© 2000 DWIGHT DRUM

A SPORTSMAN MOMENT WITH…

Donnie Durenberger's home base is in the metropolis of Minneapolis, Minnesota. I'm familiar with that clean city as a former girlfriend, a teacher in St.Paul, hosted an extensive driving tour for me all around the twin cities. We also spent a few spring days in Duluth…Brrrr. I can see why Donnie is so enthusiastic about the summer sport of racing motorcycles. Drag Racing is reserved for warm days and dry tracks, and racing sanctions like the NHRA plan their events with special consideration for weather. Donnie would like to see Federal-Mogul include Pro Sportsman Motorcycle at the division level in all seven of the NHRA Divisions. I'm sure he has to dream of this all winter, but when spring arrives and summer heats up, he warms up his engine and runs. I sent Donnie my questions in early fall, follow what he had to say… before the snow flies.

DONNIE CYBERCHATS WITH DWIGHT:

DOB: 7-7-60

BIRTH TOWN : Rochester MN

HOME TOWN: Minneapolis MN

"No. Sometimes I hear one I like, but they don't stick too long."

"I would like to be as smart as Warren Johnson, dominate like Rick Santos, keep the

longevity of John Force, contribute like Byron Hines, have a little of Billy

Vose's ego, look like Brad Pitt, and have a wallet like Bill Gates."

"Thomas Edison, Daniel Boone, W.J"

"When my daughter Elisabeth was born, there was a problem during delivery.

The nerves in the shoulder had been torn and she was unable to move her arm,

it was possible that it would be a permanent disability. Luckily, it healed

after a few days but the thought of her being hurt forever was the worst."

"Yes. I think there is a definite link between being physically and mentally

fit. When I let it slide for awhile, I can tell the other one suffers from

it."

"I eat practically anything that's free. Other than that I am very

mid-western in my food choices, and nothing very spicy. Chicken, a baked

potato and salad is a nice meal."

"Since I dial-in when I race, I try to make sure I haven't left something

out when picking a dial or a delay box setting. I don't agree with the

philosophy of not paying attention to who is in the other lane, so I think

about that too. When it comes time to go to the burn-out-box I focus on

doing things exactly the same, and keeping it simple."

"I played Broomball for fifteen years. It is a lot like Ice Hockey, but a plastic

"broom" is used to hit a ball into a much larger size goal. It is a cross

between Hockey and Soccer. Our team won a few Minnesota State Tournaments

and a National title in 1996. Some of the guys would play seriously enough

to go as far as Sweden to compete in Tournaments, but I was just a winter

player.

Now that my kids are getting old enough to participate in organized sports

and things, my hobbies will more likely involve spectating".

"What is that?"

"That I would help anyone that needed it. I would like to be seen as someone

who has tried to give back to the racing community a little of what I have

gotten from it."

"If this question is strictly based on Drag Racing, I have to say winning.

For other part of my life I would pick other, and say Health."

"Mostly."

"More time and money. Being hired to drive or ride for someone else. Knowing

I can get my kids through collage."

"On the positive side, there are so many things I like about where we are

now, we have really come along way. I remember when about the only

aftermarket race part you could get was a Vance & Hines exhaust pipe. Now

you can completely build a fast and reliable drag bike over the Internet in

no time at all. Everything looks and works great right out of the box, it is

amazing. At many races we run in Super Pro with the cars and Dragsters and

that has let us run for big money every race, and be better racers because

of the level of competition.

What I would like to see in the future is Federal-Mogul include Pro

Sportsman Motorcycle at the division level in all 7 of the NHRA Divisions.

The exposure for the class, as well as the semi professional feel of the

events would be beneficial to NHRA, Federal-Mogul and the Drag Racing

Motorcycle community.

Many people answer this by saying "more TV exposure" and I somewhat agree.

Somehow Drag Racing does not come across on TV well but I would imagine if

the NHRA or anyone figure out how to make it work better than it does now,

we will all benefit. I say the sanctioning bodies should promote the

personalities and rivalries in the sport, let people get familiar with the

drivers so they get connected and have someone to root for. It has worked

with Angelle Seeling and Matt Hines."

"No, but I am the hypocrite as I make my kids wear theirs"

"I love the speed on a bike. I raced a Camaro before switching to

motorcycles, and the car thing doesn't even compare. "

"In the garage when it is finally clean, in the kids room when they are

lying in bed talking, at the racetrack early in the morning. Seeing my kids

have fun or learning something new."

"I work in the Engineering department at Tennant Co. in Minneapolis MN. I am

in new product design, working on a Cadd/Cam station designing our new

machines in a team setting. Tennant manufactures floor maintenance

equipment, mostly sweepers and scrubbers for industrial applications. In

2000 I will have been there fifteen years."

"I'm an becoming an expert at multi-tasking. It used to be I couldn't get

somewhere fast enough. Now I use all of the time commuting to get other

things done and not let the traffic bother me. Planning, thinking, reading

and taking notes, making time go quickly. In Minnesota we have ramp meters

to regulate traffic flow on the highways, so sitting there used to be a big

waste of time. Now I have a small practice tree and use it every day as I

wait for my turn to go."

"In 1984 I saw John Noard on his Funny Bike, and that got me started with

motorcycles. After that, becoming friends with Mike Voss and PSB rider John

Smith. In the mid 80's, Voss had a motorhome and took as many of us to races

as wanted to go. Once we had nine Drag Bikes on a trip, it was always a "more-

the-merrier" kind of thing. When John Smith won the NHRA Division 5 ET

Finals in 1986, and Voss in 1987, I knew I really wanted to do something

like that myself someday. Thanks to both of them and others, I have.

"Not getting things done or missing something really obvious."

"Yes. I love my job and what I do, but I would really like to take the risk,

and work on some of the other ideas I have. Designing and manufacturing some

of the drag racing related products I have partially done in my head would

be something I would like to try. I was awarded two US Patents in 2000 for

sweeping related inventions at Tennant, however coming up with some

successful race related products would be very fulfilling."

"I have great partnerships with my sponsors. All of the relationships have

been long and successful for both parties. I take representing my sponsor's

interests very seriously, because on my own I would not be racing at the

level I have been the last few years. I really enjoy learning about

marketing and promotion, and hopefully that area of Team One Racing will

continue to evolve."

I would step the whole program up for more visibility and exposure. My web

site always needs changing so I could put some of the support in that area.

I would love to have a brand new bike, two motors in the trailer, and a

motorhome to travel to all of the races in. A two bike team would be another

thing that would take it all to another level. Filling out my NHRA

Divisional schedule, adding more Prostar races and, traveling further would

be on the wish list. Since I go to NHRA Divisionals and love Super Gas

racing, running my bike along with a Super Gas car would be about as good as

racing could get.

I want to thank you for giving me an opportunity to answer these questions,

and focus on an NHRA Sportsman Drag Racer. I want to invite those who live

in the areas that do have the Pro Sportsman Motorcycle class at the NHRA

Federal-Mogul events to either come out and compete, or come out and

spectate.

Thanks again,

Donnie Durenberger

Team 1 One Racing

www.team-1-one.com

We're proud to bring the words of this dedicated Sportsman racer. Many Sportsmen race for the gusto often on the seat of their empty pockets, and Donnie Durenberger is privileged to have sponsor assistance. Like many Sportsmen, and like most drag racers he has the confidence and humility to be competitive on a fast track. We wish Donnie good and safe speed, and know he has earned the descriptive word for Sportsman around the world…Donnie Durenberger is….

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