RPW Column: A Few Family Tales; Remembering “Wild Thing” Mark Fluery From The Inside

RPW Column By: DANIEL SANCHEZ / RPW – FREEPORT, IL – Fedor Emelianenko once said, “I’ve never considered myself as a legend – just a simple man with heart.”

Hello and welcome, my name is Daniel Sanchez and I will be taking you through a few short stories about the legend of my Uncle Mark, or as many of you know him, “Wild Thing”.

My relationship with Uncle Mark revolved much around talking racing and catching up at all of our family gatherings. I would have loved to talk more with him about racing and life in general, but I had moved to Ohio for school and I was not home very often at all. The last time I got to sit down and talk with him was at my sister, Alyssia’s graduation party. He told me how much he loved Ohio during his time in law school and how the people there are just so nice all of the time. I can agree with him that Ohio was a very nice place to live and I enjoyed it very much.

One of my last memories I have of Uncle Mark is how excited he was for me and my racing career and he loved it even more that I was sharing those moments with my dad, Danny Sanchez. He knew all of the feelings I was going through in terms of excitement and stress and everything in between. I could literally see the excitement in his eyes as we both shared stories of his glory days and what I am sure I will reflect on as mine as well. It was a real connection we shared.

I was able to collect a few other memories from my dad, Danny Sanchez, cousin, Hunter Sanchez, and Woody Pitkat.

I will begin with Hunter, who like me, was surprised to hear the story about why both of our dads were hooked on racing. Hunter said “For decades my close and extended family have dedicated their lives to racing in many forms. Growing up as a fourth-generation racer, I always thought my father got into racing the way I did, by watching his dad. That wasn’t the source of his passion for racing though, growing up in the stands my old man and his cousins watched, ‘The Wild Thing,’ my Uncle Mark. Without his influence there may never have been a third or fourth generation of racer in the family.

I wish I knew Uncle Mark as the amazing driver he was, but that was a privilege for my dad’s generation. My memories of him are as the later-in-life family man and lawyer. One who opened up his pool to me for physical therapy as I recovered from injuries as a child. And one who always kept me well fed, along with my Aunt Vicky, when I was there. I had aspirations for a legal career when I was younger and always loved knowing that my Uncle was a lawyer. The last time we sat down and talked was at the service for my Aunt Vicky, and despite the sadness of that day, he had a list of advice for me about the path to law school. The last thing I remember him saying that day was to call him when I’m getting my applications together.

I never wrote those applications or made that call, but I’ll be practicing his style of massive slide jobs next time I’m on the track. I’ll do my best to be available for my family in the way he was for his. And maybe I’ll pick up on law school in my 30s the way he did.”

Well said Hunter, I am sure Uncle Mark was very proud that you went on to be a Georgetown graduate and are leading a successful life.

The next person I spoke with was none other than the wheel man Woody Pitkat. Woody stated, “Most memories I had with Uncle Mark pertain to racing. I remember traveling up the Mass Pike every Saturday night with my Gramma Pat to watch him race. Sitting in the stands listening to the roar of the fans behind us cheering for anyone but Mark. One night it was Dickie Larkin, the next week Jack Cottrell, the following week Chris Moore, and the week after that it was Kenny Tremont, but never Uncle Mark. I felt like they did it on purpose only to get Gramma Pat fired up.

I remember I couldn’t wait until I was 14 so I could go in that pits and hang with the crew and talk to Uncle Mark. Once I got in the pits and started talking to him, I quickly realized that he was a man of few words. Now looking back and racing over 24 years myself, I realize he must have been in the zone and focused on the task at hand, or worried to death that the adjustment’s they did for the night might not be the right call. I find myself doing the same thing now from time to time. Before the features, I could always get him to look across the stands at Gram and he would ask, “Hey Wood, who is gram fighting with this weekend?” It got to the point that a man would come down and check in on her from time to time, almost like a bouncer.

There was one time when Uncle Mark got black flagged in a heat race and wouldn’t get off the track. They were out in the wreckers and pace car following him around to try to get him off the track. Finally, an official told the crew chief you better get him in the pits, or he won’t race here every again. He pulled in, loaded the car, and we went up to Fonda to race that night.

I certainly can’t forget the night of the dead heat with Brett Hearn. Gram was right in Brett’s car pointing her finger and yelling at him. The next week Aunt Vick made “Dead Heat My Ass” shirts with Bart Simpson on them. They sold like hot cakes. Still to this day, that shirt is in the Lebanon Valley Club House. I encourage everyone to see what Bart is saying on the shirt the next time you visit.

I remember all of the memories going to Syracuse from washing the car when the day was over to when he qualified 4th one year and was running 3rd when the motor blew. I will never forget the Mr. Dirt win in 1992 that he lead the whole race on M and H tires. Mark was the only one in the field on them. I was 13 in victory lane spraying Champagne.

The best memories of all are going to Lake George every summer, Uncle Mark, Aunt Vick, Patty, Big Chuck, Little Chuck, Chris, and I think the Sanchez’s came some years, but it was my whole family. Those memories I remember the most. For example, Uncle Mark’s boat painted like the wild thing, jumping off the cliffs, going into the coves, and this one little island for homemade lollipops. I so bad want to get a boat and take my kids and Patty’s kids back there when they get a little older.”

I know Uncle Mark was incredibly proud of you Woody. I have been told he was brag about how good of a racer you have become and if someone did not know who you were, he would be absolutely astonished. This is because of the great popularity you have gained, and I am sure Uncle Mark could not have asked for you to do any better for yourself.

I could go nonstop about Uncle Mark and each family member would say the same. For now, I will let my dad, Danny Sanchez brings us to a close with his memories about Uncle Mark or as you will come to find out to him it was just Mark. Danny began with “Well, I’d like to tell you a few stories and things about my relationship with my uncle Mark.

First off, I wasn’t allowed to call him Uncle Mark after a certain age. I found that out in college since he was at Hudson Valley the same time I was. I remember him seeing me coming down the hallway. He came over to me and said, “I’ll tell you exactly what I told your cousin Tom, I am not your Uncle Mark here so do not call me uncle Mark.” He started laughing and then he looked at me and says, “I’m serious!” Okay, okay, Mark it is.

There was also the time when I was at his house in Nassau during a snowstorm. I was pretty young, about 9 or 10 years old. He asked me if I wanted to go for a ride on his snowmobile. Of course, I said yes. So, we get down to the field and he stops. He turned around and he said to me, “Whatever you do, keep your feet on the snowmobile. Do not put them out in the snow, we’re probably going to hit 120 mph.” Well, we took off and we were truly flying. What do I do? I put my foot off in the snow. It literally ripped me of the sled, and I went tumbling. Strange thing is I would’ve never thought to put my foot off in the snow if he didn’t say anything. Curiosity killed the cat! When he came back, he made sure I was okay before giving me the business. We got a good chuckle any time that was brought up over the years.

Another time, my cousin Chuck and I were riding home from the races with Aunt Vick and Uncle Mark. Aunt Vick was driving and apparently was going a little fast. Mark yelled “Vicky slow down!” She looked at him and said, “Well everybody claps when you go fast!”. I love that I still have that memory.

One of the very best times was when Kenny Schrader drove Uncle Marks race car, I believe in 1988. Aunt Vick and Uncle Mark were nice enough to let me and my cousins tag along. There were a lot of good memories that went along with that week of racing. The one I remember most, not related to racing was when we were in the hotel room. My cousin Chuck and I were in the same room as Uncle Mark and Aunt Vick. Uncle Mark asked me what I plan to do with my life. Long story short, I got to rambling about if I had to do it all over again, I would try harder. I remember him laughing at me and saying, “Put a sock in it, lad”. Mind you, he was in his 30’s and he just started going back to school that year or the year before. Talk about seriously doing it all over. The “put a sock in it, lad” comment would be something I would hear again a time or two. I’ve also used it a time or two, each time remembering where it came from.

I’ll finish up by talking about the friendship that he and I developed over the years. He represented me on dozens of houses that I bought or sold. We had many hours of conversation just really getting to know each other. I of course knew how I felt about him, but I didn’t truly know the extent of our relationship until he had to have one of his toes amputated because of his battle with diabetes. He called me from the hospital and told me that when he got home, he would need help with the bandage on his foot. He then asked me if I would help him. Knowing Mark as a proud man, I know it wasn’t easy for him to ask for my help.

My final day and memory with my Uncle Mark. My Cousin Pat needed someone to go and check on Mark. She lives in Connecticut. I was amazed that, even as sick as he was, the conversation we had was like everything was okay and we were just sitting in his office shooting the bull about racing. He was telling me that he watched my son Daniel race in Charlotte and how impressed he was. He also asked, in a matter of fact way, “He ran out of tires, didn’t he?”. He has always been sharp as a tac. The final memory I will take from that day, is how proud he looked as we said our goodbyes. I don’t really know how to explain it other than he looked to be completely poised and not rattled by what was going on at all. Mark being Mark!!!! Just the way I liked him.”

Well dad, knowing the person you are, I am sure Uncle Mark could not ask for a better nephew. That pride that you talked about seeing in Uncle Mark, I am sure is the same pride I see in you. Now I know where most of that comes from.

As I said before, I would have loved to go on about Uncle Mark with stories from each and every family member but that would be a chapter book by then. I myself am so grateful for my entire family and everyone that I have met along my life’s journey. Oh yeah, that quote from the beginning that Fedor Emelianenko said. Uncle Mark was exactly that, a simple man with a heart, and he will forever remain a legend as the stories of the family man, lawyer, and race car driver will carry on for many years to come.

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed these stories as much as I did. Almost all of this, I wrote with tears in my eyes thinking about how great of a man Mark Fluery truly was.

Hey Alexa! Play Wild Thing by The Troggs…