I have been involved with local oval track racing here in N.W. North Carolina,asphalt and dirt since I was 12. I built and owned my own dirt Late Model car at 17, and had a bit of success with it. I was never a driver, but did well as a builder, mechanic and chassis setup man. After being married, I started crewing for others. Frank Fleming,Billy Hicks,and a few other mildly succsessful local "heroes". When the kids were big enough to tag along, the safest place was at Kart tracks. I built engines (Flathead Briggs) and did chassis set-up, 1 kart won 67 races in 4 years, and 3 track championships. My oldest was building engines at 14 years old and winning races,with 30 year old guys following him around as if he were a guru on the mountaintop. There is a lot of fun watching your kid become a local prodigy and earn respect at
- It was fun until the Kart shops screwed the rules up and eliminated the "basement" engine builders like me. My greatest satisfaction is helping my 69 year old buddy win Mini-sprint races for 12 years with hand built cars,which, has had everything done to them only by the two of us. On a 1/2 mile track he has been clocked at 135 MPH. Next week may be his last race due to night vision problems,following some serious eye surgery this past spring. He hasn't raced since surgery,and this is on the smallest,slowest track we visit. My younger son drag races a 65 VW Bug with a 100 cubic inch engine of his own creation.Last week he clicked off a 6.44 at 106 MPH in the 1/8 mile.(a "hot" Mustang runs about 8.00 at 80 MPH.) It uses blow thru turbo a la Harbit style. He has designed and built prototype billet cylinder heads for a friends Pro Stock VW. Those heads helped land Adam his new Job with Kevin Harvick Racing. He is a happy boy, to quote Calvin. Both sons are top notch high tech Machinists.Being "motor heads" led them to the trade. The oldest son and I built my wife a Studebaker valve cover racer,so when we go to the meets she too has something to enjoy. She is undefeated after 4 years of racing the same car. So, when you look down your nose at any form of racing,think first how difficult it is to win at any level.
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Freddy Badgett