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 SOUTH
HAVEN, MI (June 7-8) -- The spirit of cooperation was in the air last
week between Viper Days competitors and Hoosier Tire associates when
several Viper Days drivers and crew members were given a rare tour
Thursday of Hoosier's manufacturing facilities in Plymouth, IN. The
participants were given a "start-to-finish" tour giving them
detailed knowledge of how a Hoosier tire is made. That weekend, the
Viper Days Series was competing at Michigan's Gingerman Raceway where
the series and its competitors offered Hoosier associates the same
hospitality afforded them during their recent tour.
The factory tour was organized by Hoosier Road Racing
Product Managers Bruce Foss and Jeff Speer. On Thursday, June 6,
eleven Viper drivers and crew members were given a rare tour of the Hoosier Tire & Rubber
Corp. manufacturing facility. Due to the highly secretive nature of
the race tire business, tours at the factory are extremely uncommon.
But when a tour is allowed, it presents a special opportunity for
those who work at the plant. It affords them the chance to show
"outsiders" the hard work and dedication that is put into
each and every tire they produce.
The tour included the components area, the calendering operation that makes the fabric used
to make the tires, a revealing stop at the Hoosier X-ray machine and a
quick stop at the 300-mph test wheel. All this preceded the heart of
the tour--the tire building facility where all the components are
assembled. The Viper competitors were able to witness the carcass
assembly, the bead installation, the belt/tread application and
finally the curing process.
The tour was welcomed by Don Newton, Vice President of
Manufacturing, and was guided by Hoosier engineer Gary Freymiller. The
tour group was encouraged to ask questions and were amazed to see the
depth of knowledge of those assembling the tires. Not only did they
know their own job, they had detailed knowledge of the jobs that were
to be performed both upstream and downstream of their own. This has
been achieved over the years via Hoosier's extensive training and
cross training programs developed and guided by Hoosier Training
Coordinator Roger Ridenour.
During the tour, Mark Sutch, Hoosier's calendering
manager, struck up a conversation with Sonny Whelen, owner/driver of
the Whelen Engineering Viper #31. Sutch mentioned that he, along with
many other Hoosier associates, was planning on attending the Viper
Days event that weekend with his family using passes provided by
Hoosier and Viper Days organizers Skip Thomas and his daughter
Courtney. Hearing this, Whelen requested that he look him up while
there.
On Saturday, the Sutch family including Mark, wife
Chris and sons Tyler (12) and Richie (7), no more than entered the
paddock when they were spotted by Sonny Whelen who immediately recognized
them. He came over to them offering them greetings with a smile and a
hand shake. Whelen also informed them of the luncheon for the teams
that was being served and that he signed them in as guests so they
could eat with the competitors. While there they were able to talk
with several other drivers and crew members. During the luncheon, they
also were able to meet Viper organizer Skip Thomas. Thomas then
proceeded to go out of his way taking the Sutch family through the
pits and even let them sit in several Viper cars which put an
ear-to-ear grin on both the boys faces while mom was busy snapping
pictures.
A few of the other Hoosier associates enjoying the
Viper Days festivities compliments of Hoosier and Viper Days' Skip
Thomas were Hoosier's maintenance supervisor Dave Jensen along with
two of his three boys. They were joined by Jason Perkins of the
maintenance department and his 8-year-old son Austin in experiencing
the thundering competition featured in the Viper Days event.
When it was all over, the Viper Days competitors who
had toured the Hoosier production facilities not only had a better
understanding of the labor intensive and meticulous process required
to make racing tires, they also had an understanding of the
high-caliber people who make the tires. And in turn, the Hoosier staff
also gained an appreciation of the people associated with the Viper
Days competition. In the words of Mark Sutch who recommended everyone
attend a Viper Days event, "You will not be disappointed with the
friendly atmosphere and the competition of the race. It makes you
proud to build and supply tires for such a class organization as the
Viper Racing League."
To view the results of the Gingerman race and to learn
more about the Viper Days and the Viper Racing League visit their
website at www.viperdays.com.
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