A day at the cycle races

By JoANNE VIVIANO
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
GARRETTSVILLE -- Matthew Good watched as workers carried pieces of smashed motorcycle from the track at the Nelson Ledges Road Course raceway.
"Oh my God. That's a bad wreck," said the 13-year-old Austintown youth.
"Aw, man," he said, as a tow truck pulled away a crumpled piece of a blue-and-white cycle, one of several involved in the crash.
Matthew, and his twin brother, Brandon, sat side by side in their wheelchairs Saturday as medical personnel checked the legs of an injured motorcyclist and others hobbled off the track.
The brothers, who live with cerebral palsy, only walk with the help of crutches or canes. Matthew also has hydrocephalus, a condition that causes compression of the brain, and means he lives with a shunt in his head.
But the boys weren't spending much time thinking about canes or shunts as they were treated to a day at the races by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northeast Ohio and the Force Racing team of North Jackson.
They were two of five Make-A-Wish kids who attended the Fasttrax endurance series race, with an up-close view from behind the pit wall.
About the group
Make-A-Wish is an organization that grants wishes, and provides other activities, for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. The average cost of a wish is $5,000.
Saturday's event was the first of its kind, Schaller said. He hopes to bring other Make-A-Wish kids to races throughout the summer.
The young people rode in a convertible "pace car" to start the race, with about 15 cycles trailing behind. Riders had the kids talking after they did "wheelies" and sped up to pass them by.
"People are so giving," said Dale Schaller, Make-A-Wish volunteer area leader. "We are just so blessed as an organization to be part of this."
Loves racing
Andrew Golubic has wanted to race bikes since he was 2 years old.
The 17-year-old Boardman teen has cystic fibrosis, an incurable disease that affects his lungs. He said the illness doesn't keep him from doing anything -- he's a baseball player -- as long as he uses his inhalers and medications daily. For his wish, he met Will Smith on the set of "Men in Black II" in Los Angeles.
His mother, Cindy Golubic, said the Make-A-Wish activities help alleviate the pressure that comes with living with a life-threatening illness.
"He's under stress constantly," she said. "Andrew's illness is a terminal illness, so he lives with that day to day. For him, this takes that away for a while."
Victor Ramey, 20, drove in from Columbus to watch the race because he likes racing and "anything fast." He has overcome Hodgkin's disease, and Make-A-Wish is overhauling his 1962 Chevrolet station wagon.
Appreciative
Ricky Claar, 18, of Niles, said he likes racing, has his own dirt bike and met dirt bike racer Jeremy McGrath in April as his wish.
Claar, who is epileptic and underwent brain surgery last year, has seizures five to seven times a week. They used to come five to seven times a day.
The Make-A-Wish activities "mean a lot to me," Ricky said.
His dad tried to talk about his appreciation.
"It's hard to put it into words because you can't describe it," said Rick Claar.
Lenny Good, father of Brandon and Matthew, said his boys have learned lessons about giving through Make-A-Wish.
After Make-A-Wish gave to them, they wanted to give back.
Mom Debbie Good said it means a lot, "knowing that there's somebody there who cares enough to do something special for them that we would never be able to do."
Brandon's wish was a trip to New York City to meet Rosie O'Donnell. Matthew met Jeff Gordon.
Raising money
The group chatted with Force Racing co-owners Ron Crum and Rob Elston as they waited for the three-hour race to start.
Besides sponsoring the race days, Crum and Elston are raising money to fund a wish -- one racer has pledged $1 for every lap he rides this summer.
Force Racing has also performed in national endurance races, winning three championships over the years. This year, the team chose to stay in the local series.
"We do it for fun and what better way to spread our joy than to let the kids come out and enjoy it?" Crum said.
Elston had another reason for why he became involved with Make-A-Wish.
"Right here," he said, placing his hand over his heart. "It just makes you feel good."