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  1. #1
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    Dec 2017
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    Default First time you ever drove a race car?

    What was the first time you ever drove a race car?

    I’ll start.

    Caney Valley Speedway, 1982, got to pack the track in a street stock. Scared as he!!, and they ran in the track the opposite way. Slick gumbo clay ¼ mile. Sliding down the banking while trying to figure everything out was not fun. Thought I was going to crash packing the track.

    The only other time was 2019, at Baer Field on the 3/8’s for the 24 hour Grocery Getter Classic. I and three others did the entire 24 hours finishing 17th out of 58 purely stock street cars. Used up 27 right front tires, 38 total tires for the whole race. It was definitely a bucket list deal. One of the, if not, the, most fun I’ve ever had at the race track. Asphalt aside.

    What was the first time you ever drove a race car?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
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    Lost, but way ahead of schedule
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    1,514

    Default

    Spring of 1988, a 1975 Monte Carlo street stock I bought used, that had no business being on a race track. The roll cage was made out of galvanized pipe. But anyway, I remember the driver's door opening on the first lap of the heat race, and somewhere around lap 4 I got a flat (and not one spare with me).

    I was young, dumb, and all that other stuff...but I was hooked. I knew absolutely nothing about cars, let alone racecars. I filled all four tires up to 32 p.s.i. and away I went. When I found out tires came in different sizes, I was blown away.

    And 2020 marks my 22nd year in racing!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Batavia, OH
    Posts
    13,615

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    I was 13 years old and I ran about 100 laps on Sunday morning in my dad's sportsman car. The track was just as it had finished the night on Saturday.
    Modern Day Wedge Racing
    Florence -1

  4. #4

    Talking 1998, Ponderosa

    Had a buddy that I raced go-carts with make the jump to Mods the year prior. After a ton of early success, local chassis builder convinced him to drive his house car. A week before the race he let me practice his old mod. He was considering renting the old car for extra money. Wanted feedback from someone who had never raced one and trusted me. He had supplied me with go cart setups for years and I ran his old stuff all the time since I couldn’t afford new. After spinning out the first 2 laps, I finally figured out how to drive. He said that was the slowest he ever saw that mod go!😂 After some coaxing, I finally let’er tip and didn’t do too bad. He convinced me to race it the following Saturday and I didn’t need coaxing at that point. Went out and qualified next to last and started last in my heat. I didn’t gain any spots and only got lapped by the leader. Right before the B, the oil pressure dropped and I pulled out of staging and shut it down. Come to find out it was electrical and nothing serious. I raced a few times after that in his mod and my own hobby stock but never really took off with it. Not enough money nor time but it was pretty cool to do.I keep saying when I retire, I’m going to try crate racing. Who knows??🤷🏼(not a nice word)♂️ Right now, I’m paying for 1 kid in college and the other in trade school. We’ll see...

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
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    3,204

    Default

    Open wheel sprint car. The first time out on the track I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest. That engine fired and everything went away. What a rush, loved every d*m minute of it. We won our share of heat races and had consistent top 10 finishes some nights and some nights we looked like garbage. Went under the white flag leading quite a few times but I guess I just went stupid. LOL, all the key board jockeys think it's so d*m easy. But anyhow, I'll be curious to see how many more chime in.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Kansas
    Posts
    1,935

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by dirtcrazy4u View Post
    all the key board jockeys think it's so d*m easy. But anyhow, I'll be curious to see how many more chime in.
    On the thinks it's so easy: A guy that been racing LM's for 35+ years, gets to drive a 2 seater and takes his wife for a ride in it. After wards she says "I will never say another word about why didn't you do this or go there on that lap". The perspective from the stands is quite different then the drivers seat, lol.

    My first time in a car was a LM in a mechanics race at Salina Kansas in 1992. Never drove any type of car on a dirt track, owner thought I had driven the street stock they had at hot laps or another mechanics race. So while sitting in line up (I'm 6' 7") he walks over and ask me if I did drive the street stock and I say no, never drove anything. So he says well if you roll duck cause your head is above the roll cage. That sure made me feel better, lol.

    Anyway I was timid at first but finally got to second and leader was a straight a head so I drove it into 1 and closed up about half the distance and thought I might be able to catch him. So I drove that thing as hard as I could into 3 and 4 and ended up about a half a car short at the line.

    I got a used car in the off season between 92 and 93 and ran my first race in 93 and actually crossed the finish line BACKWARDS as I spun off turn 4 on the last lap and crossed the line backwards. I ran 7th or 8th

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
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    1,363

    Default

    Don't know the exact year but somwhere around 2007-2008. North Georgia speedway at the Dale McDowell/ Ray Cook school. Funny thing was they had a flagman at a opening on the backstretch and he pretty much stood just out of the opening on the track all day. Their had been maybe five or six drivers go at that point. Well i start making laps and he would tuck in behind the wall every time i came off 2 . I like to think i was just using more of the racetrack then the others and not the more accurate scenario witch i was probably a little out of control lol

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Posts
    5,197

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    My first was in a llm with about 550hp. Even though I had grown up around racing and done my fair share of street racing an driving fast on back country dirt roads, what surprised me the most was the instant throttle response. When you couple that much hp with a 5.64 gear its an awakening.

    My next experience was driving an asphalt modified with 500hp. Ill just say, it was a whole lot easier than the dirt car! I was up to speed pretty quick!

  9. #9

    Default

    I was a 43 year old rockie in a super late model - i am now -- the driver i puechased the car from was 6'7" and i put everything back the way he had it -- the problem i had the first night was when i thought i had the throtle wide open it was really at half throtle -- my legs were not as long as his -- a piece of 2x4 taped to the peddle solved the problem - this was a great way to unwind after a week of teaching.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Marion, IA
    Posts
    1,691

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    I did the Rusty Wallace Experience in an old cup car at Iowa Speedway in 2015. Then I did the open wheel road course experience at Iowa Speedway the next year. I bought a sport mod and started racing on dirt in 2017.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
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    1,380

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    20yrs ago, man cars have changed (to a point), still in it but supers now

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2019
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    2,399

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    It was 1980 when I and two other guys snuck out onto Freeprort Speedway with our cars. Just street machines but on a dirt track none the less, so I guess that was as close to dirt racing as I got. I finished way behind in second to a 74 Z28 in my 76 trans am. The dude behind me was in a ta also, a 78 that looked like the Bandit car
    He blew a right rear Mickey Thompson, imagine that lol! So cool... 😎

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Wisconsin
    Posts
    3,119

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    Hales Corners Speedway 1970.

    '59 Chrysler owned by a local racer chaser. She needed the carb rebuilt...I got the ride in return for rebuilding the carb. Women were not allowed in the pits back then.

    It was a Thursday night all sportsman show. Likely had 150-200 cars in the pits. I qualified way back..maybe dead last.

    Six lap heat race... Had the pole ( full inverts back then).

    Won the heat with a much faster Chevelle pushing me trying to spin me but they guy couldn't move that 5000# tank.

    Also got in a non- Ford Chevy race that night. Led 5 3/4 laps then my carb sputtered and my buddy beat me with his '60 Dodge.
    Member of the Luxemburg Speedway Hall of Fame
    Class of 2019

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    695

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    1984, mechanics race at Tipton, Ia in my dad's late model (good old TCB car). Ran second to a 'mechanic' who drove his brothers car off and on over the years. Started running full time in 1986 and still going (although a limited schedule these days). I remember being disappointed the first time, thought it would feel way faster than it did.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Posts
    420

    Default

    1995, North Georgia Speedway. I remember pulling out on the track for the very first time for Hot Laps. It was completely different than I imagined it, but yet somehow, everything I was hoping for. Made about 3/4 of a lap in the feature when a dude spun right in front of me. I had no where to go and ran right into him. Busted a brand new radiator and fan. Raced 5 years in A-Hobby/Modified Hobby. Then moved to supers with a SPEC engine, then open motor, then dropped back to Limited Late model. 15 years total. Miss it every...single....day.

  16. #16

    Default

    1986 at EAMS. I was 13 years old and my brother talked my dad into letting me make a few laps in his 1970 monte carlo enduro car at a practice night. I thought i was really flying but in reality, I was letting off the gas just past the flagstand, but i was hooked. Started racing open wheel modified in 1989 and moved to late models my senior year of high school in 1991. Raced until 2010 when we sold out midway thru the season. EAMS went to the crate deal for late models and it just got to where it wasn't fun any more. I now help a couple of buddies out and have so far refused the offers to "make a few laps" because im afraid i'd have to get me one if I did.

  17. #17
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    Jul 2007
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    8,113

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    Great thread and some interesting and entertaining stories from all of you guys! Mine is boring and insignificant in comparison to the rest of your stories but I'll chime in an bore ya'll, nonetheless.

    The closest I ever came to actually driving a full-on dirt late model race car on an oval (did a fair amount of drag racing back before I had family and career obligations) in anger was at the Springfield Mile back when they still ran the Fall Nationals on The Mile. The driver/owner of a team I was involved with at that time knew the sentimental importance of Springfield to me and my Dad. He and I are very close to the same height and build so he gave me one of his old firesuits, boots and gloves to wear and I used a certified helmet from my drag racing days. It was just an engine warming/track packing deal but I made a couple or 3 laps on the world famous Springfield Mile, albeit my speed stayed under 40 MPH. I had a smile a mile wide riding up on the 'cush (LOL!) listening to that throbbing race engine idle around the big ol' mile. I will NEVER forget that and will always be indebted to the driver/owner.
    Last edited by CIRF; 09-14-2020 at 12:32 PM.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Posts
    2,929

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    1st was a Super Stock at LBurg, 2005 or so, practice day. Made 3 laps and blew and engine, oil and anti freeze blew all over me, it was awesome LOL.

    Then i built an ole Rayburn, and a 380 steel head engine, ran that the 1st time and it didnt blow up LOL ! I remember the 1st time i went thru a corner flat on the floor and didnt lift, what a rush ! Motor only made 600 or less, but boy i thought i was Bloomerquist out there LOL.

    Just say no...

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Calhoun Ga
    Posts
    326

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    Spring of 2010 at North GA Speedway. I was 20 years old. 2009 GRT with a very strong steel head motor. I was lucky to be able to get to drive good equipment being fresh into it. I had made a million laps in my head during my childhood until then. I rolled out for hot laps and pulled her in high and let her dig. Boy I thought I was digging too. It felt like I was banging the cushion and running 200 mph. After about a lap a car come by me so fast on the top it made me reevaluate me being in that thing. Within a couple weeks I had her dialed in and was making fast laps. But I will never forget how fast I though I was going until I was shown what fast was. It’s unreal how much faster it seems in the seat vs standing on the fence. Not to mention North GA is quick little joint in early spring and the track is heavy.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Kansas
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    GRT24:

    I put a buddy in my limited LM once after a practice night, been to the races a few times but never drove anything on dirt. I almost had to make him as he kept saying NO, it's fine I don't need to drive it. Well he finally gets in it and runs around the bottom more drag racing (being respectful of the equipment and his lack of experience) but finally starts sort of making decent laps for a noob. 2 other cars decided to go make laps so they pulled on the track (he didn't see them pull on half a track behind him) and they run him down and pass him between him and the wall right at the flag stand. He pulled off right after that.

    He said: "You know I thought i was going reasonably fast until the street stock blew by me"

    I said: "Well actually that was a mini stock with a street stock behind him but they passed you so fast that you never saw the mini stock in front, lol"

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