Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

14 the way it's got to be because we just do not get along. His style is different, his methods are different, and it doesn't work. We talk and stuff, but we don't associate together. We don't go places together. That's about the whole of it. You don't seem like brothers. Yeah, but we never really hav e. During our whole life in high school and elementary school and everything we never were close, never. We never went racing together, we never went anywhere together. He did his thing and I did mine. . You seem to be at peace with yourself, docs the threat of death bother you? Not a bit. I don't want to die now , I'd rather live out my life and see what it has in store for me-vsee what He has in store for me . But, then again, I look forward to it. I think it's going to be a neat experience, and 1 do look forward to it, but 1 don't want to rush it right now. It's go ing to come soon enough. I only mention death in the sense that in three weekends we 100t three riders. I knew David Jones and Steve Dallefeld real good. I knew Davey a couple of years, as a matter of fact I rode his bike at Santa Fe once. 1 just pray that he's easy with the Lord. I don't know what his beliefs were, but 1 know he was a good kid and I know that is going to be in his favor. Do you have riders coming up to you and asking about your behefs and Team Jesus? I haven't gotten very many. I think when they're at the race track, and the races stan, that God is the fartherest thing from their mind. It shouldn't be because, out there you've got your life on the line . On a race track you haven't got a roll cage around you, it's so easy to get hurt , and that's when they should have Him there. God's not the one who takes your life , it's the devil , lie comes to destroy and steal, and if you give him place in your life and you don't have God next to you , you're in trouble. That's what happens to all these people. I take it you separate your human life from your spiritual life. Yes, exactly. I've got God in company about me just about the whole time and as long as I've got that, I think I can go fast and not worry about anything. I don't worry about getting hurt .. I've got no fear about that. I used to .. I've been hurt and I don't want to do it again, but I'm not worried about it because 1 don't think it can happen to me . It seems that it took about two and a half years for your baptiam to take hold? Baptism is an outward submission, showing God , and other people that you're willing to change your life and follow after Him. But it didn't sink in in 1978. And as a matter of fact, last year at Florida and even this year, I asked Landry to baptise me again because I felt the first time I wasn't ready for it and I really didn't do the part. I've changed my feelings toward Him and He knows it and that's all that really matters. You don't have to be baptized to be saved or to be born again. I believe there are some people who are openly skeptical of Jerry Landry. When he crashed people asked him about God and how He could let that happen. Jerry goofed up for a short period of time and gave Satan place. I mean he thought something wrong, or he did something wrong, and he gave Satan place. That's what happened. It broke his leg so bad yet while they were working on him, he only took two pain shots the whole time. The doctor said he would probably never walk again because he had an inch and half of bone in his left leg that was completely shattered and the doctors put it together the best way they could .. they didn't wire , pin or anything. They didn't give him any hope at all to even walk. About three weeks later, they X-rayed it and the bone had started growing together. Does it make you feel a litde more comfortable when Landry's there at the races? A little bit. I can sit there and talk with him if I've got any questions, but I pretty much study a lot of stuff on my own. He calls me at least twice a week to talk and ask me if I have any questions. I do like it when he's there, 'cause we can get together, talk, and pray together. I think it gives me a little more strength when there's more than just one. You've got so much faith , but if you've got five there, it 's even better, even stronger. How often do you read the bible? I try to every day, sometimes when I'm going to a racetrack or something I can't. I usually do every night before I go to bed, I'll read a half hour. I usually try to put aside at least a half hour every day to read a little bit. If a person just puts away a half hour of their day, they can read the bible in a year. If people would just take the time and sit down and read it, they will realize that He's there. A half hour out of a day of your life is not going to kill you. As a matter of fact. it's going to save you. Does your wife share your enthusiasm? Not quite as strong as I do. She's been baptized and she knows He's there and knows that I'm in touch with Him. She 's getting into it more. She 's starting to read a little more now, I think she was a little weak in her faith there for a while and I've strengthened her a little bit. You can't rush something like that , you just have to let it happen. I understand you've been contacted by religious groups about your faith? I received a call from a representative of either the PTL Club or the 700 Club which I have to return. I did a thing out in California after Sacramento and San Jose with Christians in Action magazine. They did an article on me, although I haven't seen it yet . That's a lot of recognition from people who are not even remocely concerned with the sport. Right. You know it's funny, I don't ~ around talking to people saying 'Yau d better repent, you'd better do this, or you better do that. ' I'm the same person I've always been. I can tell if a person wants to talk or is interested in it or has any questions. I'll be glad to sit down and talk. But I'm not going to force myself upon them . It's not done that way. Let them make up their mind about it. I've had this feeling lately that I should talk to Steve Morehead. He 's pretty crazy and kind of like I used to be. Of course, he's one step ahead of me there. I'm just waiting for the right opportunity. I'm sure he'll come around and he'll want to ask me a couple of questions. lf Morehead did a complete turn around, went the other way, started doing what I'm doing and really racing and winning it would make a lot of people think. It's going to happen to Steve whether he knows it yet or not. Terry Poovey got baptized with you. Yes, he did. He was like me at that time also. He didn't take advantage of the Lord. He just drifted by the wayside and he's still out there cruising along. What do you say to those people iliat say, "Hank, you're full of crap?" I don't find that too many people say that. In a round about way, I think most people, deep down inside believe in a supreme force, God or what have you . I don't think a lot of them want to step on, or put their foot in their own mouth or whatever you want to say. I haven't had too many people ever say that to me. Like I said, I don't want to infringe upon their freedom, that's probably why. You seem to be rather domesticated from the Hank Scott I used to know. Oh, boy , yeah, everybody's got to ItO scmeplace. I didn't have anything five years ago. I just had an apartment and .a few National win trophies setting around, and a bunch of other trophies and some pictures on the wall. When I got married, I had a responsibility, and I just started gettmg things together and all of a sudden this popped on me . I've got a few thin~ and I enjoy life now, I like the way It is. It's a lot easier on me . I don't even want to think about doing it all over again! •

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