1970

2005

November 17 to November 20, 2005

I just heard the news....words can't express how sorry we are for the entire Makarewicz Family. Ed was a wonderful, caring man and will be deeply missed by all. If there is anything we can do, please don't hesitate for a minute to ask. You are all in our thoughts and prayers.
Love,
Howie & Cindy

To everyone at the Mac camp, I can’t even express how sorry we are to hear of your loss. Ed will definitely be missed!
You’re in our thoughts and prayers.
Gene, Jeralyn, Ty & Rose

Mac Family,
I am very sorry to hear of your loss. I did not know him very long but he was always the nicest person to me. He will definitely be missed by all. Your whole family will be in my prayers. Please let me know if there is anything I can do.
Josh Oswald
#17 Thriller

Jason - we are all very sorry to hear about your dad!! We will keep you and your whole family in our prayers and thoughts call me if I can help in any way at all!!! You and your family are one of the greatest families we have ever met during our racing years!! And remember we are just a phone call away!!!!!
Rick & Sue Collins

I just want to make it short and sweet....I didn't know him as well as the rest of Mac Bros racing team, but he had to be great kind of a guy for raising such a great family. Please keep following his path.

Billy B.
NEETS Promoter

That was the best Big Wheel Ever!!

Quick story about Dad: The man could fix anything. And if he did not know how to fit something he would learn how to fix it on the job. Mom’s washing machine died and Dad was in no mood to buy another. So down to the basement he went, tools in hand.

Noises, bangs, curses flying everywhere came out of that basement. Mom goes down to check on Dad – the washing machine is now ripped apart. There are parts everywhere, tools everywhere and an old spot light – that if you moved too fast or bump something - it would blow the bulb.

A couple of hours go by and you here the famous “Franny!!” “Franny come downstairs.” So here comes Mom – all the parts are gone, tools are on a pile ready to be put away, Wow - she things. Dad turns to Mom – “Make this go.” Mom – “What?” Dad – “Turn it on and see if it works.”

Thank God for Mom or we would have a working washing machine and no clean underwear.

12/23/05

Dear Jason,

I lost my Dad too almost 6 years ago – unexpectedly, just like you did. It is the hardest thing anyone can go through and believe me – it does not get any easier. This time of the year is even harder. When I first saw your Dad I knew that I knew him from somewhere but I just could not place where. Well now I know, many years ago he worked with my Dad at Hazleton Pumps. Anyway, I learned one thing, life is to short, just like you said, and he would be proud of you. You guys are a great bunch of people, always there for everybody and never looking for anything in return. Just remember he will always be with you!!!! Kim 22B L/M

And yes - that is a little JJ under the sheet!!

12/23/05

Dear Jason and Family,
You don't know me, but we know a lot (Look WJ- I wrote it as 2 words- I'm trainable!! hehe) of the same people. I never got to meet your father, but I can tell you that just from what everyone says about you, I can tell that you must be a chip off the old block. "Hug Everyone Twice"- that's so sweet. Your father must have been some guy to raise such a nice son I'm sure it will be a tough Christmas for your family, but the remembrances of your Dad and knowing that he's still with you, in your hearts, will help you through the holiday. I'm sure I'll meet you at some point, as soon as I get to Mountain again. Take care. Lori

Jason and Marissa on a hot date. Little did they know dad would be right in the middle of them - all night!!

We (me and sue) only met your dad a handful of times and he was always happy and talked to everyone!! Just like Lori said you are definitely a chip off the old block or as I say ''The apple didn’t fall far from the tree''. You always have to remember your father is watching down on you at all times and will be cheering you on in the 2006 season. We hope you and your family will have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year. Hope to see you guys at the Motorsports show in January.
Rick and Sue Collins and Family

When Little Ed and Kevin Attack!!!

As well, I only met your dad a few times but no matter what mood you were in, he always knew how to make you laugh and you just forgot about your bad mood. He always had a smile on his face and a joke to tell you. He was always eager to lend a hand. So Jay that is how I will always remember him.
Jay - may you and your family’s hearts be filled with all the memories of him in this holiday season, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and god bless.
Matt
NEETS Official/ Head Flagger
Driver/Owner Redneck Racing Enterprise #32

Dad was in for a long night!!

The weekend before Christmas our mom, both brothers (Kevin and Jason), wife and girlfriend (April and Marissa – almost wife by law), the two boys (Steven and Nathan) and Brianna (Mark’s little girl) – all came to our house in Philly to celebrate the Holiday. As much as we could celebrate. More for the kids then anything else.

So we started handing out presents and the kids were having a ball – and there were mostly smiles on everyone’s faces. Until my mom came up to me and handed me a present. With big tears in her eyes she told me that this was the last present that our dad bought and it was for me.

It was a Penn State Sweatshirt.

So what is going through my mind – do I wear it or not?? I was talking with a friend, Alice and this is what she told me. “How wonderful - you have a present from your dad! He was such a considerate man: to go shopping personally and select a gift? That is absolutely incredible, and I wish that I had married a man like that! I think I'd wear the shirt with pride, as he'd have wanted you to do that anyway. I think if you had told your dad that you were going to save it as a memory-piece and not wear it, your dad would laugh and ask if you had lost your mind, "its CLOTHING". Besides, a shirt isn't going to be the only thing that you remember about your dad, so wear it and enjoy it. (He always did have good taste: buying a PSU shirt!!)”  

She is right and upon reading her e-mail – I decided that I would wear the sweatshirt. But for some reason – the sweatshirt is still under my computer desk. Along with the sweatshirt are two bags of stuff that my dad saved. Our dad saved everything. At this point – I still have not gone through those bags nor have I wore the sweatshirt.  

Ed Mac

April 7, 2006

Today would have been our dad’s 60th birthday. Before November 16 – there was a bunch of talk about a big SIX-O party. Now there are just prayers, questions, tears and memories. We quietly say the prayers, we scream the questions, we wipe away the tears and we hold tightly to those memories. We miss you dad!!

We would like everyone to join and remember our dad on June 17, 2006 - for the first and by no means the last – annual running of the Duct Tape 50 at the Mountian Speedway. The Thrillers will be running a 50 lap race in Honor of His name. Although the Mac Camp goes out there to win every race they enter – I fully believe that all three cars will end this race in victory circle or a scrape heap trying. So for everyone out there – gab a Rolling Rock, wrap it in duct tape and have a cold one for our dad. It would make him smile!!

We have been going through a bunch of stuff that dad has saved through the years. And let me tell you – our dad saved everything. He was also better known as the “Pack Rat”. The man through away nothing – “You just never know when you will need it.” But with all of that we found some baby pictures and I have one I would like to share with all the Mac Fans!! PICTURE

July 17, 2006

When Dad died we had no idea how to tell Emily (she was 3 at the time) that she would not be able to see her Pop Pop again. So we told her that when you looked up in the sky and you found a star that is winking down on you – that was Pop Pop saying "hi" and watching over you.

Last night – the three of us were out side – all of sudden Emily said there he is!! There is who?? We asked. Well Pop Pop – of course. Torie walked over to Emily and they sang that little song wishing upon a star.

What did Emily wish for – to have her Pop Pop back. If it were only that easy. We still miss you dad!!

Hello all,

It is a little after 1230am on November 16, 2006 – and in just a few hours it will be one year since the passing of Dad. Wow – one year.

Although that day, one year ago, and most of the week that followed was mostly a blur, I remember that phone call like it happened yesterday. Deep sleep and the phone rings. You’re warm in bed and the stupid phone is ringing – no idea what time it is and what the hell could they want. The answering machine picks up and they leave no message. Instantly the phone rings again – this time you are out of bed faster then the Road Runner in a Sunday Morning cartoon – and you get the news.

Since no one could change what happened nor do I have to except the belief that it was his time – I will honor his name today and forever:

Born April 7, 1946

Oldest Son of Three Boys

Vietnam Veteran

Married the Greatest Person

Raised Three Sons of His Own

Grandfather to Three

Lived Life to It’s Fullest

Died November 16, 2005

In between all those things, Dad was none stop – weight lifter, basketball player, Mr. Fit It, Mr. Break It, Mr. Invent It, wood choppin’, wood stackin’, wood burnin’ fool. I could go on – but the sentence would be four pages long and yes – I can not forget Mom. Thank You for everything – no matter how many times I said I hate you both, when I was much younger – you guys are the best parents in the world. I could only hope that I raise Emily half as well as you raised your three boys!!

So what happened this past year? Mac Brothers Racing – ran their asses off to get into Victory Lane. Kevin did take home three Heat Race wins and one Consti win. We could smell that Feather win but the winds were blowing in the wrong directions and we missed out on the feast.

On Fathers Day Weekend – MBR sponsored a race called the Duct Tape 50. In honor of Dad – there were buttons, T-Shirts, money put up for each lap, lottery tickets handed out at the gate and much more. And the best part Mom Mac got to drive the pace car – Dad’s Green Cadillac. The only thing that Mom kept saying – “I want to go faster!” Racing is in her blood she just won’t admit to it.

I have heard a few stories of shadows or feeling of being watched when no one was around but our daughter Emily is either pulling our legs through the ringers or Dad is watching over her. She has said so many little and strange things to us and her school teachers - that it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up when I think about it.

She has told us that her Pop Pop talks to her and rubs her back every night. Emily’s first Christmas in Hazleton (she is 7 months old) – it is kind of late, she is in her pajamas sitting on Pop Pop’s knee and Dad is lightly rubber her back. Every time he stops – she would slowly turn around and look at him with big eyes as if saying “Why are you stopping?”

A week ago at school – she drew a picture of me crying. The teacher asked why I was crying in the picture – “My daddy is crying because he misses my Pop Pop.”

Dad if you are watching over our little girl – Thank You – you are always welcomed in our home, our hearts and will always be in our thoughts. Just please don’t scare her – you will make Torie mad.

To this day she talks about Dad as if she just had a conversation with him the night before. Which she just might have!!

What will 2007 bring to the MBR family? For one – more great racing from the whole crew. Looks like Kevin and Jeff will be running the whole season. Marissa will start the season and go from there and Jason will run a few races with his new toy. And the Duct Tape 50 Race was a huge success that I am sure there will be a Duct II – in the works.

I believe – which could change at anytime – but I do believe that this will be the last enter into this page. In no way, shape or form am I saying that I am putting Dad on the back burner and forgetting him – it’s just time to put a close on this page of the web site. I have a feeling that Dad stories will pop up once in a while on the news pages. But you will have to check back and find out when.

Once again – Thank You Dad – for everything. I wish I would have taken the time to learn more from you – there was a vast amount of knowledge in that head of yours – but at least I got 35 great years to build on.

Mom – what can I say – you are the best and I love you dearly. Dad could not have picked a better person to marry and raise three great children. Thank You.

Bros – although we are a little far apart – I am always here for you guys. Thank you for taking care of Mom although sometimes it seems like she still taking care of you two. Hopefully we will be lucky for the whole crew in 2007 when we make the races and not just for Kevin.

It is now 230am – guess I need to get some sleep. Thanks to all our fans for tuning in and I hope you have enjoyed as the Macs Turn. See Ya All in 2007!!

Ed Mac Out

Ride On Dad, Ride On