Justin Kane (Crew Chief)
Age: 26
Hometown: Oak Creek
Experience: 14 years
Greatest Nemesis: Wild Turkeys
Occupation: Automotive Technician (Don Jacobs Toyota)
An automotive technician by trade, Justin can do any job by the book. Fortunately for the race team, he's also pretty good at solving problems they don't make manuals for.
Justin and Ryan teamed up early in 2009. They were both young and inexperienced - which is probably why they hit it off. Long story short, Justin offered to help Ryan fix a transmission issue because he literally had just rebuilt the same type of transmission at his technician classes at Universal Technical Institute.
The problem was fixed and the bromance was born.
Now known as "The Silent Smartass" because he's pretty quiet until he has a funny comment to make, Justin learned a lot about cars and mechanical systems in general from his days with Terry Patnode racing. He's now as good they get when it comes to crew help at the racetrack and he can even handle spotter duties.
As good as he is with a wrench, wild turkeys always get the best of him come spring.
It was pretty hot that day...
Brian Dolan
Duties/Skills: Chief Lug Nut Officer, All Basic Pit Duties, Oversee New Crew Members, Lead Facial Hair Technician
Background: If you've been to a short track race before, you know there's always a few cars that make it onto the track without hood pins. It's a little embarrassing and it's happened to everyone once. Fortunately in the last few years these things haven't happened to the 89 car because of Brian Dolan. The car never leaves the pit area without Brian signing off on hood pins, lug nuts, and the gas cap. Of course Brian can do all the other things required of a good crew man. One last thing you need to know about Brian - he's second only to Justin in terms years crewing - he's been on the team since mid-2009! He's also a modern day Rip Van Winkle because this guy could sleep through an 8 hour drum solo.
Jim Farrell
Duties/Skills: Gasman, Jackman, Post Race Negotiation
Background: Jim is the former co-owner of Farrell & Son's Masonry in New Berlin and is also Ryan's dad. Currently Jim works at Kohler Pit, Inc. in New Berlin, WI running large loaders and bull dozers. Jim had to learn about racing on the fly along side Ryan and Justin back in the early days. His experience with large equipment made him the original hauler driver and can he still jump in for Darren if need be!
On race days him and Brian team up and handle the basic pit duties. During the week Jim often picks up race fuel and mounts/dismounts old and new tires. His all time favorite job is changing the differential gear - just ask him!
Jim Obrien
Duties/Skills: Extremely Detailed Note Taking, Maintenance Checks, Suspension Changes
Background: While a super late model engine has over 500hp, Jim is used to working on much more powerful engines - as in +100,000hp! Like many other people living in Atlanta, Ga, Jim works for Delta Airlines overseeing their engine test facility.
So how does a guy living in Atlanta manage to crew for a team in Wisconsin? One of the perks for his job is free flights! Jim, who is also Ryan's stepdad, has years of experience in airplane maintenance, which makes racecar upkeep look easy.
Jim also likes to play fantasy NASCAR, although lately he has decided to keep his day job.
Darren Travis
Duties/Skills: Hauler Driver, Hauler Owner, Guy Who Knows Everyone, Has Best Laugh in The Pits
Background: A lot of people prefer one type of racing over another. There's late model guys, dirt guys, drag racing guys, midgets, NASCAR, etc...... Darren? He has no preference. If it has a motor and some form of competition he has a T-Shirt to prove he's watched it.
Going to that many races is probably a key reason that the guy knows someone everywhere he goes. Of course Darren has also had various businesses in Southeast Wisconsin. From Travis Brothers Construction to Midwest Industrial Surplus he's seen and done it all.
Darren owned the cars driven by Terry Patnode through the 90s and 2000s at Lake Geneva Raceway. He's got a lot of experience to draw from and is constantly thinking about ways to make the 89 car faster. Even on our worst days it's hard not to have fun with Darren around.
Braden Berge
Every team has to have at least one young guy to pass on the knowledge and hard lessons to. For 2018 Braden has jumped into that role.
Oddly enough most 15 year old kids in the pits are drivers now, and while I'm not sure when that became normal - it's certainly refreshing to see some kids are in it for more than just the driving side.
Somewhere down the road maybe you'll see him behind the wheel in a real (non-iracing) event, but for the time being he's the man with a pressure gauge and a bunch of questions. He even has spotted practice a few times!
His hobbies include Iracing, hunting for everything, and Kwik Trip stops on the way to and from the track (at least according to Justin!)
Rhianna Roskopf
Rhianna spends most of her day at the races taking pictures of everything and reporting on Facebook. She's sort of like a PR person that can also diagnose a concussion because of her athletic training background.
Lately she has been doing a great job of keeping people informed about schedule changes and race updates throughout the day. She also will have more time to take pictures because she won't be reminding Ryan (her brother) to add her to the crew page anymore!
Fun fact: When Ryan started racing his Thunderstock at Slinger in 2008, she was his first and normally only crew guy most of the first season! Make sure you ask her about the time the car magically disappeared in the pit area! She also liked Martin Truex way before everyone else thought he was cool.
Jeff Sobczak
Jeff has been helping RFR since 2015. Since then he has hardly missed a race! At the track Jeff can do any of the routine pit duties including jacking the car up, fuel, tires, and numerous other mechanic related duties. Just when you think the team might be short handed for a given day Jeff shows up to make life easier at the track! Jeff just became a Grandfather, so be sure to congratulate him next time you see him at the track!