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Saturday, July 12, 2008

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Get me to the track on time

Couple married on the track at BIR

BY AMY FREDMAN

Staff Intern

Two engines revved upon Brainerd International Raceway's racetrack Friday afternoon at the Bad Boyz car show. As expected, both drivers were wearing helmets, but in this unique event, a wedding veil peeked out beneath one.

Shannon Erickson and Jeff Gilbertson of Anoka were married Friday at BIR, fulfilling Shannon's lifelong dream of marrying on a racetrack. After the ceremony, the couple raced each other in a 1/8-mile bracket race.

"The wedding was awesome," said Jeff. "It was a dream wedding."

The ceremony took place on the track's start line. Despite the heat index of 100 degrees and a whipping wind, family and friends gathered around the couple as they exchanged vows and rings. Deluges of rain and boding storms held off until well after the 4 p.m. wedding.

Newlyweds Shannon and Jeff Gilbertson hugged after their wedding Friday at Brainerd International Raceway Friday. A racetrack wedding was Shannon's lifelong dream. The "Christmas tree" of starting lights was in the background. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
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Shannon's father, Gary Erickson, walked her down the racetrack "aisle" to "Love is a Beautiful Thing." He wore a baseball cap decorated with green and blue racing flames and the words "Father of the Bride."

The bride's mother, Diane Erickson, was her matron of honor, and Jeff's two boys, Jonah, 12, and Jordan, 10, were his best men. "I think it's pretty cool," Jonah said of the racetrack wedding, and Jordan agreed.

"It's the most unique wedding I've ever been to," said Jeff's sister ,Liz Spalding. "It gave me goosebumps. I didn't think my brother would ever give me goosebumps," she said with a laugh.

This racetrack wedding has been a dream for Shannon since she was a little girl. Another dream was competing in a drag race, which Shannon fulfilled when she was about 20. After that race, she knew even more that having a track wedding was important to her.

Shannon went to her first race when she was 2 to watch her father race in Coon Rapids. In her family, racing is a family event, as evidenced by the myriad race cars at the family's campsite. "It's completely a family thing," said Shannon's aunt, Kathy Erickson. "We have a lot of fun together." The family stayed for the weekend Bad Boyz car show, and all of Shannon's uncles raced on Saturday as well.

Shannon's car is a royal blue 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu. Jeff drives a light blue 1962 Chevrolet Nova II. Both rebuilt their cars for the occasion, and Jeff had just finished his the night before.

"Shannon's been racing for years," said Pam Stenstrom, Jeff's sister. "They found soulmates for sure."

The two lined up on the start line, and Shannon stole a glance at her new husband before he took off, as bracket racing entails staggered starts. Seconds later, Jeff was declared the winner. The groom's highest speed was 86 miles per hour, and the bride hit 66 miles per hour. Stenstrom did note that Shannon said her starting line light had an error.

With her husband standing by, Shannon said that she wasn't fully paying attention at the start. "I knew he was going to win," she said. "...I was OK with it. ... He has a smaller car and more horsepower."

Stenstrom said she enjoyed watching the two drive back to the starting line, side by side. "It was almost like they were holding hands," she said, comparing that moment to a scene in the movie "Cars".

The couple met 16 years ago. "Then he went off, got married, had two kids, got divorced and came looking for me," Shannon said with a laugh. They were engaged in December.

Jeff Gilbertson (left) and Shannon Gilbertson raced each other after their on-track wedding on Friday. Jeff, the winner, drove a 1962 Chevy Nova II. Shannon drove a 1966 Chevy Malibu Chevelle. Both rebuilt their cars for the occasion. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
» Purchase reprints of this photo.

The most poignant memory of the day for Jeff was the last picture taken. "The one of her standing alone by the Christmas tree," he described. The "Christmas tree" in racing is the series of lights used to start and time the cars.

Shannon said that her favorite memory was holding Jeff's hands during the vows and "...just looking in his eyes and seeing what he was feeling," she said.

After the ceremony, Shannon enveloped Jeff's two boys, Jonah and Jordan, in a hug. The family's home will be in Anoka, where Jeff owns Gilbertson Door Systems and Shannon manages the office.

AMY FREDMAN may be reached at 855-5866 or at amy.fredman@brainerddispatch.com

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