Drag Illustrated Issue 149, October 2019 | Page 28

Dirt GEORGE BRYCE 28 | D r a g I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com recall the conditions of that race, the setup on the bike, the opponents, and probably most im- portant of all, his tune-up. “I see everything it took to win those trophies,” he says. “But I also see the losses we had by one inch; I see the red lights; I see the late lights; I see the chains that broke; I see the bad tune- ups.” This is significant, as Bryce also admits to storing most of his vast motorcycle engineering, fabricating and tuning knowledge nowhere but within the confines of his mind. “As racers we’re so hungry for an advantage that when we work hard or buy something that works or we develop something better, we really are programmed to keep it secret. It created a lifestyle of keeping the recipe close to the heart, to not sharing,” Bryce says. “So that means it’s not written down any- where, which I think is one of my biggest and worst downfalls now. The trophies have the in- formation stored in a chapter in my mind, but nothing is really recorded. If I was to start again today, knowing what I know now about all these electronic devices, I think I would have a nice racing engine handbook instead of trophy en- cyclopedias.” The sprawling Star Racing shop, which once teemed with 15 full-time crew members, engine builders and technicians, now sees only Bryce and longtime employees Randall Welsh, Ron Reese and Monica Andrews reporting to work each day. Even Jackie has given up the Star life to return to the teaching career she put on hold for 38 years and daughter Julie recently married, moved to Nashville, and has absolutely no interest in Bryce’s racing mementos, never mind taking over the family business. “I asked Julie, what do you want me to do with all this stuff? And she said, ‘Oh Daddy, I don’t want it. I mean, the memories are awesome, but I don’t need that stuff.’ Then I said, what about all these Wallys, and she answered, ‘Sell them, give them away, put them in a museum, but please don’t leave them to me because I can’t use them.’ Then she told me, ‘You know I love racing. I love the people in racing, but please don’t ask me to be in racing.’” Despite no family member ready, willing or able to take over and no employee young enough Issue 149