Introduction and Speedweeks

For those of you who don't know me let me take a few minutes to introduce myself. In 1980 I was born in South Williamson, Ky, since then I lived in Delbarton, W.V. Hardy, Ky. Crum, W.V. and I currently reside in Mooresville, N.C. My father is a minister and former coal miner, and my mother is a beautician and the only barber I have had since I was 12. I have one sibling, my sister, Angie who is 4 years my elder. My education came from Mingo Christian School, Varney Elementary, Tolsia High School (98 graduate), and the NASCAR Technical Institute.

From an early age I have had a fascination with working on things, I took my tricycle apart at age 3, more toys than I can count throughout my childhood, and about anything else I could fit a screwdriver or wrench into. Unfortunately through my early years I had a problem getting those things back together and working correctly. Once I started learning how things worked and went back together my mechanical skills began to be more of an asset. I never really looked at mechanics as being a profession until my love of motorsports became a passion. Since the early 90's all I ever wanted to do was work on race cars, and NASCAR was the place I wanted to make a living. Its been a long 12 years since I graduated high school, but now those dreams have become a reality.

As of January 27, I am officially an employee of a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car team. I will be a shop mechanic and travel with the team as a Tire Specialist. The car will be driven by David Gilliland, except for three races where he is otherwise under contract to another team. The car will be a Ford Fusion, number 38, and Sponsored by Taco Bell. Thanks to having points from last season we are locked into the first five races of the year.

I have started this blog to allow my family and friends to be able to keep track of my career and race team's performance. Over the upcoming racing season I will be recapping the previous race, story lines, our race results, and previewing the next race on our schedule.

The First race on the cup schedule will be the Budweiser Shootout, at the Daytona International Speedway, Daytona, Fl. The track is a 2.5 mile oval, with 31 degree of banking in the turns. The shootout will take place on Feb. 6 at 8:00 EST. and can be viewed on Fox. This is a non points race with a limited field. Our team nor our driver are eligible for this event, so we will only be there as spectators.

My first race in the pits of a NASCAR cup series race will be the Great American Race, The Daytona 500 . Qualifying for this race will take place on Feb. 6, the results of which will lock the 2 drivers on the front row into the Daytona 500. The rest of the qualifying spots will determine the starting grids for the Dual at Daytona qualifying races which will take place on Feb. 11 at 2:00 EST. The odd numbered qualifying positions will set the field for the first 150 mile event, and the even numbered qualifying positions will set the field for the second dual race. The dual races will set the field for the Daytona 500, and will determine who will be in the race or who will go home.

For the 500 we will have driver Robert Richardson Jr. behind the wheel with Mahindra USA Tractors as the sponsor. Richardson making only his second start in the Sprint Cup Series made his first start at the Talladega Superspeedway, which is similar in size and race intensity, with a finish of 18th.