TEAM ARUBA REMEMBERING BERT JACKSON AS ADRL TOUR VISITS JACKSON’S HOME TRACK

By Tristan Ralston on 21st June, 2012

RICHMOND, Va. June 19, 2012:  It’s been less than a year since the heartbreaking loss of life at the ADRL Dragstock VIII, where Bert Jackson made his last pass in an Extreme Pro Stock qualifying session that turned tragic. This weekend the ADRL will visit Jackson’s home track, Virginia Motorsports Park, for the US Drags V. Many teams are dedicating this weekend to the memory of their fellow racer. For Trevor Eman, who was racing alongside Jackson on his final pass, this weekend will prove to be especially difficult.

“I am not very good with emotions,” confessed Eman, “but it’s safe to say that this is going to be a tough weekend. Each race is difficult, knowing he’s not with us, but it will be especially hard to race in Bert’s hometown and not have him around.  We would like to dedicate our efforts this coming weekend to Bert. After Bert’s accident in Rockingham, Enoch and I traded uniforms, so I will be carrying Bert’s colors with me this weekend, and the Extreme Pro Stock teams have decided to do a Missing Man formation again in Bert’s honor. It may not be much to honor one of the greatest guys we’ve ever raced with, but it’s what we can do to show just how much we miss him.

“I believe the last time I raced Bert during eliminations was at Virginia last year… and he beat me,” Eman remembered with a smile. “I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

“Now that we’re racing under his colors and in his honor, I sure hope we can pull off a win for him this weekend. We are fresh off a runner up finish, but as great as it was to achieve a final round showing, it was almost just as disappointing for having gotten so close to a win and yet still not have achieved that goal. It only fuels the fire more for the desire to win one of these events, and, you never know, maybe we can keep that good momentum going and go one round further this weekend for Bert.”

It is clear that Bert Jackson’s memory is still alive and well amongst his fellow competitors and that his life will be honored well at his home track for the ADRL US Drags V.

“All I know is that, the Aruba.com/Alltel sponsored XPS car is ready for more round wins,” continued Eman. “Maybe I can have the luck of Bert as my co-pilot this weekend. Maybe, I will be able to hear him say ‘Come on Driver!’ one more time. We sure do miss him in the pit area and on the racetrack! And I know Enoch Love misses him very, very much.”

CONTACT: Lisa Collier

Team Aruba Racing

lisacollierpr@gmail.com

704.692.4636