Henry Gaus, owner of Cool Zone Heating & Air Conditioning in Beaumont, Texas, has found a way to mix his passions, HVAC and car racing.

Gaus has been selling Coleman products since the line of heating and air-conditioning equipment was first introduced in the Beaumont area 11 years ago. According to Gaus, he was so pleased with the products and the people who represent them, including Johnstone supply manager Doug Smith and Coleman regional sales manager Howard Wilson, that he decided to prominently feature the Coleman and Johnstone Supply logos on his racecar.

A representation of the Coleman MC2 MicroChannel Mini-Cube air conditioner is also strategically placed beside the two corporate logos.

Gaus’ interest in racing spans 20 years.

“I started with a sprint car in the late ’80s,” he recalled, “long before I opened my air-conditioning business in 1996. I continued racing as a privateer until the mid-’90s when it just got too expensive for someone like me who did not have a large sponsor to help with the expenses.”

Gaus dropped out of the sport, but by 2000 he found himself hanging around the track again. In 2001 he purchased a modified, red-colored car.

“It was an older car and we couldn’t get it to do much,” he said. “So in 2003 we bought a car that was just 1 year old, and that’s when our racing career took off.”

In 2004 and 2005, Gaus’ car won back-to-back points championships at the local track in Beaumont.

“Every time you race, you get a certain amount of points, so at the end of the year, consistency is what’s important,” he explained.

Gaus dropped out of racing during 2007, but in 2008 he was back, this time with a second car — a blue one whose graphics are similar to those of the red car — and a team of two drivers and two men who help maintain the cars.

“I put the Coleman logo on the cars because that’s what I sell,” Gaus said. “I enjoy my relationship with both Doug and Howard. I see them often, and when I do, they both have plenty of time for me. That really makes a difference for someone in my line of work, so I’m proud to put their logos on my cars.”