Godspeed Big Mike...we'll always love you.

Torco Racing Fuel's Competition Plus.com - Drag Racing's Internet Magazine - MIKE AIELLO PASSES

words don't come easy right now.....Mike was always a bright ray of sunshine whenever he was in our pit. He was truly a friend to all of us ! At our last race in Pomona, I remember walking thru the midway with him as he bought all our crew ice cream cones....

Rest in peace dear friend.....

I first met Mike at Pomona around '00-'01? I had no idea he was in a wheelchair talking with him via emails. He never mentioned it, the last time I spoke to him was this past year's Winter Natl's. He was telling me of his injuries, you just never know when any of us will have to go through what Mike has. Godspeed my Friend!

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Shift for Brains!!!!

DAMN!

I just talked with him the day after Christmas, and in typical Mike fashion he was concerned with and we discussed our friend Lynn Nickerson, and his health, and he was asking about how my dad was doing. We discussed his latest bouts with his own health, but not a word that anything like this was on the horizon.

Mike's love and passion for the sport can't be surpassed by many, and he was regarded as a TRUE friend by almost everyone he came in contact with.
Any conversation with Mike was a continuation of the last one, from yesterday or two weeks ago, and I'm going to miss those late night chats about EVERYTHING and everyone in the drag racing world.

Mike's dreams and ambitions will live on, their foundation has already been firmly established, and those of us that knew and respected him will see to it that they carry on.

While it's a sad, sad day for those that knew and respected him, it's a good day for Mike, his pain and suffering in his human body has now been erased, and Mike can be free to watch from the Sky-Box bleachers. Bet he's already doing some bench racing with those that have gone before him.

Pomona just won't be the same this year.

God Speed my friend.

Unk

I echo what Bob said about Mike. A great person, a great fan, and a great friend. RIP.

Fred Simmonds
GM

Damn, I just can't believe that Mike's gone. In the beginning I remember wondering who this bid dude was and what's his story. I found out soon enough that he was one of the nicest people I have ever met. He endured things that most humans can't even dream of and yet he NEVER HAD A SINGLE BAD THING TO SAY! Just hearing the stories he told about his accident and the way it was handled was enough to piss me off and send me running for revenge. Not Mike. He simply took it in stride and wondered what he would do next to get on with his life. Rest in peace my friend, because the next life has GOT to be easier than this one was.

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"Everything was fine until I left and then I ran out of talent!" Don Garlits after a red light in the final.

Mike, you were a really genuine guy... I'll miss our IM chats and your smiling face at the drags!

R.I.P.

Darr




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Drag Racing Online

I was introduced to Mike a few years ago by Bobby Bennett. He always stopped by to see me at the races, and lifted my spirits when he came by.
He was a true fan in every sense. Mike, I know your in a better place and out of pain. I will truly miss you.

God Speed my friend, DT.

Godspeed my friend.

Click Here to view a gallery Celebrating Big Mike. Possibly you will remember Mike at the track. If you have an image of Big Mike you would like to share, please forward them to me and I will add them to the gallery.

"Big Mike" is a reference to the size of his heart...not his physical size.



Roger Richards
Roger@competitionplus.com
PHOTObyRR@aol.com

Big Mike was a wonderful, compassionate, kind and loving human being. Despite his own issues he alway's was concerned with everyone else around him. He was as loyal as the word can be defined to his friends and our sport. His selflesness should serve as an example for all of us. Thanks Big Mike and I know you are in a better place, GD Speed....

Mike Ashley

Big Mike was a great friend, he always would be up beat no matter what was going on in his own life be it his health and or his battles with the INSURANCE Company.He was a true friend and he would go out of his way to help his friends any way he could. He took a special interest in all his friends life's.

I am glad to say he was a friend . He was an Angel already here!!! Now he is a Super Angel Looking down on all his friends. He has just gone on to a better place and look who meet him at the gates to heaven President Gerald Ford and the God Father of Rock and Roll James Brown is singing to him! and if you knew Big Mike he loved music and would have it blasting at his place in Santa Monica.

The first time I went to visit him he put a disc of Van Halen in his stereo and turned it up to 11, he said one great thing about blasting his music, no one complained about it because all the others on his floor in the assisted living place that over looked the Pacific Ocean where he lived, were all in there 80s and 90s and could not hear it... he loved cruising around the building in his wheel chair he could go up to the top floor and look out at the view and just smile.

Big Mike loved his drag racing friends be it racers to fans. There will be a void in my life, I used to send Mike my rough drafts of story's and he would lets just say clean them up a little. But he would always say your doing a great job for Photographer!

Mike my friend I will miss you! R.I.P.

James

DRAG RACING HAS LOST A BEST FRIEND….Mike Aiello



A few years ago James Drew introduced me to one of the finest individuals that I have ever met. His name was Mike Aiello, otherwise known as “Big Mike”. He was confined to a wheelchair after suffering major injuries in an industrial accident if 1999 but you never saw “Big Mike” without that wonderful smile attached to his face.

Mike a gentle giant who back in his college days at Texas Tech played linebacker and had no fears of anyone. When injured in his accident he still never gave up. At a mere 45 yrs old “Big Mike” passed away last Friday and even though most of his friends knew he had major health issues it was still shocking. Dale Pulde and Valerie Harrell had spoke with this gentle giant just the night before and were on there way to see him when I had to inform them about our loss.

Mike first got involved in Drag Racing as the publist and crewman for Jerry Yeoman’s AHRA/IHRA Pro Stocker in 1991. He never left his passion for Pro Stock as just last season he put together the Press Kit for good friend Greg Stanfield. He was also a co-founder of one of the first Drag Racing web-sites Torco Racing Fuel's Competition Plus.com - Drag Racing's Internet Magazine - Volume 8, Issue 12; December 2006 . His positive attitude about life will never be forgotten. He was well known for his total generasity, helping other and not thinking about himself first.

I honestly don’t you know just how much you were admired by the entire Drag Racing community “Big Mike” and you will be truly missed my friend.

RIP WE All we keep you in our Hearts, your were a great friend!
Tim Marshall

I've been trying to find the words all day.

I was so fortunate to spend some quality time with both Mike and Unk in our pit area at the October Vegas race, and as usual, not a single complaint from Mike about anything in his life... he was always far more interested in what was happening in the racing world.

Always one to help whoever he could, when Mike saw that my girlfriend Brenda and I were seated in the racer stands, he pulled some strings and got Brenda an upgrade so she could enjoy the races even more.

That man was a true inspiration, and we could all learn a thing or two from the way he lived his life. He was always so very positive and pleasant to be around, and he never felt sorry for himself. It truly brought a smile to my face to see Mike coming up to the pit area... and even though he was always welcome, he never intruded into a pit without first being invited.

I will miss seeing him at the track, and our phone conversations just to say "hi".

Godspeed Mike... you have a fan for life in me!

-Mark Scheierman