NEWSPAPERS n o i t i d E l a i c e Sp
JANUARY 3, 2024 candgnews.com
Macomb County and Grosse Pointe papers
Knitting and crocheting group gets social, donates to projects BY ALYSSA OCHSS aochss@candgnews.com
Photo by Erin Sanchez
Mount Clemens High School varsity boys basketball coach Karlin Traylor cheers the team during a tournament in Detroit.
Local businesswoman puts Bathers basketball on the upswing
ST. CLAIR SHORES — The Senior Activity Center’s knitting and crocheting group makes projects for those in need, and also provides much needed social time for its members. Judy Wendler, a member of the group, said the group makes lap robes for two hospice groups: Grace Hospice and Compassus Hospice. They also donate hats and other items to Big Family of Michigan for the children and sell items at the Senior Activity Center. Wendler said it takes a couple weeks to make a lap robe. “But a lot of the ladies, they knit or crochet here, but then they do it at home, too,” Wendler said. The group has been active for longer than Wendler has been there. They have around 19 members right now. “There were two ladies who started it originally,” Wendler said. “But it’s way before I came here. So it’s been here a long time. They hear about the reactions of hospice patients who are receiving the robes and they are appreciative. “The feeling that somebody made it for them is the highlight,” Wendler said. She also said they have a lot of fun in the group. “For some women, it’s a real social thing,” Wendler said. “You know, older people sometimes live alone, and so for them it’s a weekly See KNITTING on page 9A
BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com
MOUNT CLEMENS — Karlin Traylor is a woman of many hats. Around Macomb County, she’s known as one of the owners of the Slaw Dogsz food trucks and as a daycare operator. But this winter marks a big step forward in one of her other passions. Traylor is the coach of the Mount Clemens High School Battling Bathers varsity boys basketball team, the first woman to occupy the position and her first time coaching boys. “It’s a joy,” Traylor said. “I’m so grateful for the opportunity. … We’re like a family and I’m honoring every opportunity to coach young men.” Traylor’s basketball career began as a player for what was at the time the Mount Clemens Middle School Bulldogs in the 7th grade and extended into her high school and college years with spots on the 2006-08 Wayne County Community College and 2008-09 Marygrove College teams. Traylor played as a primarily defensive player. For more than a decade, Traylor took a sabbatical from the world of basketball, until she received a fateful message. “I received an inbox one day on my Facebook from a New Haven coach, Erik Williams,” Traylor See TRAYLOR on page 4A
Women of the knitting and crocheting group make their projects and show them off. Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
2A
C & G NEWSPAPERS MACOMB COUNTY/GROSSE POINTE SPECIAL EDITION • JANUARY 3, 2024
0260-2351
SECOND FRONT PAGE
facebook.com/candgnews
instagram.com/candgnews @candgnews candgnews.com • (586) 498-8000
3A/ C & G NEWSPAPER MACOMB COUNTY/GROSSE POINTE SPECIAL EDITION • JANUARY 3, 2024
EXPL RE
C & G NEWSPAPERS FEATURE SERIES ABOUT NORTHERN MICHIGAN DESTINATIONS FOR READERS TO EXPLORE
COOL SKI SPOTS IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN BY GREG TASKER
TOP: The Highlands, located in Harbor Springs, is preparing for a momentous winter ski season. ABOVE: Boyne Mountain’s SkyBridge Michigan is outfited with a holiday light display. Photos provided by Boyne Highlands Resort
RIGHT: Nub’s Nob, outside Harbor Springs, is rolling out a new learn-to-ski program for the season called “A Ski Odyssey.”
NORTHERN MICHIGAN — Michigan skiers and riders — not to mention those of us more interested in apres-ski activities — have more to look forward to than snow this winter, especially in the northwestern corner of the lower peninsula. This corner of Michigan is home to more than a dozen downhill ski areas, including four-season resorts, day areas and city-owned recreation spots. Some have already been blasting slopes with manmade snow, taking advantage of colder temperatures. Several ski areas planned to open — at least partially — last week. These northwestern Michigan ski destinations range from Caberfae Peaks in Cadillac, one of the oldest ski destinations in the country, to the Boyne Resorts properties near Petoskey to municipal-owned slopes like Hickory Hills Recreation Area in Traverse City. Among the most exciting additions to Michigan’s slopes this season is the debut of the Camelot 6 at The Highlands at Harbor Springs. The sixperson, high-speed Doppelmayr D-Line bubble chairlift is a first in the Midwest. In a nutshell, the new chairlift provides a warmer, more comfortable lift to the top of the hill. Across Michigan, snow sports enthusiasts will find a range of upgrades, including new chairlifts, additional lighting, improved snow-making and grooming, quicker access to the slopes and new dining and other amenities. See SKI on page 5A
Photo provided by Nub’s Nob
Celebrating 46 Years!
WE CARE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR CAR
Honest and Affordable Auto Body Repair Services 919 S. Main St. • ROYAL OAK
248.543.2929 bandbcollision.com
B & B COLLISION
0257-2351
C & G NEWSPAPERS MACOMB COUNTY/GROSSE POINTE SPECIAL EDITION • JANUARY 3, 2024
4A
Traylor from page 1A
said. “He asked me if I would please be a part of his coaching staff, and I said, ‘Sure. I’ll give it my all.’” She joined the New Haven Rockets varsity girls basketball team from 2021-2023, serving under the direction of Williams and taking the team to a two-season record of 23-18 in Michigan High School Athletic Association play. The experience was life changing for Traylor. “I fell in love with it,” Traylor said. “I said this what I really wanted to do, and from the second year of being at New Haven I received 10 different offers for varsity girls positions at other schools.” Despite the 10 offers sent her way, Traylor ultimately decided to return to the city where her basketball journey began to coach her first team of boys. Coaching the boys has been a bit of a change, but a good part of the work done has focused on what happens off the court. She’s observed that the boys tend to require more work building up a solid mentality for game day and has enlisted male assistants to help on the psychological front, among other tasks. Traylor has also made an effort to bring her boys closer to the city they play in. “We walked around downtown Mount Clemens and introduced ourselves to every small business,” Traylor said. “Now we’re seeing some of those businesspeople and staff at our games. … I want to teach them how to network, how to build relationships. Now they’re saying, ‘Wow, we’ve met these people and they’re coming to our games,’
Photo by Erin Sanchez
The Bathers have scored 208 points against 222 scored by opponents in their first four games, a far cry more competitive than the 64-323 trouncing faced by the 2022-23 team in its first outings. and not only that, you also have a connection. You can be walking somewhere, and you can hear, ‘Hey, I know that kid.’ The community recognizes their community school basketball players.” Traylor has made connections not just with businesses but also with government officials, including judge Teri Lynn Dennings and Anthony Forlini, Macomb County’s clerk and register of deeds. Interacting with the city’s businesses and officials has brought support to the program. One such example of Traylor’s approach to the team coming together is the decision to dress up for away games. She wanted players to walk into the gym of Center Line Preparatory Academy dressed to the nines, but not every player had a suit. This might have killed the plan, had a supporting organization not stepped up and
provided them with the clothes they needed. It started a new tradition for the team. Unfortunately, dressing smart did not mean the Bathers defeated the Bears. Center Line Prep claimed a 42-64 win, the first loss of what was a 1-3 season at press time. It may not be the most triumphant start to the season, but Traylor is quick to point out the team’s improved performance over the prior season. “The previous season was a struggle for Mount Clemens, being 1-15 and losing by 70 or 60 a game,” Traylor said. “We won our first game so that was exciting, we won by 22 points. … We just had our rivalry game on Friday against Clintondale and the expectation was that we were going to get blown out by 40 or 60 and we lost by four. It’s a major improvement.”
Improvement is there. The Bathers have scored 208 points against 222 scored by opponents in their first four games, a far cry more competitive than the 64-323 trouncing faced by the 2022-23 team in its first outings. Success is there, if mostly showing in the scores rather than the overall record. “We need to trust ourselves more — trust ourselves and each other as teammates,” Traylor said. “Once my boys find that chemistry, we’re going to be a very nice, established team.” As Traylor seeks to build trust between players and add wins to the team’s record, it will be one more thing the coach has on her plate. Her head coaching duties are split between the varsity basketball and cheer teams alongside the operation of the Jelly Moon Learning Center preschool, in Clinton Township, not far from where her restaurant’s coleslaw-covered hot dogs are prepared in the peak food truck season. It’s a lot for one person to manage, and Traylor is not shy about recognizing the support she gets in all of her pursuits. “It’s all about balancing and using those helping hands,” Traylor said. “I have two directors that run the preschool, so they handle everything in that area. … Cheer team, I have an assistant there. Most days she’s doing practice and I come in and make sure it’s up to par.” Traylor plans to remain in coaching for a long time, with a goal of coaching at the collegiate level, but Mount Clements residents can see her and the Battling Bathers now at the Mount Clemens High School gymnasium or at any away game. The team’s schedule can be found at mhsaa.com/schools/mtclemens/boys/var sity/basketball/2023.
DISTINCTIVE
www.russellhardware.com
Mon.-Fri. 9am-5pm Sat. by Appointment
0293-2343
36280 Woodward Avenue Bloomfield Hills, MI • (248) 644-0100
Door & Cabinet Hardware Plumbing Fixtures, Lighting & Surfaces ~ Since 1910 ~
5A
C & G NEWSPAPERS MACOMB COUNTY/GROSSE POINTE SPECIAL EDITION • JANUARY 3, 2024
Ski
from page 3A
“There is a lot of good news for snow lovers right now as demand for skiing continues to grow following the pandemic in 2020. What we are seeing is more investing in infrastructure, including snowmaking and chairlifts,” says Steve Kershner, chairman of the Michigan Snowsports Industries Association and director of snow sports for Shanty Creek Resort in Bellaire. “Ultimately all of us who love to ski in Michigan are the benefactors of these investments.” The Camelot 6 at The Highlands, formerly Boyne Highlands, is expected to begin operating early this month. December The bubble lift features heated, extra wide, ergonomically designed seats with footrests. A tinted, weatherproof bubble keeps riders warm and protected while being whisked up the slopes at a fast speed. It also boasts advanced safety features. That addition is one of many improvements at the Boyne Resorts property, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. The resort also has expanded night skiing and added new dining options, including a Waffle Cabin on the slopes, a pop-up chophouse restaurant at the Country Club of Boyne and a Mexican twist at the Zoo Bar. More outdoor bars are being added — to improve apres-ski options — along the base area. At nearby Boyne Mountain, two new lifts are opening up this season, replacing old ones. One is a four-person Doppelmayr fixed-grip chairlift that will haul skiers uphill in less than four minutes, half the time of the former ride. The other is a three-person Doppelmayr fixed grip chairlift that will provide skiers and riders with a quicker trip upward as well as improved loading and unloading. You might remember that Boyne Mountain is home to SkyBridge Michigan, a 1,200-foot-long pedestrian bridge that opened in the fall of 2022. For the holidays, the 118-foot-high bridge will be outfitted with a holiday light installation by Zoro’s Lights of Livonia. The display features more than 150,000 twinkling lights and will be illuminated through March 31. At Crystal Mountain, look for quicker access to the slopes, lessons to take home with you, and the ability to pay for lessons online in advance, saving time at check-in at the Mountain Adventure Zone. Like other ski areas, the Thompsonville resort is working to improve the learning experience for children and is introducing Flaik. Flaik uses a GPS tag that students wear during their lessons allowing instruc-
tors to track their progress. It also allows instructors and parents to locate kids on the slopes. Student progress reports and satisfaction surveys will be included in the ‘Re-live Your Lesson’ follow-up messaging. “We’re excited about implementing Flaik for Crystal’s Snowsports school because it allows kids and their parents to ‘re-live the lesson’ even after the session is over,” said Chris Fisher, director of Snowsports. “Plus, it allows our instructors to know where the student left off and where to pick up in teaching when the student returns for another lesson.” Nub’s Nob, outside Harbor Springs, is rolling out a new learn-to-ski program for the season called “2024: A Ski Odyssey.” The program is aimed at prospective skiers ages 9 and above. The program includes two group lessons, equipment rental and lift tickets for just $50 a lesson. At the end of the second lesson, skiers can purchase a Bargain Pass for the remainder of the season for $100 and receive a $100 discount off a ski package. “All of us at Nub’s are stoked to see how this goes as it’s a real chance for us to bring new skiers into the sport,” said Ben Doornbos, general manager. Among the many improvements at Shanty Creek Resort in Bellaire is the expansion of operating hours for its open-air shuttle, the Skibra. Painted like a zebra, the Skibra makes it easier for skiers and riders to get around the 5,500-acre resort, which is home to four distinct villages. Like other resorts, Shanty Creek is moving toward all cashless transactions. This season guests will simply swipe or tap their cards or smart devices for resort-related transactions. Guests without non-cash forms of payment will find kiosks throughout the resort to convert to prepaid cards. The Treetops Resort in Gaylord is unveiling a state-of-the-art ski instruction program called Terrain Based Learning. That program is a process for teaching beginner skiers and snowboarders that uses purposebuilt snow features, helping novices learn the movements, sensations and body positioning needed for the sport. Treetops is the only ski area in Michigan offering the program. “We are so excited to offer this new way of learning to our guests. Our instructors are exclusively trained by the Snow Operating team who has trademarked the program. We can’t wait to see the smiles on the snow as kids and adults alike take their turn in the Terrain Based Learning adventure, allowing them to enjoy the sport sooner with no fear,” said Barry Owens, general manager. Greg Tasker is a Traverse City-based freelance writer.
HOME FOR
The Holidays! CARPET • AREA RUGS • RUNNERS • REPAIRS • HARDWOOD • ENGINEERED REPAIRS • LUXURY VINYL PLANKS & TILES • OTHER PRODUCTS
15% OFF
Purchase Price With The Ad SALE ENDS JANUARY, 1, 2024
12 MONTHS INTEREST FREE FINANCING AVAILABLE
LOCATED NEXT TO THE LODGE 2786 Orchard Lake Road, Keego Harbor, MI telescofloors.com Holiday Hours Apply Contact the Store for Details 248-682-5600 0050-2345
C & G NEWSPAPERS MACOMB COUNTY/GROSSE POINTE SPECIAL EDITION • JANUARY 3, 2024
6A
FROM SPRAY BOTTLE TO CHAMPAGNE
GROSSE POINTE WOODS RESIDENT FORGES PATH IN RACING BY JONATHAN SZCZEPANIAK jszczepaniak@candgnews.com
GROSSE POINTE WOODS — Nolan Allaer was a go-getter long before he got behind the wheel of a race car. Allaer, a 21-year-old Grosse Pointe Woods resident and University Liggett School graduate, was a racetrack enthusiast at a young age, supporting his father, Robert Allaer — a two-time runoff champion on the Sports Car Club of America series — at every race, but also networking in the process with other racers. “We used to joke that he was a track rat,” Nolan’s father, Robert Allaer, said. “He’d go around the paddock with a spray bottle and a rag, a cute little kid, and come up and say, ‘Hey, can I clean your car?’ People would let him, and he wouldn’t ask for money, but they’d pay him and he’d come back with a bunch of cash.”
From the spray bottle to champagne showers, Nolan Allaer’s racing achievements have stretched far beyond what he ever could have pictured for himself in the world of racing. The SCCA, which is a sanctioning body for racing, rallying and autocross in the U.S., holds the Formula Ford and Formula Continental, which are SCCA National Championship Runoff events that feature the top amateur racers in the SCCA, and Nolan Allaer has become a regular on the scene. Winning the Formula Continental Runoff in 2022 and notching the championship win in both the Formula Continental and Formula Ford Runoffs, the pinnacle of championship racing in the SCCA, in September and October of this year, Allaer is etching his name as one of the premier racers on the circuit.
ABOVE: Nolan Allaer celebrates his Formula Ford Runoffs Championship win on Oct. 1 at Virginia International Raceway. LEFT: Nolan Allaer and his father, Robert Allaer, celebrate finishing first and second at the 2023 Formula Continental Runoffs on Sept. 30 at Virginia International Raceway. Photos provided by Nolan Allaer
See ALLAER on page 10A
0220-2341
7A
C & G NEWSPAPERS MACOMB COUNTY/GROSSE POINTE SPECIAL EDITION • JANUARY 3, 2024
Michigan-MSU hockey to return to Little Caesars for ‘Duel in the D’ BY JONATHAN SZCZEPANIAK jszczepaniak@candgnews.com
DETROIT — The “Iron D” Trophy is making its way back to Hockeytown as the University of Michigan (8-7-3) and Michigan State University (12-4-2) hockey are slated to face off at 8:30 p.m. Feb. 10 at Little Caesars Arena in their annual “Duel in the D” matchup. Michigan, which was ranked No. 14 at press time according to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, has brought home the trophy in the last six meetings between the two teams. Michigan State’s last win in the “Duel in the D” came in 2016. This year’s “Duel in the D” will be the 346th all-time meeting between the two programs with Michigan holding the advantage 179-139-24. The “Duel in the D” will be the fourth and final matchup between the two teams on the schedule this season, as MSU will host on Jan. 19 and Michigan will host on Jan. 20 and Feb. 9. While the historic matchups between the programs go back decades upon decades, the “Iron D” Trophy is a relatively new feature of the rivalry. Michigan State, currently ranked No. 7, won the coveted trophy the first year it was up for grabs in 2016, but the Spartans have been unable to retrieve it since. Despite who might come out on top in the matchup, both coaches said the impact that the game makes for both programs is immeasurable. “Having an opportunity to play in the greatest rivalry in college hockey in an NHL building is exciting for our program,” Michi-
Photos provided by Dave Reginek/Getty Images
ABOVE: Michigan has claimed the “Iron D” Trophy in six straight matchups after Michigan State won during the trophy’s inaugural season in 2016. LEFT: University of Michigan forward Kienan Draper holds the “Iron D” Trophy after a 4-3 win over Michigan State University on Feb. 11 at Little Caesars Arena. gan State head coach Adam Nightingale said in a press release. “Michigan State-Michigan brings out the best in both programs, and playing the game in front of 19,000 fans creates an atmosphere that is unmatched. I have great memories of the games we played at Joe Louis Arena when I was a player, and we are appreciative that Little Caesars Arena and Ilitch Sports + Entertainment continues to give us this platform to showcase college
hockey in the city of Detroit.” “There’s nothing quite like the environment at Little Caesars Arena when Michigan and Michigan State play for the ‘Iron D’ trophy,” Michigan head coach Brandon Naurato said in a press release. “It marks not only an important game for the players and the league but for every sports fan in the state. Our program takes great pride in our Michigan roots, and we are
incredibly grateful to everyone who makes this game possible. We can’t wait to once again provide an unforgettable experience for everyone.” Tickets are currently on sale at 313Presents.com or Ticketmaster.com starting at $25. For more information, visit 313Pres ents.com. Call Staff Writer Jonathan Szczepaniak at (586) 498-1090.
0316-2351
C & G NEWSPAPERS MACOMB COUNTY/GROSSE POINTE SPECIAL EDITION • JANUARY 3, 2024
8A
‘I’m 34 and I’m finally getting help’ STERLING WOMAN GETS DRUGFREE THROUGH CHARITY BY ERIC CZARNIK eczarnik@candgnews.com
STERLING HEIGHTS — When Julia Frueh got married in November, she knew she wanted the occasion to be somewhere special. And for her, that place was the church at Grace Centers of Hope in Pontiac. Frueh, 34, from Sterling Heights, has spent the last several months getting help from the nonprofit charity to recover from substance abuse and trauma. As a result of her recovery journey, she said she is slowly starting to rebuild ties with her parents, as well as her now-husband’s family. Pastor Kent Clark, Grace’s CEO, officiated the marriage rites for Frueh and her husband, Jason. And the charity’s other members helped make the happy occasion happen too. “They did everything for me,” Frueh said. “One of the case managers there bought me my wedding cake. The pastor’s wife paid for my dress to be altered. My dinner was paid for. … I just can’t believe how many people were involved. They made that day magical.” Frueh said she had a troubled childhood growing up in Michigan and Florida. She explained that after being kidnapped and raped, she ran away from home at age 11 and managed to hitchhike from Florida to Michigan. She said her mom then took her to a psychiatric hospital in Michigan and didn’t come back
to get her. From there, Frueh said, she was entered into the foster care system until she became an adult. She said the institutionalization made her struggle with emotions and gave her a “trauma brain,” which she unsuccessfully tried to treat with drugs such as heroin, crack and meth, starting at around 19 years old. She said her battle with drug addiction spanned the next decade or so of her life. At one point, she relapsed and overdosed while in a truck on train tracks. But Frueh said that after stealing from a drug dealer and getting beaten into a coma afterward, she knew she needed help. She said she remembered a relative getting help from Grace Centers of Hope, so she decided to go there to find a path toward recovery. Frueh said the GCH program she undertook involves staying on the charity’s campus. She said she originally lived only on campus during the first two months, but was able to leave on weekends afterward. During the first few months, she spent her time becoming clean from drugs, going to Christian-based classes and engaging in service activities, she said. She took trauma recovery and parenting classes, engaged in Bible studies, attended church, and more. “I’m 34 and I’m finally getting help,” she said. “I had time
Julia Frueh and her husband, Jason, get married at Grace Centers of Hope’s church in November. Frueh says the GCH program also inspired her to get married to Jason. After spending several months recovering from substance abuse and trauma at GCH, Frueh says she is starting to rebuild ties with her parents, as well as her husband’s family. Photo provided by Grace Centers of Hope
See FRUEH on page 9A
0454-2351
9A
C & G NEWSPAPERS MACOMB COUNTY/GROSSE POINTE SPECIAL EDITION • JANUARY 3, 2024
Frueh from page 8A
to sit with the Lord, and I closed my mouth and I opened up my heart.” The program also inspired her to get married to Jason, the father of her two young children. She said she and her husband took relationship classes through the charity’s church. “I told Jason, my husband, this isn’t just a program to me. This is a change in life,” she said. “There are relationships that have
Knitting from page 1A
get-together. And as you can see, everybody is friendly and talks.” Sue Ciaglo and Carol Brown are the two members who have been in the group the longest. There are also a couple members who are new to the group this year. Ciaglo said she has a good time in the group and that it’s a good social outlet. “The group here is a really great group,” Ciaglo said. “It’s a lot of fun.”
been restored. That’s good for the children. That marriage has given me a sense of security.” Frueh said she’ll soon be in a careerbuilding program that will involve making a resume and doing a job search. She said that through her activities at Grace, she has already been offered a couple of job opportunities. “I’m looking forward to the job search, and I think God has some plans for me to help and give back,” she said. She hopes to move back to her Sterling Heights home after getting a job.
“I’ve been in a lot of institutions in my whole life, and this is the only thing that has worked for me,” she said. “It saved my family too.” According to Grace Centers of Hope, in 2022 it served 1,318 people, provided 34,696 childcare hours and served over 129,000 meals. Clark said the charity’s mission includes seeing people get their lives back, become productive citizens and transition from homelessness to homeownership. He commented on Frueh’s case and what it was like to preside over her wedding.
“It was wonderful to see the family being put back together and healthy,” he said. “Here’s the thing: We take no government funding, and I sincerely believe that family is the building block of a solid society. America is falling apart in a real sense because of drugs and families falling apart, so it’s a real thrill for me to see families coming together.” Frueh added that she looks forward to spending the holidays by visiting family on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Learn more about Grace Centers of Hope in Pontiac by visiting gracecentersof hope.org or by calling (855) HELP-GCH.
She said for a while, she was averaging around 12 lap robes a year, but she doesn’t do that as much. She also makes other things as well. “Sweaters, hats, scarves,” Ciaglo said. “Yeah, baby stuff.” Brown, Wendler said, makes a lot of the baby clothes. Brown said she likes talking and socializing with the other women in the group. “All the girls are so sweet here,” Brown said. “We just chit-chat all the time. It’s real good here.” She also makes blankets and other items.
She said she finished a blanket in a week and her current project, a baby coat, in a week. Wendler added that she’s fast. Brown has made blankets and other items for her family members. “When they got tired of having stuff, I came here,” she said. “Because I don’t want to give up crocheting, so I crochet for (projects) here now.” Money made from the items sold is used to buy more yarn, but yarn is also donated to the group. Wendler said they don’t plan to expand where they donate to and to keep it in the local area.
“It takes a while to do these things,” Wendler said. “So, you know, I don’t want to get too big. I want to keep it more personal.” Wendler said she really likes the group. “We feel like we’re doing something and we’re enjoying it,” Wendler said. She also said volunteering is rewarding. “And when you’re older, you know you’re not working anymore. You’re not going out every day where, this way, you can come here and it’s enjoyable, but you’re still doing something,” Wendler said. The Senior Activity Center is located at 20000 Stephens St.
Solve Foundation Repair and Waterproofing Problems
Metropolitan Detroit and Southeast Michigan Residential & Commercial Properties • Foundation and Structural Repairs
• Steel and Carbon Fiber Wall Braces
• Helical Piers
• Egress Windows
• Waterproofing
• Crawl Spaces
CALL IN DECEMBER AND RECEIVE
10% OFF
Unlevel Floors
Bowing Walls
Crack Injection
FULLY CERTIFIED • LICENSED & INSURED • TRANSFERABLE WARRANTY • HIGHEST QUALITY PRODUCTS
Call for your no obligation inspection & quotes 586-228-6500 FoundationAuthorityMi.com
0410-2349
C & G NEWSPAPERS MACOMB COUNTY/GROSSE POINTE SPECIAL EDITION • JANUARY 3, 2024
10A
Allaer from page 6A
Through all his accomplishments in his young racing career, Allaer said it was the ability to share the track with his father that stands out the most to him. Nolan and Robert have gone head-tohead on the SCCA circuit multiple times in the past few years, but nothing was as special as the father-son duo sharing the podium when Nolan took first and Robert took second at the 2023 Formula Continental Runoffs on Sept. 30 this year at Virginia International Raceway. “The first time I was able to go out there and actually do it with him was just incredible,” Nolan Allaer said. “I can’t even explain the emotions before getting in the car for a winner-take-all where one race decides the champion, and the emotions of following in his footsteps of winning the title last year and defending it this year with him right behind me and to share the podium with him.” Nolan possesses a racing gene that originates from a long-standing family tradition of racing in SCCA with his father, grandfather and uncle all making their own impact on the racetrack. His grandfather, Lewis Cooper Jr., continues to race in the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association, while his uncle, Lewis Cooper III, was the last Formula Ford Runoffs champion to win the Runoffs for Ford in 2011. That was until Nolan paid homage to his uncle by winning the Formula Ford Runoffs Championship on Oct. 1 this year at Virginia International Raceway, a tradition unlike any other in his family tree. “The Runoffs have always been so important to our family,” Nolan Allaer said. “My uncle also won the Runoffs before. He won it in 2011 at Formula Ford. Up until this year when I won it at Formula Ford, he was the last Formula Ford champion to have a Ford engine win. Up until this year, it’s all been Honda. This year, I went back and did it in his car, actually. It’s just been like a whole family affair to go to the Runoffs. It’s so important to our family that oftentimes when I was a kid, the kids weren’t even allowed at the tracks because my dad needed to focus. It’s so competitive and means so much to all of us.” Racing has brought indescribable feelings for Allaer the past few seasons as he’s made a name for himself, but Allaer only had one true feeling about racing growing up. Sure, he loved being on the racetrack with his father, but Allaer began taking over the wheel on his own at the age of 4 when he began karting. By 2008, Allaer was competing in the Florida Karting Championship Series and
climbing up the ladder of classes, but that was until the 2011 season came to a close. “I remember in 2011 that I absolutely despised the sport and did not want to do it,” Allaer said. “I was so sick of it and it was too much pressure for a kid. It was hot in Florida and it was miserable. Even though the driving was fun, the environment of racing wasn’t for me. I wanted to play hockey and I wanted to put all my time into hockey.” The racing scene may not have been in the cards for Allaer at the time, but his love for cars and passion to one day become an engineer landed Allaer back behind the wheel in 2019 on a virtual racing platform called iRacing, which is a competitive racing simulation video game. Allaer said his father recognized how much time he was spending behind the virtual wheel, so a graduation gift in 2020 of a lesson at the Waterford Hills Drivers School, an SCCA accredited driving school, was just what Allaer needed to ignite the racing spirit inside him. On just his second day at the driving school, Allaer was two-tenths off his father’s track record, leaving both Allaer and his father speechless, yet excited for Allaer’s potential on the track. Allaer took the SCCA scene by storm in the 2021 SCCA National Series, an amateur series, where he finished third in the Formula Continental National Championship and had several podium finishes to top off a stellar rookie season. “Every day, every session and every outing, I was learning more about the car, more about myself, about how to drive, and about how to be around people on the track,” Allaer said. “Of course I was making many, many mistakes along the way, and if I could go back now, I’d be way, way better than I was. I look back and watch videos and think, ‘Why did I do that, that was terrible,’ but it was all about that learning process of building the results.” While going through rookie mistakes and finding his footing, it was a bonus having his father on the racetrack with him, who never seemed to let go of the dad mindset even while competing against his son. “I’d go around a corner and there’d be grass on the track and I’d jump on the team radio and I’d say to the guys, ‘Let Nolan know there’s grass on turn three,’” Robert Allaer said. “As a dad, you can’t ever lose the dad factor. You’re always thinking about your kid.” Allaer would shift to the SCCA Pro F1600 Championship Series in 2022, tallying two wins and nine podiums as the leading rookie in the series as a part of Team Pelfrey. The 2023 season brought Allaer to Brackley, England, as he raced for Ammonite Motorsports on the British Racing and
Sports Car Club series. Allaer was able to win a heat race at the BRSCC Formula Ford Festival on Oct. 20 on the Brands Hatch circuit and finish off his overseas season with a 16th place finish at the BRSCC Formula Ford Festival Grand Final on Oct. 21, but Allaer said the accolades couldn’t match up to the impact of the experience. “Living in the UK has been an incredible experience,” Allaer said. “I can immediately tell that I am a completely different driver than I was before I left for the UK. Ammonite Motorsports definitely taught me a lot about what it takes to be a professional racing driver, where it’s your full life pursuit, and that involves everything on and off the track. Specifically, in the UK, the tracks I hit in that calendar were absolute bucketlist tracks for me. They’re tracks I’ve done in
the simulator years before I even knew I was going to be racing. Going to Brands Hatch and running on the same circuits that F1 has been at, like Silverstone, and turning a tire on those hallowed grounds is just an absolute honor.” Allaer, who is currently a senior at Miami University in Ohio and studying mechanical engineering, said his options are still open for the 2024 season, whether it’s on the Indy NXT scene or a trip back to England for the GB3 series, a rebranded Formula 3 series. Regardless of where Allaer and his racing career ends up, Allaer said he knows he’s exactly where he’s supposed to be. “It’s such a blessing to do what I am doing now and have this be my life and my purpose,” Allaer said. “I truly think I found what I was meant to do.”
40% OFF
Any One Item Store Wide With ad on qualifying products , new orders only.
1765 W. Maple Rd. • Troy • (248) 398-4560 www.heraldwholesale.com Mon. – Fri. 9am – 5pm • Sat. 9am – 4pm
0169-2306
11A
0070-2351
C & G NEWSPAPERS MACOMB COUNTY/GROSSE POINTE SPECIAL EDITION • JANUARY 3, 2024
C & G NEWSPAPERS MACOMB COUNTY/GROSSE POINTE SPECIAL EDITION • JANUARY 3, 2024
12A
FREE ESTIMATES for Basement Flood Protection System
FINANCING as low as $75.00 per month
TANKLESS COMBINATION BOILER AND WATER HEATER
PIPING REPAIRS
COUPON
$500 OFF Any Complete Heating
COUPON
COUPON
$35 OFF $200 OFF
Package includes Furnace and A/C with UV Air Purifier or Hi-Efficiency Air Cleaner
ANY PLUMBING OR HVAC SERVICES
TANKLESS WATER HEATER
LIMITED TIME OFFER
WITH THIS COUPON EXCLUDES ALL OTHER OFFERS
LIMITED TIME OFFER
WITH THIS COUPON EXCLUDES ALL OTHER OFFERS
& Cooling Package WITH THIS COUPON EXCLUDES ALL OTHER OFFERS
LIMITED TIME OFFER
0194-2340