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FW: 2010 MMSHoF inductees announced-----Original Message----- From: Allan Brown <speedways@comcast.net> Sent: Wed, 09 Jun 2010 10:44:34 Pacific Daylight T... READMORE |
Paul McMahan takes WoO win at Eldora Paul McMahan had racked up six Top-Five finishes in his last eight starts heading into the finale of Outlaw Thunder by Goodye... READMORE |
New Paris braves cold, Thirteen Feature No doubt about it, the weather was cold with temperatures in the low 40's and a stiff wind swirling through the 1/4 mile spee... READMORE |
Galesburg Speedway Red Flagged The Galesburg Speedway did not open last weekend as scheduled and it’s unlikely the race track will open this Saturday becau... READMORE |
Ron Flinn Hospitalized Reports out of Crystal Motor Speedway this morning are that Ron Flinn has been hospitalized due to a coronary issue. Accordi... READMORE |
Action to begin at Spartan SpeedwayIf the grandstands along the front stretch of Spartan Speedway look a bit higher than normal, well, they are. The speedway p... READMORE |
Auto City postpones due to Cold Although the weather was picture-perfect for testing on Thursday afternoon, Mother Nature brought us cold and windy condition... READMORE |
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I grew up in a small town in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, one mile away from Kinross Speedpark. I can still remember hearing the sounds of the roaring engines on the warm summer nights from my backyard. I attended a race every now and again as a child, something my family would do on a Friday night for fun. It wasn't until I was 15 that I really appreciated what racing was all about.
The summer of my freshman year, I was enrolled in a summer program at Lake Superior State University called Upward Bound. This was a program for high-school students to supplement their education while receiving a weekly stipend of $20. About halfway through the summer semester, I learned that my uncle had purchased a stock car and was going to race at the Kinross Speedpark.
Not unlike most girls my age, I was eager to spend my $20 stipend as fast as I could. I jumped into my uncle's truck, and we were off to the races. Without hesitation, I purchased a pit pass with my $20, curious to see what racing was all about firsthand. It may have been the adrenaline rushing through me while I watched my uncle coming down the straightaway just inches from another car, fighting for first place. It could have been the atmosphere and the chaos of the pits that did it for me. Whatever it was, I knew after that night — I was hooked.
After that night, I spent every Friday night in the pits, watching, learning and cheering. I made myself available for whatever our pit crew needed, even if it was just a hot dog and a pop. Not only did it provide time for bonding with my uncle and cousins, it taught me teamwork, selflessness and a sense of camaraderie. I was always amazed when I saw a driver from another class run over from his car just to give a helping hand to get our car back on the track.
As the summer ended, I wondered how I would get my racing fix. As always, I had the International 500 Snowmobile Race to look forward to, but that was months away. I sat down one Sunday and tuned into a NASCAR race. I hate to admit it, but I didn't feel the same excitement as I did when I was at a race in person. Of course I was still on the edge of my seat watching the two front runners battle it out for the win, but I still prefer short-track racing in person over watching NASCAR on television. Maybe that will change after I go to my first NASCAR race live.
I look forward to contributing to MARC Times Racing News & Michigan Racing Scene. I get to combine two of my interests, web design and racing! I am excited to be able to bring readers news from the Upper Peninsula's race scene, as well as having a place to read news from tracks around the state. See you at the races!
