderson.

Ashley Przybylinski, LaPorte District Project Manager Przybylinski and her husband are pit-crew members for Przybylinski’s brother, drag racer Brian Sholar. Between each round of drag-racing competition, Przybylinski completes basic mechanical maintenance on the car, such as filling gas, draining overflow tanks, and checking radiator water levels and tire pressure, as well as helping her husband pack the parachutes at the back of the dragster. Also between rounds, she and her brother analyze data and make adjustments, such as adding or removing boost, changing shift points, and retarding or advancing the timing.

Terry Henderson (right photo) wins his first A main feature race in 2017 (above photo) and races at Shadyhill Speedway on July 3, 2021 (bottom photo).

Inside INDOT – July 2021

“During the run, it is my job to pull my brother’s car into the burnout box and make sure the vehicle is straight,” she said. “I then give him a signal once he is out of the water box. He does his burnout, and I run down the track to back him up, making sure the car is straight with the help of my husband. He is behind the car looking down the track, and I am in the front of the car relaying that message to my brother.” Przybylinski then indicates for her brother to stop, and her husband adjusts the wheelie bars. She pulls the dragster forward until it is 6 to 12 inches from the pre-stage beam. “I give him a thumbs-up and head to the back of the car to watch his run,” she said. “We repeat this process again and again, sometimes for up to 16 hours, depending on the event.” The trio’s first full season was 2020, when they won several events at Newton County’s U.S. 41 Dragstrip in Morocco, Ind. Larger events loomed. Last July, Sholar won the “big tire no time” class in an American Drag Racing League (ADRL) event in St. Louis. Later, they competed in the Outlaw Armageddon race at Thunder Valley Raceway Park in Noble, Okla., home of street outlaw racing that is televised nationally. Of the 57 cars entered, Sholar’s finished eighth. “While at an event, RPM Magazine contacted us and conducted a photo shoot and interviewed my brother,” said Przybylinski. “He was featured in 20 pages of the December 2020 edition.”

The magazine noted that Sholar’s 1969 Camaro was at one time street legal, but Sholar spent eight years to transform it into what it is today. Sholar’s 60-foot time, off the line, is 0.97 seconds. With more than 2,000 horsepower, the car gets up to more than 180 mph in one-eighth of a mile. In 2021, Sholar ran his fastest time, making the final of an ADRL event in St. Louis in mid-June. However, a crash heavily damaged the vehicle,

likely ending his season. “We will be back in 2022, better than ever,” said Przybylinski. Michelle Pranger, Fort Wayne District Highway Technician Pranger, who recently joined the Fort Wayne Unit, helps her husband, Tony, race cars. “We have been drag racing for 30-plus years in some type of drag-race car that over the years has

Brian Sholar’s car in the Outlaw Armageddon race in Oklahoma in 2020.

Ashley Przybylinski (left photo) gives directions to her brother during one of the team’s drag races to ensure that the vehicle is straight.

Inside INDOT – July 2021

evolved to more complex pieces of race equipment,” said Pranger. “The first car, during our dating years, was a ‘1970½’ Chevrolet Camaro, which was sold during pre-marriage and replaced by a 1974 Pontiac GTO, which we still own. We also previously owned a rear-engine dragster, which we recently sold.” Pranger Racing competes at tracks in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio. Pranger’s role on the team is crucial, including building the race cars. She plans how the car will look and run, helping build the engines, setting up the chassis, painting and performing body work, tuning the vehicle, and packing parachutes. She also preps the car by cleaning it, and ensuring it is loaded and secured before it is hauled from their driveway to the racetrack. At the event, she checks the tire pressure and makes final adjustments. She ensures that Tony is buckled into the seat with restraints intact and checks for leaks and other safety concerns. Depending on the heat of the day and how hot the motor has gotten, she may push the car forward to the starting line. After the tires get wet in the water box, she signals to him before the burnout. When the race starts, she looks from the side or back, looking for tire spin or any other suspension problems that may need adjustments. “Then, I rush to the golf cart and meet him at the big end,” said Pranger. “He always must wait on me because the car is faster than the golf cart! I then hook the car up with him in tow and push it back to the trailer, where we complete a safety check, refuel, and hopefully prepare for the next round.”

With the rear-engine dragster, the Prangers competed in the super pro and quick classes, which ladder-style qualifying with a bump spot. In 2014, Pranger Racing won the National Hot Rod Association Division 3 JEGS Super Quick Series. Since the sale of this dragster, the Prangers are pursuing a different type of dragster to compete in other classes. Pranger Racing won several super pro races in the GTO, which was featured in the Discovery Channel drag-racing-themed reality TV show “Pinks All Out” in the late 2000s. The

GTO is currently under construction for modifications that will enable the team to also run in the super gas class and some index classes. That also means that the team would be able to race on one-fourth-mile tracks instead of just one-eighth-mile tracks. “One thing that I have learned about racing is that the unveiling of new things is almost as enjoyable as the race,” said Pranger. “I am under super secrecy at the moment, but I can tell you that it will be very cool.”

Michelle Pranger

Pranger Racing personnel gather after winning the 2014 JEGS Super Quick Series in the National Hot Rod Association Division 3.