Drivers and teams work hard preparing their cars for race day. However, sometimes when you get to the track you suddenly find yourself changing gears, tires, shocks or springs.

Life is not that different from racing. Sometimes you’ve prepared yourself for a certain path and later find that you’ve had to shift gears in a different direction, like Butler native Ryan Hartman.

He was one on those little “racing tots” in the stands. His parents Davey and Debbie Hartman were at the racetrack every week, along with his grandparents Ginger and (former Late Model driver) Dave Meloy.

Eventually Ryan raced Go-Kart for six years. He loved racing them and learning the physics behind the set-ups. That is what inspired him to get a mechanical engineering degree.

He is a senior at Penn State and has geared his schooling toward automotive engineering with hopes of becoming a racing engineer. However, this year Ryan has made a decision to change gears and pursue a career outside of racing.

Ingersoll Rand went to campuses across the United States interviewing candidates for their Advanced Development Program (ADP). At Penn State, they interviewed Ryan along with 30 other students. He was selected from an on-site interview with 20 other students chosen from across the country.

Passing this test with flying colors, Ryan was one of five mechanical engineers selected into this two-year program. In July, he will start working in Indianapolis for one year and then move to a second location.

Moving on upThings continue to pick up for Tyler Bachman.He started at the ground level at Lernerville picking up trash on Saturday mornings. He later got a job in the concession stand.Bachman continued his ascent, becoming a line-up person, an assistant to Smokey Schempp at the blackboard, and later an assistant flag man. He was elevated to a flag man in Florida.In 2012, Bachman will be traveling with the World of Outlaw Late Models as their pit steward. He will still be at Lernerville when there isn’t a WoO race scheduled.Bachman said, “This is a great opportunity to go out and see the other tracks across the USA.”

Still on the mendAn update on publicist Jean Lynch, recovering from an August automobile accident where she fractured her leg: She is now able to put some weight on the foot and stroll through the house with a walker. Soon she will be able to graduate to a cane.This year, Lynch missed her first Florida Speed Weeks but with her leg mending, she hopes to attend a few races.

38 years and countingDavey Jones is back in a Sprint again, starting his 38th season. He will race randomly and not get into any point chase.

Back from AfghanistanBack from Afghanistan, Lt. Donny Martin Roenigk has finished serving his active duty in the Marines.He is now a reserve support officer and plans to go back to college to get an advanced degree. You may find him in the Lernerville infield on Fridays were he helps as a volunteer fireman. He just earned his EMT certificate.

In-car camerasRecently on Friday evening, View Point’s Bill Artzenberger put a camera the size of a pack of lifesavers in both Lynn Geisler and Carl Bowser’s car to catch the action.Defending champ Bowser went back to his old car to find Lernerville’s victory lane last week.

Around the tracksFriday, it is Armed Forces Night at Lernerville, Members of the services dressed in uniform will get in free.Current card carrier service members will get in for half price in street clothes. The AMVETS will ride to the track on motorcycles.and a member will sing the National Anthem.Saturday, Mercer Raceway Park will feature the B.O.S.S. Sprints. The wings will come off for some thrilling competition.West Virginia and Ohio residents will get free admission to PA Motor Speedway, Saturday. There will be double features for all divisions due to the light failure after the heat races last week.

Carol Gamble is a racing columnist for the Butler Eagle