Mother Nature had other plans for Saturday April 25th, so while most race fans were hoping for a night of hard charging action, most of us ended up all wet.While waiting and praying for the rain to blow over, we sat down with Seven-time World Karting Association Champion, Josh Hobson.Josh is quite literally the “new kid on the block” in the Super Stock/Pro Late Model Division at Auto City Speedway this year.Many people have questioned 15 year-old Hobson and his team about their decision to transition straight from Karts to Pro-Lates. Some have even voiced the opinion that Josh belongs in the Hornets Division for his first season.“I understand where they are all coming from,” Josh’s Dad Tim Hobson said. “I hope everyone will understand that we didn’t make this decision lightly. We looked into several different options, including the Legend Series. But, the Pro-Lates were the best next step towards Josh’s NASCAR hopes. The Auto City Super Stocks fit into the ASA criteria. When Josh gets the hang of it, we can go straight from Auto City to an ASA race, and back again, without any major changes in the car.”Hobson’s impressive racing résumé starting with his racing objective resembles a business like plan for the transition from Karts to Pro-Lates: To enter the ASA and/or ARCA series to gain valuable racing experience, and develop relationships with reputable sponsors that will partner to the ranks of NASCAR, while altogether maintaining a championship caliber race team.“I’m not looking to win right away,” Josh said. “I know I have a lot to learn. I’m just concentrating on seat time and earning the respect of my competition at Auto City. I know that most of those guys have been racing together for years. They know each other’s style. I’m just a new one to get used to. Hopefully they’ll add me to their memory banks, with time.”The Hobson Racing Team faced many challenges on Opening Night at Auto City.“The car isn’t quite right, yet,” Tim Hobson said. “Our friend and Co-Competitor, Ray Meylan, is working on the set-up for us and Tommy Maier is mentoring Josh on his driving skills. We had some minor technical difficulties our first night out. It’s always a challenge when you start something new.”In lap seven of Hobson’s first feature event, the team lost radio communication.“I had no idea they had lost communication with him (Josh),” Hobson’s Mom, Donna, said. “I would have been a wreck if I had known! I’m officially taking over the job of “battery charger” for the radios,” she laughed.Those who were fortunate enough to witness all the excitement at Auto City’s Opening Night will not easily forget Josh and his No. 10 Super Stock crossing the finish line in reverse.“Some people asked me if I told him to do that,” Tim Hobson smiled. “I just said, ‘No, I haven’t been able to talk to him for the last 33 laps!’”Hobson had a good showing for his first event. He started in the back of the 15-car field and moved up quickly to the twelve spot. He proved capable of strong recoveries and a level racing head. Mid-way through the event, Josh found a good line on the track and put some distance between his No. 10 and those on his tail. Unfortunately, the gap was closed on him after a few restarts in the race.He was sitting in a respectable ninth for the final lap when he got together with another car in the final turn. Josh was spun into reverse and that’s where he stayed all the way to the finish line.“I knew there wasn’t time to turn around,” Josh said. “I had enough momentum to get it done and the guy behind me had spun, so I had enough time. But with no mirrors and no radio, I had to use what I remembered from the track so far and where the car would travel. I used the wall to guide me, too. I didn’t get to see my first checkered flag until I was already passed it!The best thing about that first race was learning what the car is capable of doing. Now it’s just up to me to reach that potential.The second best thing about that first race,” Josh laughed. “I brought the car home on my own trailer, not the tow truck.”A person doesn’t have to talk with Josh very long to know that he has the heart of a Champion. Modesty, Maturity and Pure Drive are oozing out of his pores.xx It should be fun watching the new kid on the block earn his stripes and develop into a seasoned veteran this year.
