You are 100% accurate. Mike came in every day after I took over when he didn’t have to and was able to just enjoy what he loved without the mental burdens of being a business owner. He was just having fun. In my opinion he won at life. He lived to be in 70’s smoking and having his martini’s, owned a very successful company, had plenty of money, made a solid name for himself across the country and beyond. Most importantly he did what loved right up until he passed. Mike and I had different opinions on some things in the transmission world which kept things interesting but it was always in good fun and I was fortunate to spend the last year and half with him and see the passion he had for this industry.
I had a few talks with Mike when he started discussing retiring. I noted to him that many of my friends would retire, then veg out on the sofa, and pass away shortly thereafter. I'm glad he didn't.
But I wish I could have drug him down to Speed Week at Bonneville. He would have got a kick out of it.