Rod's Candle
Rod's Candle
On Saturday, May 1, Timing & Scoring Chief Rod Polentz was killed in a tragic accident while performing mechanical work on his motorhome at his San Mateo home. Rod's family is arriving in town still and there is no word on services at this point. We will pass along any information as quickly as possible.
The webteam is deeply saddened at his loss and express the deepest sympathies to his family, friends, co-workers and acquiantences.
Region member Gregg Schlaman has posted two pages of photos as a very nice Tribute To Rod Polentz .
Gregg has updated the page with a few more photos.
May 13th
We are still awaiting further information regarding services. The direction at this time will be a memorial / rememberance service sometime in the June/July timeframe.
May 13th Bob Stegall
In the meantime, most importantly this Saturday, May 15th, there will be group assembling at Rod's house in Millbrae to load his many personal effects and furniture into a large moving truck that will be headed north to Washington, where his family resides.
They will be packing this week but need help to get the moving van organized and loaded. We need more able body participants. This is something that you can actually do that will really help in the transistion. Please help us.
Rod's family will appreciate your help. For you workers that are thinking that we just finished one week end and have the Wine Country coming up, look at it this way. ....the morning meeting is not uptil 9am. If we get this organized and moving right, the social should be at noon. And you don't have to come back the next day! We do need your help. Thanks!
Rod's house is located at 331 Anita Drive in Millbrae. To get there from highway 101, take the Millbrae Drive (Avenue?) exit and go west. Go over the little bridge and turn right onto El Camino Real. About 1/2 mile up on the left take Meadow Glen. Orchard Supply Hardware is on the right. Go two stop signs to the T intersection and turn left onto Magnolia. Turn right onto the first street - Anita. Go to the stop sign. The house is two houses before the stop sign on the left.
Thanks for any assistance you can provide. We need to not only move the furniture and boxes but clean as well or the landlord will take the entire deposit. I'd personally rather see Kirstie get the deposit, not the landlord.
May 10th Jane Newbury and Marcy and Bob Crawford.
Hello All, As stated in my previous email, here are some responses I have received permission to forward. These came from the wheeltowheel list in response to my post about Rod.......
May 5th Marcia Ulise
Marcia,
Please carry our prayers and love to Rod's family in their time of need....It is so hard to loose one of our own racing family...
Thank you for sharing...
Annie Christian
Colorado Region
Hi,
I am usually just a reader of this list, but this story made me real sad. If you know of an address to send cards to the family, please send it to the list.Ellen
Fellow SCCA Members
I can not tell how deepely saddened with the loss of Rod. Rod was not only a great guy to be around, his love of his daughter Kirstie was second to none. Our Family has lost another great person. Rod's quick jokes, while not always making the most of sense, always left a smile on your face.
When Rod said that he would become Timing and Scoring Chief for 1999, a great load was lifted off my shoulders. In just a few events, he was making great strides as becoming a truly great chief.
While, once again deeply saddened by Rod's death, we must not ever forget that he
brought forth into this world a daughter and it is our
responsibility to attempt to keep in touch with her in what ever means possible and remind
her of what a great "DAD" she had.
Rod will be replaced as Timing and Scoring Chief, but he will never be replaced as a friend.
God Bless Rod, It Was Great Knowing You.
Ian Cook
May 5th
Rod was probably best known to us for his ability to have a good time. My first recollection of this was several years ago when we were attending an Indy Car race at Laguna Seca.
Rod really wanted one of the banners that the organizers hang around the race track. Of course, since we were working timing and scoring we couldn't get out to pick up souvenirs since they were all gone by the time we finished Sunday.
Rod's answer was to get his souvenir on Friday night before the weekend became real busy. The local Gestapo frowned on this idea and therein lies the story.
Rod, along with his accomplices, Ann and Marcy set out on this endeavor. Needless to say, they got busted. But not before this PPG flag ended up in MY motor home. I had been working all day and arrived at the track Friday night to find a giggling wife and no Rod or Ann.
Seems Rod and Ann were escorted off the premises, but not before he stashed the flag. Marcy, who claims not be have been involved in any way, but being a child of the '60's, reversed her jacket to the black lining and escaped. Rod and Ann ended up spending the night in Ann's VW bus, off the premises. That is after the gendarmes separated them, interrogated them, compared stories and tossed them from the joint.
Some time later Rod was working with Evelyn in T&S, just chatting about things. Evelyn says, "Rod, what do you do for a living." Rod answers, "I'm a lawyer." Evelyn, "When did you get involved with T & S." Rod, "Marcy recruited me at Indy Car." Evelyn, "Do you go to Indy Car every year." Rod, "Oh yeah, we go every year and camp at turn 11." Evelyn thinks for awhile and says, "Your the one that got Ann arrested!"
Yes, since then Rod has been the "perp".
Oh, by the way, Marcy picked up the flag from Rod's home. It is in T&S; probably forever. Well, except for Indy Car.
May 5 Bob Crawford
Well, a little time has passed and I would like to say a little something about as good a man as they come
--- Rod Polentz.
He made me laugh, he challenged me to think, to ask questions to give it all that I could. I along with others challenged him to take a monumental job with Timing and Scoring and for a year he said no because he could not give it a 100%. So when the time was right and he could, he did.
Thanks for the effort Rod.
The man provoked laughter, thought and passion.
Rod will always be a warm shining light in my heart and I look forward to seeing him once again in the next life.
Until then, I will treasure those little gifts of experience he has given me.
God bless you my friend and rest in peace knowing that you have many friends that will look over and keep watch of Kirstie.
---Sal
May 6, Sal Versaggi
Email the webteam to pass along your memories of Rod. We'll do
our best to get it to his immediate family.