I've never driven a race car. Well, not unless you count the time I drove one of those mini GP cars in Myrtle Beach? I've always wanted to drive, but never had the chance. These days, my back would think otherwise, seeing as how I had a spinal fusion.

I've often thought about what it must be like to be out there on the track; the feeling of power, adrenaline and pure speed. In the short time that I've been writing for the magazine, I've interviewed several drivers, including the great Sammy Swindell. Even though they range in age from 14 to over 50 years of age, they all share common traits that are the backbone of their trade. Mental toughness, confidence, and pride show in every one of them. I've listened to each of them describe their experiences on the track. I've watched them as they stared off into the distance, recalling a race here or event there. I always picture myself in those situations. I imagine as if I am right there with them. This is why writing about these racers is such an awesome experience for me. I get to share their experience and understand what they feel and how they interpret racing.  

In many regards, racers are like the Pony Express riders of the Great American West. They ride their beast into a fury, with danger lurking at every corner. They all have an extreme amount of confidence in what they do. Without it, a racer could never strap into a racecar that has the potential to get them critically or fatally injured. They understand the risks, and they take those risks, knowing that the ultimate prize of winning is worth it. There is not a racer out there that doesn't go the track not expecting to win. Some will say that they just do it for fun, but in each and every one of their minds, they do it for a chance of feeling that euphoria that comes with taking that checkered flag as the victor.

I admire racers, just like I admire fighter pilots, fire fighters, and our brave men and women in uniform. And even more than admiration, I have respect for them. They all put their lives at risk because it's what they choose to do and that in itself, is the ultimate in personal sacrifice.

It's the will to do it, that makes them who they are.

It's gonna be a busy couple of weeks ahead for me. Next week, I am expecting the April edition of Flat Out, which contains the article that I wrote about 14 year old Coleman Gulick. As I have stated before, Coleman and his family are super people and I am so proud of the work that I did for this article. If you don't have a subscription, please go get one here: https://www.threewidemedia.com/fo-subscribe.php 

Also, next week, on March 14th and 15th, is the Spring Nationals at Devil's Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas. I will be down in the Lone Star State covering the two day event for the magazine. I plan to interview some drivers for furture stories. This will be my second trip to the storied half mile where Ted Johnson started the World of Outlaws. Those of you that have read all of my posts here, will remember the entry from last summer in which I sang the praises of the track. It's a super facility and the racing is top-notch. I will be in the pits once again, which is, in my opinion, the best place to watch the action. If you've never been there, don't waste your time on the grandstands. Trust me, the pits is the place to watch. This will be the first sprint car action for me in 2008 and I am really looking forward to watching the top drivers from the ASCS get busy at the Bowl.

Is anyone else suprised that Donny Schatz hasn't won a race yet in the 2008 season? Granted we have only seen a few races, but the double champion can't be held back for long. I look for him to start a run soon and get out front. It appears that Jason Meyers may very well be Schatz's rival to the championship this season. The Clovis, CA native enjoyed a strong finish to the 2007 season, which included the 20K paycheck at I-30's Short Track Nationals and appears to have picked up where he left off.

Could this be the year of the Cajun on the ASCS National Tour? Jason Johnson has been on fire in The Shop Motorsports #41 sprinter as of late. Can he finally dethrone "The Texan" Gary Wright and win the $50K? There is no doubt that Johnson is one of the most talented drivers in the world. Yes, I did say in the world. Johnson has raced and won not only here in the US, but down under as well. His 3 straight wins during Speedweek in Australia was an impressive feat. Johnson has bested Wright in the last 3 national tour features (Devil's Bowl, I-30 & Eastbay).

I'm really curious to see how young Lucas Wolfe does on the WoO tour this season. He did really well last season when he raced in a few shows with the tour and made the A main at the Knoxville Nationals. Lucas has shown to be a force on a half mile, but it will be interesting to see how he fairs on some of the bull rings around the country. I met Lucas at the STN and he was a really nice guy. I hope he does well.

   It's early January and with the exception of Australia, the sounds of Sprint Cars have been silent for awhile as we enjoy the holidays. I started thinking about all of my experiences with racing in 2007 and thought I would share some of the memorable moments:

ASCSoT show @ I-30 Speedway, Little Rock, Arkansas - April 28th

I’ve been a sprint car fan for my entire life. But, after going thru a divorce and some other personal battles, I decided that I would get serious about being a fan in 2007. Although I attended some point’s races @ I-30 prior to April, the ASCSoT on the 28^th is what really started my year.

It was the first time I watched Jason “The Ragin' Cajun” Johnson drive his #41 The Shop Motorsports Sprinter and became an instant fan. After witnessing him drive the car sideways down the back stretch during his heat and come back with a last lap pass for the win, I knew right then that he had the stuff. He went on to win the Dash and A-main that night and I left the track as a new fan of the Greenville, Texas crew. Since that night, I’ve become friends with Jason, his wife Bobbi and his crew. They are super people.

World of Outlaws - Riverside Speedway, West Memphis, Arkansas – May 5^th

Hot and humid. It was early May down by the Mississippi and I felt like I was on the Serengeti in Africa. Even though it was miserably humid, it was a great night of racing. I had a chance to talk with Donny Schatz during the C-main. There are those who don’t like Donny for various reasons. He’s not the most out-going guy, and kinda quiet, which reminds me a lot of myself in some regards. You can’t deny though that Donny is arguably the best Sprint Car driver since Kinser.

This night turned out to be special for Daryn Pittman. He got the chance to race wheel-to- wheel with his father-in-law Mike Ward, and his family members. It was a great night as he had a hard fought battle with Jason Solwold on the gumbo at The Ditch.

It turned out to be a tuff night for Donny Schatz, as he and The Dude got together in Turn 1 and Schatz ended up upside down. Tim Crawley was fast in Ricky Stenhouse Jr’s 40R, but he was also another Turn 1 victim as his motor locked and he ended up hitting the wall.

ASCSoT Speedweek – I-30 Speedway, Little Rock, AR – July 14^th

Another great night of racing with the ASCSoT. Gary Wright captured the win in the 500^th feature in the ASCS series. The Texan started on the pole with Jason Johnson along side. Johnson chased Wright until the Cajun went over the berm in Turn 3. Wright went on to win over Wayne Johnson, but once again Jason Johnson wowed the crowd by coming from dead last to finish 4^th. This was also the first night that I watched 13 year old Coleman Gulick of Binghamton, New York; pilot his #14 Ender’s Racing Engines J&J. He finished 3^rd in his heat and 13^th in the A. Pretty impressive for a 13 year old kid.

ASCSoT Speedweek – Devil’s Bowl Speedway, Mesquite, TX – July 19^th

An unseasonably cool evening in mid July welcomed me on my first visit to the historic Devil’s Bowl Speedway. It’s truly a first class facility. I was impressed from the moment I got out of the car. I mean come on, how many dirt tracks around the country have a paved parking lot? I watched the majority of the show from the pits. If you ever plan to go there, don’t waste your time on the grandstands. Go ahead and purchase a pit pass. You watch from the medal fence along the back straight. The cars run right in front of you. It’s awesome.

Gary Wright won again in dominating fashion. I had a great interview with Darren Stewart and Bobby Sparks for my first article in Flat Out Magazine. I also met Coleman Gulick and his crew. Coleman’s dad Pete, his grandpa Buzz, Crew Chief Ben and Barry from B&L Motorsports are all super people. I spent a good deal of the night hanging out with them (look for my next feature article in the April issue about Coleman Gulick).

If you’ve never been to Devil’s Bowl, you need to make the trip. The facility and racing are super.

Knoxville Nationals – Knoxville Raceway, Knoxville, IA – August 11^th

It’s the dream of Sprint Car drivers everywhere to one day race on the famed black dirt at the Knoxville Raceway. It’s also the dream of Sprint car fans to attend races at the storied track. I decided to make the trip this year. I, my cousin Jerry and his wife Melissa made the 9 hour drive. It was well worth it. Knoxville certainly lives up to hype as one of the fastest half mile tracks in the world. One mistake or mechanical failure and you find yourself bouncing off the famous metal fence with the car coming apart in pieces. The wrecks at Knoxville are breath-taking. We witnessed Mark Dobmier’s turn 1 pasting of the wall in the C-main. It was a scary looking crash, but he walked away.

We all wore Jason Johnson shirts to support our favorite driver. Jason had finished 3^rd in 2006 and was looking to get back on the podium. Unfortunately, we learned when we arrived that he had been injured during his hot lap session when he had blown a drive train. Jason had enough points to start the C-main, but could only manage an 8^th place finish.

Donny Schatz once again proved why he is the best, winning back to back Nationals.

Special 360 Sprint Race - Beebe Speedway, Beebe, AR – August 24^th

10 minutes from where I live in Cabot, Arkansas is Beebe Speedway. Beebe doesn’t run Sprint Cars on a regular basis. Track owner Kenny Morden decided to host a special race to gage interest and if course, make some money. It was a $2000 to win show and drew drivers from around the area. Tim Crawley won in Mike Ward’s #88 in dominating fashion. Due to an ASCS regional in Mississippi, the car count wasn’t what Kenny had hoped for, but it was the beginning of what promises to be a really good deal for drivers and fans in central Arkansas. Word is that Kenny will have several 360 races on his schedule and perhaps an ASCS regional.

20^th Annual Short Track Nationals – I-30 Speedway, Little Rock, AR – October 25-27

It had been several years since I attended the STN. Football, family and other commitments had prevented me from attending. Excitement for the 20^th show had been building all year and as the time drew near, we learned that due to an open date, many drivers from the WoO Sprint Series would be competing.

The week of the event arrived with Mother Nature in tow. Rain came down in buckets, canceling Wednesday night’s practice and putting Thursday night in doubt. But, the rain slacked and Thursday night was a go. The track was very ruff from all of the rain, which made for lots of bicycling, spins and flips. Jason Johnson had tuff luck as he broke a steering joint on the final lap. He managed to get the car to the finish, saving complete disaster. It was a good night for Shane Stewart in the #1HD Doyle’s Harley Davidson Maxim. As was expected, he dominated in both his qualifier and the A –Main. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind after Thursday night, that Stewart was the man to beat on Saturday night. The night’s action was marred by the injury of Josh Howard. The Southaven, Mississippi native suffered a neck injury after jumping turn 2 during his qualifier and is currently paralyzed from the neck down. The youngest of 3 brothers that race Sprint Cars, he is making progress in his recovery. The spinal cord was not severed, so there is hope that he walk again one day.

Friday night’s action took place on a very fast track, as the I-30 crew worked extremely hard after Thursday night’s ruff track posed problems for some drivers. In his 1^st competition at I-30, WoO veteran Tim Shaffer bested veteran Gary Wright. The Aliquippa, PA native made an aggressive pass in turn 2 on the 18^th lap and held on for the win.

Ashley and I spent each of the 3 days with Kevin Newsome and his wife Dana. Kevin and his uncle Jimbo fixed some great food on the grill. We ate duck, deer, shrimp, ribs and Boudain sausage. I want to say a personal thanks to Kevin for his hospitality. He fed a lot of people, including Coleman Gulick and his crew. I spent Saturday afternoon interviewing Coleman and his crew for my upcoming article in Flat Out Magazine. I had a really good time and I am very honored to know these outstanding people. As I have stated before, they are 1^st class people and I am so glad I can call them my friends.

In Saturday night’s action, Jason Johnson took a wild ride during his hot lap session. A flat right rear tire caused his car to lose grip going into turn 1. He slid up into the catch fence, sending fans in the pit stands scrambling. Jason and his crew, with the help of Darren Stewart, managed to get the car repaired in time for the qualifier in which he finished 3^rd. Young Coleman Gulick struggled with a nagging engine problem, but managed to make it to the last chance qualifiers in his first STN.

Jason Myers passed Shane Stewart for the 20,000 win in what many said was one of the better STN finals in recent years.

I want to say thanks to all of the people that made my 2007 a special year:

Justin Zoch – Thanks for giving me the opportunity to write for the best Sprint Car magazine in the world. It’s truly an honor.

Darren Stewart and Bobby Sparks – Thanks guys for giving me your time in writing the article. You both are super people and I am very honored to have told your story.

Jason and Bobbi Johnson, The Shop Team – Thanks for your friendship and fielding my questions and requests. You guys are the best and I’m proud to wear your gear and support your team. I’m really looking forward to 2008!

Coleman Gulick, Pete, Buzz, Ben and Barry – It’s been such a blessing getting to know you guys. All of the hard work and sacrifice will pay off. Thanks for giving me the honor to write your story.

Tim Crawley and Mike Ward – Thanks for giving me your time this summer and fall. Beneath Tim Crawley’s tuff image is a down to earth guy who is a great interview. I look forward to getting your story out there to our readers. I admire you Mike for realizing that one of your rivals would do well in your car and making it happen.

Kevin and Dana Newsome – It’s been great getting to know you guys this year. You would be hard pressed to find a Sprint Car fan that knows more about the sport than Kevin Newsome.  

Unless you've been under a rock somewhere, you know that Donny Schatz will be driving for Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) in 2008. Schatz will join the #20 car, which at the time of this post, is still an open seat, since Paul McMahan is out.

Tony couldn't have picked a better team to bring into his fold than Donny Schatz Racing. It was a smart move on Stewart's part, as Donny is without a doubt, making his stake as the most dominate driver since Kinser.

One can only wonder what kind of monetary deal was struck, but for Schatz to merge his team, i'm sure it had to be a lot. It's not like he wasn't winning any money this year...he's won more in one season than many drivers win in their careers and captured a sweep of all major events leading up to this point. He's worth the investment.

So, with all of this said, NASCAR drivers now has stake in 3 teams on the WoO circuit. There are rumors that other drivers are interested in being involved. This leads to my question: "will NACAR influence ruin the World of Outlaws?"

Some will say that this is a silly question, but think about it for a minute. What NASCAR brings to the sport is unlimited budgets and technology. That's money that many of the smaller teams do not have and technology that they cannot afford. I believe this hurts more than helps. Yes, having NASCAR drivers such as Stewart and Kahne involved in the sport is great, but at what cost?

What we will see is the top-end get even more heavy than before. If more and more NASCAR drivers are going to get involved, then why not have NASCAR as a whole make it worth while for the lower-tier teams? Spread the wealth, so to speak.

Unless the money and technology trickles down to the lower-tier teams, then I am afraid that the WoO Sprint Series will be a watered-down, top-heavy sport which will not be fun to watch. I would hate to see the WoO turn into Formula One. With more and more NASCAR money filtering in, that appears to be where the sport is headed.

I really hope not.

All to often, as fans, we forget just how dangerous the sport of Sprint Car racing can be. It's not until a tragedy happens that we are reminded that in this business lives are lost, and people get gravely injured. Many, have paid the ultimate price and took the final checkerd flag in their life.

On Sunday, September 2nd, 2007 on the 24th lap of the 410 Feature at William's Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, PA, 27 year old Billy Kimmel was elbows up, racing hard to the finish. He lost control of his ride in turn 3 and was hit by two other cars. The crash left Kimmel fatally injured.

He passed on doing what he loved: driving a Sprint Car.

It's hard to imagine the grief that his family, loved ones and friends must feel. Although I did not know Billy nor had I ever seen him race, I feel like I lost a close friend. It's a loss that is being felt all over the Sprint Car world. The fact that the accident happened at the Grove in the epicenter of the Pennsylvannia Sprint Car scene, makes it even more compelling. Billy will be remembered for his blue collar style that won the respect of the fans and his fellow drivers.

May God rest his soul and comfort his family.

The following is the Racer's Prayer. I found this on the William's Grove message board. I encourage you to print this off and place it somewhere in your view. I've seen this in some Haulers and I feel it's rather appropriate:

The Racer's Prayer

Lord, I pray as I race today,
Keep me safe along the way.

Not only me, but the others too,
As they perform the jobs they do.

I know God, that in every race,
I, the driver must set the pace.

Let not my desire for more speed,
Warp my judgement and turn into greed.

From green to checkered, guide me through.
Giving me strength to know what to do.

Remind me often in the race of life,
How to cope with all the strife.

Help me accept the wins I may receive,
And all the defeats, most graciously.

Ride with me, don't allow me to lag,
Guide me all the way to the checkered flag.

I write in this space a lot about my experiences at my local track, I-30 Speedway (By the way, for those of you that don't know or had not heard, or have been under a rock somewhere, the track is the home of the 360 Short Track Nationals, which takes place at the end of October. It's also the home of the Mini-Sprint 600 Nationals, which will take place on the weekend of September 14-15.). The track motto is "Where Action is the Attraction" and every weekend you can bet that there will be something exciting happen during the course of the evening. Last night was no exception.

The Sprint heats had a couple of flips and good ole' wheel bangers. Father Rick and Son Zach Pringle got tangled up during their heat. It should make for some interesting dinner coversation at the Pringle house. Tim Crawley continued his dominance in Mike Ward's 88 car. He won his heat and the Green to Checkerd Feature. Crawley is looking very tuff right now and with the Short Track Nationals right around the corner, they are no doubt one of the favorites to win the $20,000 paycheck.

I-30 boasts a pretty strong field of Mini-Sprints. With the 600 Nationals only a couple of weeks away, there were a large number of cars at the track to get some laps in prior to the $10,000 to win show on the 15th. They put on a good show for the fans last night as there was some good hard racing during the heats. The Feature was won by Travis Sentor, who set a blistering pace in his #22 car. He will be hard to beat for the 600 Trophy.

The youngsters in the Horizon Mini Sprint class always amaze me. While in the pits last night working on a story for an upcoming issue of Flat Out Magazine, I watched several of the kids who drive in the Horizon class as they sat around in their firesuits talking about racing. It's really amazing when you stop and think that many of these kids won't even be legal to drive for another six or 7 years. These kids are fearless and i've heard some say that this lack of fear or the uncomprehension of fear at their age is very dangerous. Personally, I disagree with this notion. Racing is racing. No matter how old you are, you have to be fearless or you wouldn't be able to climb into that cockpit.

Driving a race car is dangerous. There is no denying this fact. Accidents happen, death happens. It's just a part of the business. Yes, it's the ugly side, but that doesn't stop people from driving race cars. 

Last night, during the Horizon Mini Sprint feature, there was one of those moments where we witnessed what appeared to be the type of accident that could have seriously injured or perhaps taken the life of a young girl named Shelby Henson. Miss Henson, who's father Wally and Grandfather Ralph, were long time Sprint Car drivers at I-30, has been very competitive this season and has won some races. She is one of several kids who's father raced or races Sprints at I-30. She races hard and is a very gifted young driver.

Over the years, i've seen my share of wild moments at I-30. Shelby's incident ranks right up there. She was the unfortunate victim of a slide job. We've all seen it happen hundreds of times as fans. Sometimes it's intentional, sometimes it's just racing. Last night it was two kids racing hard and she got the unfortunate race ending result. Going into turn 1 she got bumped by the slidder, which was not intentional. For some reason, she drove straight off the back of turn 2 at full speed. She got what they call in the ATV world "Major Air." One of the drivers in the staging area said it was one of the worst crashes he's seen.

From where I was sitting in turn 1, it looked like it could have been a horrific crash. All we could see was the top of the car tumble. The red came out immediately and the safety officials sprinted to the car. My girl friend and I were in the area where the car landed during the Sprint Heats. I've walked right by where she ramped the turn hundreds of times and I always wonder what would happen if a car came off the track and I was standing there. Would have been scary.

Thank God she was ok. She took a ride in the Ambulance, and word is that she is just banged up, which considering the way the crash looked, is good news. I'm sure she will be strapped into the car and back on the track real soon. Winner's do that.

And so another Saturday night goes at I-30 Speedway...where action is the attraction!

As a fairly educated race fan, I pay close attention to the track conditions during races. Most fans probably aren't as concerned about what the track is doing, but hard-core fans such as myself, know that the track will dictate what happens during the course of a night's racing.

I watch the cushion and look for the signs of rubber, which is the signal that a track will slow down. I hate one groove racing. It's boring. No one enjoys watching follow the leader. I also pay very close attention to the drivers. If I am in the stands, which is becoming less and less these days due to my work with Flat Out Magazine, I watch the drivers very closely as they look at the track. By watching them, you will have a pretty good idea about what line they will choose to race.

This past Friday night at Beebe Speedway, as I watched from the stands with my girl friend Ashley and my family, I paid really close attention to Tim Crawley, who is a veteran driver and track regular at I-30. He had taken the low grove in turn 1 and 2 and the cushion in 3 and 4 during his heat. When he came out to inspect the track during the intermission, he was walking along the cushion in turn 1 and 2, which had extended up to about 3/4  to the top of the turns. I told my girl friend "Crawley's gonna run the top in the feature. Watch." I could have been wrong. He could have been bluffing, but I wasn't. When the Green dropped on the Feature, Crawley planted Mike Ward's #88 Maxim on the cushion and set a blistering pace that ended 25 laps later without a yellow.

Speaking of Beebe Speedway, I had mentioned in my previous post about how important that this past Friday night's special 360 race was and it was a huge success. All of the drivers were very pleased with the track and about 1000 fans got their money's worth. Tim Crawley dominated and set the stage for what will be the 1st of many races to come for Beebe Speedway.

   This Friday night at Beebe Speedway in Beebe, Arkansas, a special 360 Sprint race will take place at the ¼ mile bullring. To say this race is important to Sprint Car racing in Arkansas is an understatement.

    Currently, there are only 2 tracks that race Sprint Cars on a regular basis in Arkansas. I-30 Speedway, located in Alexander, AR (Little Rock) and Riverside International Speedway (The Ditch), located in West Memphis. Both race on Saturday nights.

    Beebe, which hosted the Short Track Nationals and the World of Outlaws back in the 1990’s (Steve Kinser won) currently hosts races on Friday nights. The owner of the track is looking at the possibility of adding 360’s to his schedule, which would give drivers and fans 2 nights of Sprint Car action in Central Arkansas.

    This would be a tremendous opportunity for the drivers to race back-to-back nights close to home. From a driver development standpoint, I-30 already has a great Mini-Sprint program. Many of those young drivers will be looking to move up and drive 360 Sprints in the future. By having 2 nights of local racing, this will be a great training ground for the drivers of tomorrow.  It would also develop a great core of fans that will reap the rewards of watching great racing in this class on back-to-back nights. It’s a win, win situation all the way around.

    I have a lot of respect for the guys that drive Late Models, Modified and Street Stocks. They put their blood and sweat into racing each weekend and there is always great racing in those classes. But, Sprint Cars draw the fans. Just go out to I-30 Speedway on a Saturday night when the ASCSoT is in town. You’ll see what I mean. The Sprint Car fans here in Central Arkansas are very passionate about the sport. I am one of them. I, like my fellow fans, want this to work. We all work hard for our money and we spend it on the sport we love. This class will benefit all classes at Beebe. Fans will come. More cars will come.

    Friday night, August 24^th 2007, Beebe Speedway has a chance to shine and show that it’s worth the price of admission and take the 1^st step in a new era of Sprint Car racing in Central Arkansas.