DRAG RACERS…
PRO STOCK BIKE
JOE KOENIG

SIGNATURE PROFILES
©1999-2002 Dwight Drum

Photos (c) 2002
by Gary Larsen and Dwight Drum

DWIGHT CHATS WITH…JOE KOENIG

It doesn't take a long conversation with Joe Koenig to know that confidence and competence are dominant qualities he possesses and exudes. His Signature Profile should pace well because his words are quick and targeted. Koenig says things like, "If people in cars wore helmets there would be about one third of the fatalities that we have on the roads now. In a car the head is like a tomato." Koenig says much more worth sharing about life and racing and I hope you use your time to read on.

DOB: May 1-1959
Birth Town: Chicago, Ill.
Home Town: Glenview, Ill.

"Honesty and generosity."

"My father."

"100 percent, because my life couldn't get any better."

"Just see my kids grow up to be great people and I'd like to live a long prosperous life and enjoy my friends and activities."

"Yes. Absolutely. If people in cars wore helmets there would be about one third of the fatalities that we have on the roads now. In a car the head is like a tomato."

"I admire people with high levels of driver whether it's a family, friendship or business and I admire honest people. I like a straight-shooter whether you tell me it's good or bad, I like it. Bull doesn't go very far with me."

"I do a good living now with my company. Trim-Tex is the world leader in rigid vinyl drywall accessories. We hope that every house in America has a few pieces of our product in their walls."

"Dirt-biking with my wife and kids."

"A Chevy Pick-up."

"When I'm on a cell phone I drive slowly in the right lane. I do the speed limit. When I'm not on the cell, I'm a little more aggressive, but I'm defensive-aggressive. I'm cautious. I'm well aware of what everyone else is doing. I feel that racing has brought my driving to the next level. I trust no one, especially on a motorcycle."

"I've had a few close calls where people flat-out try to run you off the road for minding your own business. They see you get a little aggressive off a stop light and then when you settle into a zone they want to come up and show you how bad their 180 HP car is. They get close to you and try to impress you. I ride a GSX1000 or ZX1200 because I like the power, but I don't abuse the power. I use it here and there to pick my spots. Knuckleheads out there want to race you with their mom's Cadillac.

"I'm 43 so my eyesight and my brain are going on me. Kidding aside…I'd improve my knowledge."

"Yes. I work out on a dirt bike and I workout my arms. Because I'm so tall I learned last year that to ride this pro-stocker I have to work my arms. I lost 10 pounds so I can go fast. I have to lose weight and maintain muscle and keep my arms strong. Fred and Angelle don't have to worry about it too much because they are so tiny. I look like a gorilla on the bike when it launches. I have to be strong enough to stop the negative reaction on the body."

"At the end of the track, sometimes you get leg cramp."

"Dirt Bike riding, Enduro, and hockey. I played hockey in high school."

"For sure, try to be cool."

"Yes I do. My routine is to stay busy tuning the bike. Actually, I work out with weights 10 minutes before I get ready to race. I pump my arms up and then I think about a good launch. Everything else comes naturally. It's all mental. Your subconscious takes over everything, except for a good light and a good launch. With me I have to lunge my body forward at the right time. .."

"I would issues when my kids have been sick. That scares me the most. I went off the track at Norwalk and it didn't scare me. I just handled it."

"I fear that someone would mistreat my kids and my wife Debbie more than anything."

"Till now I work on the pro-stocker. Next year it's going to be more about dirt bikes. My garage is my sanctuary. I have a fabulous work shop. This kid is so awesome.( referring to his daughter) We start that pro-stocker up and her bedroom is right above the garage. We start that bike at midnight or two in the morning and she won't say anything about it. She doesn't mind"

"I dream about work all the time. That's where I get most of my ideas for Trim-Tex products. I don't dream about racing. I don't know why. It's probably because I do it all the time. It's amazing how I create products. A lot of them were lying in bed sleeping or taking a shower. A lot of good designing happens that way."

"Right now with my kid."

"Just about everything, whatever I'm into. I worry about business. I worry about racing. I worry about friendships. Those are all important things to me."

"The G-forces are quite incredible. Going down the track is a lot of fun. Once you have a good run going everything flows and clicks and you know it's a good pass."

"In racing I've made plenty trying to tune the bike. In life, there's always a mistake happening. I learn constantly from mistakes in life, business and racing. I'm not afraid of mistakes. There's always something good and bad in a mistake. You can find something good by mistake, right? My first patented product came by mistake."

"My wife and kids."

"Technically about engineering, I would like to learn form my crew chief Jeff Wudi. I'd like to learn from my wife and kids about unabashed love, no matter what. Kids are so innocent. No matter what you do, they always think you're the best, you're the coolest."

"No."

"Not really. I try not to over-eat"

"Loco-Joe, Joe Mama."

In 1978 I had a SX750 Special. I took it to Wisconsin. Broadway Bob came up and made us feel at home. I've loved drag racing ever since. I lived in California, raced Wednesday nights with Terry Vance at Orange County International Raceway. I've been doing it for a long time."

"For spectator appeal, I'd like to see the show improved and be faster…less oil downs, keep the bikes moving down the track, no crew members at the starting line. No conversations about nitrous. Riders can flip their own computer switches. I feel it would speed up the program. It would improve the appeal. I want the sport to succeed. I love top Fuel. Trim-Tex sponsors four top-fuelers and a couple of pro-stockers"

"Low maintenance, easy-going, never gets mad. I don't settle for anything less than perfection in myself."

"I want to say a heartfelt thanks to my crew, my crew chief, Jeff Wudi and Kevin Fardous my second team guy and also Kenny Osberg, a key Kawasaki employee working on a Suzuki team."

"This is my last race. I want to spend more time with my kids. I want to minimize the late nights in the garage. I want to work on my other bikes. I have a collection of motorcycles. I have a lot of dirt bikes and I maintain them for the whole family. We have 15. I want to tinker."

"I'm in the process putting together an NHRA Pro Stock Team, so I will be involved in racing as a team owner. I'm interviewing riders now and the sponsor prospectus is out. We are going to be a contender. You can quote me on that. We are going to be a contender.

"I've had a fabulous time in Prostar. I've been racing here since 1972. I might come back as a driver on a street bike or a cruiser somewhere down the road, but it won't be for a couple years. I'm going to miss hundreds of friends here in the Prostar family. NHRA has about 30 Pro Stock Bike riders, here at Prostar. You have several hundred drag bike racers. I'm going to miss all the people, the McBrides, Billy Vose, Paul Gast, all the racers. I'm going to miss being here and all the goofing around.

Like his drywall products and his racing efforts Koenig delivers solid and crisp results. I could continue with more great attributes about Joe, but let's keep this quick like Koenig's world record run. Gary Larsen agreed. Joe Koenig is….

PRECISE

Koenig Steps Up
© 2002 by Dwight Drum

"I am totally ready for this transition in my life," Keonig said. "This will be very similar to being a good father or a good boss. I will step back and let Geno and his crew chief do their jobs. I will be proud of them when they succeed and try to guide and support them when they need me to." Geno Scali is a proven NHRA Pro Stock Bike winner. What are your plans to get more wins for this skilled racer?

"Five important things, Dwight," Koenig said. "Here's my top numbers."

No.1 Fund the race team.
No.2 Get a top notch crew chief.
No.3 More horse power.
No.4 Lots of testing.
No.5 Turn them loose.

"Last year I worked about 40 hours a week on the Pro Stock Bike team, two bikes, two trailers, and a lot of motor changes from two-valve to four-valve," Koenig said. "This year I will spend more time dirt biking and snowmobiling with my family and friends. As for Trim-Tex, I have an awesome staff and they handle just about everything that comes along. The race team will take care of itself and I will have more free time in the evenings for my wife Deb and my three daughters."