Mike Aksamit after winning his very first bus race.
Aksamit drove an old bus in the race at Aitkin and took first in his first bus race ever.
Mike Aksamit after winning his very first bus race.
"I'm now completely hooked!"
Aksamit takes first in bus race
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by Karin L. Nauber
Mike Aksamit won his first bus race and now he is completely hooked on it! Here is his story in his own words. . . .
I have a group of friends who have started racing old, retired school buses. They only participate at roughly three races per summer. These friends have been after me to race with them since they started. I have avoided them as much as possible, for fear of really becoming hooked!!
They finally got to me and convinced me to race in Aitkin at the county fair [this summer], completely against Jenny’s [Mike’s wife] wishes, of course. Jenny also knows I’ll be completely hooked!!!
Never doing anything like this before, I kept it quiet and only invited our immediate family to witness the potential greatness or the complete disaster that was about to happen. I didn’t realize our son was on Facebook live streaming the event so several of our employees and friends also watched it.
My group of friends found a 1990 Ford school bus that had been parked in the weeds for the last three years and had it ready for me. It was a gas engine with hydraulic brakes, a five plus two speed transmission, no mirrors or parking brake. Let’s just say it was a real gem.
Never doing anything like this before, my friends gave me a couple pointers (literally three) and sent me off. They said “Go straight, turn left, and brake only when you see God.”
During this event Aitkin had regular car races, as well. The bus races were actually the main (or final) event, but they participated between the different heats of cars. . . .