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Like father, like son at the Speedway
Published 11:07am Thursday, May 26, 2011For many people, family events are boring get-togethers that might include going out to dinner or sitting around a coffee table.
For the Saurers, however, dirt track racing is the family event of choice.
Driver Ron Saurer from Dalton started racing in 1974. He gave up the sport for several years in the 80s and 90s when he had three boys but started racing again in 1995, after his oldest son, Travis Saurer, graduated from high school.
“It’s been a lot of fun years racing with my boys,” said Ron. “It’s definitely a family thing. When we race together it’s pretty wild.”
While all three of his sons have raced in the past, middle son Travis Saurer is the only one racing with his dad this year.
“We work together more than we race against each other, but when we’re out there racing, everybody is trying to win,” said Travis. “It’s not like I’m going to let off because he’s my dad.”
Both Ron and Travis race at several area dirt tracks including the I-94 Speedway in Fergus Falls.
“It’s always fun to race close to home,” said Ron. “It’s nice, too, because gas prices are so high.”
Ron and Travis have both found success on the track this season. Ron won a Midwest Modified division race at Buffalo River Race Park in Glyndon, and Travis has had a few first place finishes including a memorable win at the I-94 Speedway in Fergus Falls following a track accident.
During the Midwest Modified race at Norman County Raceway in Ada on a recent Thursday night, the whole car was wrecked, he said.
“I worked all night and day to get it ready for the next night,” said Travis.
He went on to win the Midwest Modified race with the car he scrambled to fix before the race. He also took first that night in the A Modified division with his other car.
“Travis takes it serious,” said Ron. “He does everything there is to win. He puts a lot of time into it and helps a lot of other drivers out.”
Ron said that he gets a lot of help from his other sons, Justin and Trevor Saurer, too.
“Racing is something I did years ago, and I got them into it,” said Ron. “Now I sit back and enjoy the time I have to do it with them.”
