Post a little about you

[Madcat]

35yrs old, married for 6 years now, 5yr old boy and twin 3yr old boys. I work in the building industry as a salesman for concrete anchorage products based out of Columbus, OH but cover OH, KY, and IN. Fwiw I hate the buckeyes and have cheered against them since birth.

Started going to dirt races at Mansfield and Lakeville(closed), back when it had one restroom and was a dump in the 90s. Just a few times a year. I remember it like yesterday, but I remember going to Wayne Co for a Stars race and dad got a Chubb shirt autographed and was so happy.

We got serious in 06, went to Eldora and tent camped when it was like 120* for both races. Dad got hooked and I did too. Bought a camper with a buddy the next year and since then we usually average 8-10 races a year. Mom was sick for 2.5 seasons so only made a few those years.

She’s passed from cancer so dad and I got a whole new toy hauler and went to some new races this season.

Next year my kids and wife will accompany us and we’re hoping to set a record(14 or 15) which is good for us.

We’re regulars at Attica and work on a locals car. We actually made the Mansfield Million Race last year, his shop is 5 miles from the track and we grew up 10 miles away so nice to come home.

[B_K]

42 years old
Married for 8 1/2 years with a 5 year old daughter.

I handle some national account sales for a rug company in Dalton, Ga but have accounts from Rhode Island to California. Was born into my fandom. My father helped Charles Hughes for fairly long time including 1976 (year I was born) when they won the World 100. Dad also helped Charles' son DeWayne and a few others including Chip Brindle. Grew up around the shop listening to stories I probably was too young to hear from some legends in this area and being snuck into the pits covered by jackets in the floorboards of the truck.

Been lucky enough to have seen a lot of different tracks. My favorite, no matter how frustrating it can sometimes be is North Georgia. It's home. It will always be home. More of a fan of bullrings than bigger tracks. I can appreciate any style of racing, but I'll always pick a tall cushion over black ice.

Don't travel nearly as much to races anymore. The job, wife, and kid make it tough to just get up on Saturday morning look at a radar and pick a direction like I might used to. Went to 12 races last year. All were within 2 hours of the house.

[WisWildManFan]

31 years old, aerospace assembler, no kids that I'm aware of and a great woman by my side. Was at a dirt track a few weeks old because my dad was racing street stocks (2 time Champ the 2 years he ran) my grandparents got him into racing both dirt and asphalt. They became big fans of the 410 winged stuff since they saw it more often than lates. I ran karts for a few years as a kid and had to make a decision between that and hockey at a young age. I managed to pick the 2 most expensive sports possible. I chose to play hockey even though I was naturally better at racing because I knew at least I would get beat by talent instead of money. I now enjoy playing iracing when I have time and try to live life to the fullest. I'm a gym rat usually 5 days a week. Racing and hockey are my passions, I also enjoy football and mma. I wish I would of grew up in the 70s and 80s but didn't have much of a choice lol!! My only Xmas wish is they would forget qualifying and pill draw all heats or at least invert them!

[Shiny Side Up 18]

28 years old and single. I currently live in Peoria Heights, IL and work as a recycler at the local community college. My formal introduction to auto racing was via NASCAR in 2001 when I was 10. My late mother took me to my first dirt track race at Peoria when I was 13, and I attended sporadic weekly shows at Peoria and Macon, thinking that was as good as it got. Then 2014 happened. I found out that the Lucas series was coming to Macon. That was my favorite track at the time, and I'd seen the Lucas series on TV, so I had to check it out. The heat races blew me away, as I'd never seen that much high dollar equipment in one place. I quickly realized what I'd been missing out on. That was the year I discovered FALS (more on that in a bit). I attended a handful of Hell Tour shows, where I was treated to some hard racing and dramatic moments, such as the classic Babb/Feger/Unzicker battle at Spoon River, and the Babb/Pierce incident at Macon. I wasn't a goner quite yet, but the knockout blow was delivered shortly thereafter. I had made my first trip to FALS that June for their fan appreciating night, but for whatever reason, it didn't really leave a positive taste in my mouth (I sat on the frontstretch as I didn't know any better). Then the PDC happened... I actually had ZERO intentions of going back to FALS after my first trip there, but I had nothing else to do that Saturday. The weather forecast was for severe thunderstorms that night, but right at the last minute, I said to myself, "ah screw it, I'll go and see what the fuss is about". When I arrived there, I was blown away by how many campers had descended on the small town, and the anticipatory atmosphere that was building. The crowd was electric, and the racing was red hot, with Tim McCreadie winning a thriller. THAT was the knockout punch. It was all over after that night, and FALS is now my adopted home track. I attended roughly 20 races in 2015, and from 2016 on, I've attended 50+ races per year, including my first trips to both Eldora and Knoxville, with the Hell Tour as the bread and butter of my race chasing. I've met the vast majority of my friends through this sport, and would love to have a career in racing in some form or another. (And I STILL can't figure out how to break text into paragraphs on here).

[1forthe$]

42 years old
Married for 8 1/2 years with a 5 year old daughter.

I handle some national account sales for a rug company in Dalton, Ga but have accounts from Rhode Island to California. Was born into my fandom. My father helped Charles Hughes for fairly long time including 1976 (year I was born) when they won the World 100. Dad also helped Charles' son DeWayne and a few others including Chip Brindle. Grew up around the shop listening to stories I probably was too young to hear from some legends in this area and being snuck into the pits covered by jackets in the floorboards of the truck.

Been lucky enough to have seen a lot of different tracks. My favorite, no matter how frustrating it can sometimes be is North Georgia. It's home. It will always be home. More of a fan of bullrings than bigger tracks. I can appreciate any style of racing, but I'll always pick a tall cushion over black ice.

Don't travel nearly as much to races anymore. The job, wife, and kid make it tough to just get up on Saturday morning look at a radar and pick a direction like I might used to. Went to 12 races last year. All were within 2 hours of the house.

Small world..I lived in Fort Oglethorpe, Ga from about 2003-2009. Got many friends that work at the Lowes in Dalton. (I worked for Lowes for 15 years) The store manager and several of the assistant managers are good friends of mine. Several friends around North Georgia/Chattanooga. My son lives in Jasper,Tn with his mother.. so I'm there from time to time. Not so much now that he is old enough to drive to my house lol.

I made one trip to North Georgia Speedway in 2009 before I moved back home to paducah. Cleveland Speedway was my favorite in the south. Boyd's was fun cause it was so close. Made the trip to Atomic one night when I was 18. Racing was so-so for what I remember, but glad i can say i went now.

[KAOS]

30, Work at a television station in Topeka, KS as a Technical Media Producer, Grew up going to dirt races with my Dad. First track I ever went to was Topeka Raceway which no longer exists. However I have spent most of the time at what I consider is the best dirt track in the country Thunder Hill Speedway in Mayetta, KS a little bias since I grew up 6 miles from it.Also when I say best Track I mean best actual track, management of the past hasn't always been great (I have no problems with the current owners) My Dad and I usually end up at I 80 on the Saturday Night of the Silver Dollar Nationals.

[TTS_JF]

36 years old, married no kids, and work as a buyer in the limestone mining/heavy equipment industry. I'm like many others on here my dad and uncles started taking me to the races at a young age, and I've been going ever since. The earliest tracks I remember attending were Goddard Speedway, Brown County, Mudlick, Southern Ohio, Portsmouth, etc.

When I was freshman or sophomore in high school my mom let my brother and I take a week off school with a doctors excused absence to hit speedweek for the first time. My brother and I since we've were able to drive on our own, we kept going racing even though my parents interest has since slacked up.

The past 4-5 years I've started attending races with a good friend who runs a mod. In the past few years we've ran between 40-55 races a year. We've made a lot of improvements, and are hoping to make the trek to Eastbay at the end of January to race for a week. I've since found it a little harder to just go and watch racing without helping someone with a car or being in the pits.

Great thread to hear everyone's backstory.

[hoosier race fan]

I don’t post here as much as I used to, but I still read the forum almost every day. I’ve enjoyed reading this topic.

I’m 33 and I work as a high school assistant principal. I was a social studies teacher, mostly history and economics, for 9 years before getting my master’s degree and taking a job as an administrator. I also coached basketball for 10 years, and coached football and track and field for a few years as well. I’m married and my wife and I have a daughter.

I was almost literally born at a dirt track. My dad and uncles had a car they built and my dad’s best friend was their driver. I was a “?” on the side of the car under the names of the pit crew when they raced in the summer of ‘85. They continued to race into the early 90’s. When my dad and uncles took a break from racing, I kept going with my grandmother just about every Saturday night. Once I was old enough to drive, I would take her instead of her taking me. I started going to a Friday night track almost every week while I was in high school and college in addition to going on Saturday’s. I had the itch to start racing pretty bad about 10 years ago, but that was right as I was finishing my bachelor’s degree. My career and getting married/family took priority and I didn’t follow through with the plans to start racing. Hoping to do that in the near future, but I am fine with being an avid fan. Where I live now, there really isn’t a “good” track that offers the classes I enjoy within a reasonable driving distance. Now I only go to 8-10 races a year, and I tend to try to go to bigger shows or tracks that I haven’t been to before. I still love the sport, and always will. It just feels like family, which is a common theme for many of you that have posted on this topic.

[Pjo8381]

37 years old. Package car driver for UPS. Getting married in september. No kids.Have been going to dirt tracks with my dad as long as I can remember. Going to Pennsboro when I was younger is what really got me hooked on latemodels. I help a friend of mine on crate latemodel when I can. I raced snowmobiles for about 10 years before that thing called work got in the way. I also enjoy hockey and camping.I try to go to as many races as possible each year.

[dirtybird73]

45 Years Old, married for 14 years - 1 12yo son, Former USAF, I recently transferred to the Cable/Broadband Engineering Department after working for 7 years as a Construction/Maintenance Lineworker for a local Municipal Utility Company. I've been going to the dirt tracks longer than I can remember starting when my dad helped a friend of his (Ray Cash) on a late model...back when they were built from real cars. Best I can remember I've been to races in 10 states. I worked on the crew of a friends Late Model, with 3 different team, for several years until he decided to "retire from driving". The next couple of years I helped a couple more drivers that drove a car owned by another friend, until they decided to sell out. After that I was an official for the original Battle of the Bluegrass Series until it changed management. I've also helped out with the NARA/Lucas Oil Series a few times when Spencer Wilson was in charge, and I got to go along as an official on the 2009 SouthernNationals tour. Now I don't get to go as much as I used to due to my sons baseball, but when I do get to go I'm usually found in Michael Chiltons pit area helping out.

[Josh Bayko]

I'm 41, married, and have a 4 year old daughter. I work in the auto parts industry. I currently live in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA, but I grew up in New Jersey going to the Flemington Speeedway. Was always interested in real late models from seeing the articles and pics in AARN, but they weren't a thing in modified land out east. I was too young to drive, though, so we didn't really get to see em. Moved to the Pittsburgh area in I think '01, and started attending Lernerville Speedway on a regular basis where I got to see the super late models I saw in the AARN and fell in love with the division. I still keep up on what's going on in modifieds, but I'm definitely more of a late model guy these days

[latemodelman]

33 going to be 34 in January Married for 5 years and 1 kid a 3 year old boy Live in Troy, Ohio Work at a factory. I used to go to a lot of races but now I go to 6 or so a year. Started going to Shadybowl as a baby with my parents and went to Eldora with my dad and brother for the September tune up to the

[latemodelman]

Sorry anyway we used to go to the tuneup to the world 100.

[MontanaMagic1619*]

Born in Warsaw, NY, brought up in Perry, NY, 70 years old, never married, came close three times, but thats for another day, no children, went to Nam to play infantry soldier for three agonizing yrs and couldn't wait to get out of there, took the GI bill, went to IUP in Pennsylvania to study structural engineering, wanted to build skyscrapers, had a nice stint as college disjockey spinning (records), yes, in my days it was 78's and 45's, and while there playing the midnight to six on weekends which lasted about a year as " The Unknown Soldier " after my all time favorite band the Doors. Graduated in three yrs doubling on the credits each semester, and like Harry Chapin once said " I took off for the skies ". Spent 33 wonderful years going around the world constructing and designing buildings in China, Japan, Denmark, Sweden, Fiji Islands, Australia, just to name a few of my favorites. All in all I worked in 37 countries on four continents keeping busy, enjoying wonderful friendships and an occasional relationship with beautiful ladies and good racing enthusiasts when I had a chance to hit stateside. Have been close to 1,500 races in my life with Pennsboro, Knoxville, and Laguna Seca as my three favorite tracks. I even raced on the Audobon in Nurburgrin, Germany in 1985 as one of my biggest thrills in life fulfilling something for my bucket list, so to speak. Found a website in the mid-90's called 4m and became dear friends with guys like Leebo, the fireman, Crash Davis, Paperman, slick, and crazy Larry who is still the funniest guy I ever met. We ( Larry and I and some drinking compadres ) always tried to make sure we made time every year to hit Pennsboro and an occasionally Eldora if I didn't have to be working, times I will never forget. Jeff Purvis is still my all time favorite dirt late model driver and Tim Richmond was my favorite national driver, oh; the times we had in '85 and '86 in Watkins Glen were awesome. Sad to say he didn't live very long, he had such a great future in racing and to this day the most charasmatic person I would ever know. People just adored him, especially after he won a race. T-Mac today has alot of Tim's winner circle mentality. Retired in 2010, bought a couple houses in Casa Grande, Arizona, spent some time there, got restless, sold the houses with ingrown pools, moved back to NY state to live the rest of my days in my old hometown of Perry, NY and occasionally you'll find me on the Genesee River kayacking my way down the eighteen mile stretch of my all time favorite place Letchworth State Park which to me is as nice a place as the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone. I'm content now that I'm 70, doing an occasional year end racing statistical summary for the fine racing groupies here on 4m. All in all, its been a wonderful life, I wouldn't have changed a dammed thing, made some real good money, and will eventually be cremated with my ashes spread out over Letchworth when the time comes.

Thank you for creating this post, I enjoy posts like these where we can all be candid, take care folks its been a real pleasure !

[Dirt Clod]

62 years old, living in Indianapolis. Grew up in Streator, IL, attended Illinois State and retired from Kroger after 43 years, working the last several years in their Public Affairs & Marketing Depts. Was fortunate to be involved with the Kroger Speedfest at Lucas Oil Raceway, Pay Less Little 500 at Anderson Speedway and Hoosier 100. Saw my first racing in the late 60's at Mazon and Fairbury, and will never forget Jack Tyne and Tom Reints. Got hooked and 90+ tracks later, I'm still traveling to new speedways. Late models are awesome, but so are midgets, sprint cars, Indy Car, NASCAR, dirt and pavement. We are blessed here in Indy to have so many tracks within 3 hours. Retirement helped me see races in 8 states last year. Still remember in college when I had 4 racing papers coming to my house at once. Racing is definitely changing and sure hope the high costs don't cripple the sport. Enjoy 4M except when people bash each other. This "posting a little about each other" was a great idea!

[chupp n bloomer fan]

I’ve always appreciated you on here, and really look up to you for your stats, service to our country, and the bad ass job you had.

Cannot imagine the cash and memories you have made. Glad you are enjoying retirement, take care man.

[MontanaMagic1619*]

You're most welcome chupp, you've been a real good friend on here for the later years I've been on here recently and I don't ever forget that, its been appreciated, and to all my old time friends are gone now, but with you, Rob Selle (where is that ol' goat by the way; haven't seen him in a coon's age) , edavis, blackie, and guys I can't remember off the top of my head right now but will someday I hope; have stuck by me and enjoyed my banter and those wonderful stats for years. It's been a labor of love to do them, its always cool to see how all these great dirt late model drivers do during the year. Thanks again, chupp !

[1forthe$]

As CnB said, I appreciate your service too, sir. I bet you got some bad @SS stories you could share. Sounds like you have done a lot of living. You should start your own thread "Montana'sMemories".. i seriously bet itd be highest viewed thread thread on 4m lol.

[amusall]

33 years old with a girlfriend who I have a 2 1/2 year old daughter with, plus 4 kids from her previous marriage. Live in Perry, NY. I'm a manufacturing engineer/shop manager at a small Aerospace Machine shop in Orchard Park. Loved racing since I can remember thanks to my parents. Met Dale Earnhardt at an ASA race at Cayuga in the early 90's. Raced karts from age 12 to 24. I lived in Kannapolis, NC 2005-2009 and worked a Ultra Pro Machining. We machined cylinder heads for Nitro Harleys and almost every big name dirt late model engine builder at the time. When I was a kid my family spent a lot of time going to Nascar races and then eventually evolved into sprint car and dirt late model fans. Been to many different tracks up and down the East coast and some in the Midwest. My favorite late model drivers are TMAC and Babb. The busy family life doesn't allow me to attend as many races as I have in the past however I'm still lucky enough to go to 8-12 a year. I prefer quality over quantity but love taking my kids to the track any chance I get.

[TerryM]

I'm a 55 year old father of two, and was born on an Army base in West Germany while my dad was stationed in Vietnam. We bounced around a few more bases (the last one Ft Hood, Texas) before dad left the military and settled us in Dayton, OH. By the time I was 8 years old, we'd located to Lexington, KY, close to where both my parents were born and raised.

My first recollection of racing, was Eldora Speedway when I was 5 or 6. Dad drag raced, but he had cousins who loved dirt racing. My first race was sprint cars, but I fell in love with the "late models". After our move to Lexington, we quickly started attending races at Northern Kentucky Speedway (now called Florence Speedway). Almost 50 years later, I still consider it my home track.

I grew up also loving to write. I wrote for student papers, local newspapers, etc, pretending to be a journalist. It allowed me to follow two of my favorite hobbies -- sports and statistics. By my 20's, I had started typing letters to the editors of different publications, including Mid American Auto Racing News (MAARN). At a race at Brownstown, Indiana in the mid 90's, I met Todd Turner. He encouraged me to start writing for a publication he was involved with at the time. I can't remember which one came first -- National Dirt Digest, Dirt News Digest, or whatever, but I wrote for all of them. Later on I wrote for Pitchin' It Sideways and a couple others, and finally Dirt Late Model magazine. I loved it but reality hit around 2000, when I went through a rough divorce, becoming a weekend father and having to give up my weekend writing gig. Had a blast doing it for several years and met so many awesome people, but sometimes real life gets in the way of your hobbies, and my kids were my world, so ... no more writing.

My love for dirt late model racing never went away though, and I still follow it avidly today. Five years ago I met the prettiest girl in Georgia (yes, she is). She shares my passion for many things, including dirt racing. She grew up at Swainsboro Raceway. Her dad raced there, her uncle Ollie was flagman there, and her aunt worked in the scoring booth there. I now live near Savannah, GA and we've been married three years. Some people meet their dream girl early in life. I met mine at age 49. But it's perfect and I'm truly 100% happy for the first time in my life. I'm a maintenance technician for a large international company and our life revolves around sports, the beach, and each other. And our three dogs Jax, Vinny and Ace. Life is really really good.