By Sara QuamBrent Polanchek is recognized around Rock County as the cheerful railroad engineer and as the driver of a bright red Hummer.Now, he’s recognized nationwide through Hummer Life, which featured him in the Spring 2005 edition.He was urged by the Sioux Falls Hummer dealership to submit photos and his story to the magazine, so he did, and the magazine featured him and his wife, Kathy.Brent said, "It’s a once in a lifetime deal and we take real good care of that ‘car.’ There’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears in it."The magazine article explains the work and customizing Polanchek has done to his H2.It says, "We all have our reasons why Hummers have become our chariots of choice. For some it’s the Hummer’s off-road prowess, while for others, it’s simply because it is the coolest truck on the road. The Hummer community is one big family made up of people from all walks of life. " … One day we received the images of a red H2 lifted with bumper-to-bumper chrome. From the 22-inch KMC backseat wheels to the chrome steering stabilizers. After closer inspection we noticed the red powder-coated suspension, what looked like a Hitchkiss aftermarket sway bar and 385,000 candle watts of power made possible by the four KC daylighters sitting ready on the roof. "The H2’s show quality chrome, along with its ‘ready to crumble anything in its path’ appeal definitely was worthy for Ultimate Hummers."Hummer Life, the magazine for Hummer owners, contacted Polanchek for further information and comment.Polanchek said, "I always wanted to take a vehicle and do all the cool stuff to it I possibly could."Polanchek, Minnesota Southern Railway owner, lost both legs in a railroad accident and is confined to a wheelchair. He said the Hummer "… is very easy to drive and handles very well. I have no trouble at all driving it with hand controls. I can see everything out there, and everyone can see me!"Polanchek and his wife have done much of the accessory installation himself, including the more than 40 pieces of chrome. The couple plans to attend an unveiling ceremony of a new Hummer, the H3, next month. They also went to a Hummer festival of sorts, which Brent called a "Hummathon." That brought Hummer owners together to experiment with off-road capabilities.Even with the long list of customizing Polanchek has completed on his Hummer, he said he’s still not done.Kathy said, "I’m sure he’ll keep finding more things to put on it. We have fun with it, though, and it’s something to do together outside in the summer."
