Golden Valley, MN-The new "Dangerous on Dirt" ParkerStore Racing hats are manufactured by Design Dynamix out of Minneapolis, MN. They are black and yellow with white and grey trim. Jimmy Mars and Donny Schatz’s numbers and signatures are on the sides. It has the ParkerStore Racing logo on the front and "Dangerous on Dirt" across the back. More than 800 were made on the first order, and they’re almost sold out. They have placed another order for 720 more. They are selling for $13.00 a piece. You can call John Strand at (763) 525-4232 to order one.

I had a chance to sit down with Steve Johnson, the first customer to order one of the new "Dangerous on Dirt" hats. Steve has been an employee at Parker Hannifin for almost 8 years. His title is Flight Ground Crew Team Support Assistant. He mainly does janitorial and other utility work around the plant.

Racing is one of his favorite sports. He likes watching the cars go fast! He’s gone to the ASA race at the Minnesota State Fair for the past 10 years. The first time he went was when he was 12 or 13, and he liked it so much he has kept going. He bought the hat because he is a big racecar fan. Some of his favorite drivers are Donny Schatz, Jimmy Mars, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, and Rusty Wallace.

Steve has been participating in the Special Olympics since he was in fourth grade. He’s been to Anchorage, Alaska, Salt Lake City, Utah, Austria, and many more. This past March he was in Alaska, and he won a bronze medal for speedskating in the 500-meter race.

I go to a race a few times a year. I have been to Pikes Peak Raceway in Denver, CO, Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, WI, and the Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, ND. I always think that some of our family trips are going to be so boring when they are for racing, but they always turn out to be pretty fun.