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My Story - Chris Kaufmann
Last Updated on 10/18/03
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After High School
and College I opened a performance automotive business in Tucson with
my brother, John, called Advanced Engineering. Involvement in auto racing
caused me to relocate to Southern California. After quite a successful
start in drag racing I woke up one morning and my truck, trailer and
race car were stolen. This drama caused me to find gainful employment
which ended up being the Los Angels Police Department. About this time, I was married. I continued in the auto racing while serving in several divisions within the city of LA Police department. After a tour as a training officer, I was promoted to an element member of Metropolitan Division. While this was the most exciting job in the city it took it's toll on my persona l life. In all honesty my wife did put up with quite a bit of craziness, between car chases, gun fights, swat call ups, insane shift work, pistol team practice and trips and the Counter Assault Team. Then one day we agreed to go our separate ways. |
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was, amazingly very smooth and to this day we e-mail and talk weekly.
She is married to a Las Vegas policeman.... Just couldn't learn the
lesson, I guess. I feel blessed that we were able to keep a good friendship.
No children helped that I'm sure. I was a member of the LAPD pistol team for 11 years. We won the state championship 10 times in that period and both the National and World Championship several times. After the 1984 Olympics in LA my auto businesses (Advanced Engineering West and Kaufmann Products, www.KaufmannProducts.com) really started to take off. A combination of hi performance was going back into cars and we were kind of in the right place at the right time racing for Ford. I retired from Law Enforcement in the late 80's to run the automotive business full time and professionally race full time. I worked for Jack Roush, Bob Glidden and Kenny Bernstein. We did 125 magazine articles and were featured in three TV stories. We built the engines for the Saleen Championship Mustangs. I drove Pro Stocks drag cars and Trans Am road race cars. Eventually I built my own race team and ran three championship road race Mustangs for almost ten years. Later I sold one business and spent a lot of time with my hobby: Golf. I still have the one automotive business (www.KaufmannProducts.com) and currently run a drag race car with Bill Glidden. I became a golf professional in 1998. I currently divide my time between the cars and racing and teaching golf. I also play in mini tour events and look forward to turning 50 and getting a shot at the senior tour. I truthfully feel I can credit a tremendous amount of my successes in life to the teaching and training we were afforded in Tucson in the 50's and 60's. I can honestly attest that both Catalina Foothills and Catalina High School were top notch education facilities. It was extremely enjoyable to see how many classmates had done so well. Not just in the category of most degrees or most money, but in the area of raising good kids, staying married, contributing to the community and being involved in so many creative vocations. While I have been lucky enough to live the life of an adventurer (hundred & fifty years ago I would have been with Lewis and Clark) I do certainly admire those that built families instead of businesses. I certainly look forward to Y2K CHS. |
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| Chris Kaufmann ChrisKaufmann302@yahoo.com |
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