| 6 Ernie Reiss | | Updated by Driver: 1/20/2012
Proofed by Staff: 1/20/2012 |
 | | Hometown: Beatrice, NE
Birthdate: 10/29/51
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 175
Email Address: ne1blueknight@gmail.com
Marital Status: Married - Jan
Children: Heather, Hollie, Abby, Jason, Jeremy, Grandchildren Mikayla,Tatyana,Talon, Evan, Ava, Hayden, Landon, Isaak, Creighton
Employer: City of Beatrice
Job: Police Officer
Year Started Racing: 2002
Total Years Racing: 10
Racing Hero: Al Humphrey - I was on his pit crew for about 15 seasons. He has always been competitive with what he had to work with. I consider him to be one of the best racecar fabricators in Nebraska, a very good driver and always willing to help anybody that asks.
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Year/Make/Model: 2004 Jet Phantom
Motor: Chevy assembled by R & R Racing, machine work by Schmidt Machine
Owner: Ernie & Jan Reiss / Jason & Jeremy Rosenthal
Crew Chief: Ernie Reiss
Crew: Jan, David Carmichael, Jeff Shew, Tyler Phelps, Jeremy Rosenthal, and anybody parked next to us that helps out.
Sponsors & Support: Blue Knights Nebraska Chapter 1, Shew Towing, NAPA, Homestead Auto Sales, Nancy S. Gerdes, C.P.A, P.C, Fashionette Salon, Northeast Auto Parts. I also want to thank Jan for putting up with my addiction to this sport. All the late nights I spend in the shop and the long days looking for just the right parts and she never complains. I couldn't have a better partner! I could not have made it through all of these seasons without Jan's support and encouragement. I also want to thank everybody that pitted near me that has helped out on race nights. Special thanks to the RSR 03 crew, especially to Terry for the great burgers and brats every week!! Racing is an addiction. Once you're hooked, you're hooked!
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Beatrice Speedway (NE) - Stock Car #6
US 30 Speedway (NE) - Stock Car #6
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| Awards & Accomplishments | At 50 years old, 2002 was my first year driving. Now I wish I'd started about 25 years ago! I didn't win any races, but I worked on making myself consistent and not getting in anybody's way. It took me over two seasons, but in 2004 I FINALLY made the A Feature at Beatrice without going through a Consi - TWICE!! We also had a Top 5 finish at Beatrice. We ran at JMS in the Open Stock Car class one night, went to Deshler once, raced at the Nebraska State Fair, and at Eagle's Fall Jamboree.
2005 was a good season for us. Competing in both the Factory Stock class and the IMCA Stock Car class at Beatrice Speedway, we finished 8th in Points in the Factory Stock, received the Most Improved Driver Award in Factory Stock, and finished 9th in Points in the IMCA Stock Car. This is the first time we've ever finished in the Top 10 in Points.
On May 13, 2006, in my 5th year of driving, I FINALLY got my first win - in the heat race!! I started on the outside pole and led the entire race, holding off some very good cars. Two weeks later, we got another heat race win! Now if I could only close on an A Feature win!! Oh yes, Tyler Phelps also won his heat in the Stock Car and finished 3rd in the A Feature. An overall pretty good night for R & R Racing.
In August, R & R Racing got its VERY FIRST A Feature win since starting racing in 1998! Tyler took the R & R Racing / Shew Towing / Blue Knights Monte Carlo to Victory Lane in the IMCA Stock Car class as he held off Lance Borgman for the last couple of laps!
We took both cars to the Nebraska State Fair where Tyler finished 7th and I finished 14th. I hope they continue to have racing there.
I managed a 10th place finish in the 2006 Fall Nationals on a dusty, dry slick track on Saturday afternoon. I raced with Neal Mittan the last few laps and held him off to cross the finish line just ahead of him.
We took the Stock Car to U.S. 30 Speedway near Columbus for the 2006 Abe Lincoln Memorial. We struggled on a heavy track in the heat race, but after some changes, Tyler had the car moving toward the front in the B Feature. However, gremlins struck, as we had a rear suspension part break.
We raced both cars at Octoberfest 2006. I started last in the A Feature and was actually moving up a bit before having a flat tire and dropping out. Tyler finished 6th, so overall we had a decent weekend as nothing got torn up.
We also took the Stock Car to McCool Junction for the 2006 Cool McCool 100. Weather ended up making it a two weekend event, with Tyler eventually finishing 14th in the Championship race.
Overall, 2006 was a pretty successful season as Tyler finished 6th in Points at Beatrice in the IMCA Stock Car Class, and I finished 7th in Points in the Factory Stock class.
The IMCA Stock Cars were dropped from the 2007 program at Beatrice. We had the Stock Car ready to go in case the opportunity to go to another track on an off night came up.
The 2007 season brought home a 9th place finish in Points in the Factory Stock class at Beatrice Speedway. Tyler and I shared the driver's seat as I had to work every other Saturday night. We were as high as 5th in Points early in the season, but had some engine issues that hurt us.
In August, I took the Stock Car to Junction Motor Speedway for the State Championship races where we finished 10th. After making some changes, we returned in October for the Cool McCool 100. We eventually qualified for the A Feature and started 21st. I worked my way up to 13th before tangling with another car and dropping back to 17th. After a yellow with two to go, I passed two cars on the last lap to finish 15th.
We started out the 2008 season by going to Mayetta, Kansas on March 16th, where we took home a 9th place finish. On March 21st, we raced at McCool Junction, starting 20th and finishing 13th. On March 22nd, we started 16th at McCool Junction and finished 10th.
The 2008 season at Beatrice Speedway saw me sharing the driver's seat with Jason and Jeremy. Jeremy had never been behind the wheel before and it had been eight years since Jason had raced. Between the three of us, we finished 10th in Points for the season.
In 2009 finished 8th in Points at Beatrice and 10th in Points at Junction Motor Speedway.
| | Career Summary | I started helping Al Humphrey on his Late Models in late 1974. I moved to the Beatrice area in 1989. I started going to the races again in about 1994. Jason and I decided to buy a Factory Stock. He drove it in 1998, 1999, and 2000. We sat out the 2001 season and started to put a car together late in 2001. Jason broke his leg the week before the 2002 season started, effectively putting him out for the season, so I decided to give driving a try. When the end of the season came, I wasn't ready to quit driving.
The 2006 season found Tyler Phelps behind the wheel of the IMCA Stock Car, with an engine from Shew Towing providing the power. I drove in the Factory Stock class.
For 2008 we continued to run in the Factory Stock class. We had a 2004 Jet Phantom Stock Car that we raced at Beatrice on a weekly basis in 2005. After racing at McCool Junction in March 2008, I made changes to it to make it Factory Stock legal. I now am back down to having one race car.
Beatrice started racing on Friday nights in 2009, allowing me to venture to Junction Motor Speeedway on Saturdays every other week. We finished 10th in Points there.
| | Racing Goals | I've met a lot of people and made a lot of friends at the race track over the years. I'll never forget that. It's been a successful night when the car can be driven on the trailer.
We've found out that if we wanted to make money, we picked the WRONG hobby!
| | Other Interesting Team Information | Al Humphrey's car was always #6 so I decided to use that number.
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