This story I wrote appeared in the 2012 Dream program but, with the 2014 version of Dirt Late Model racing's highest paying event getting underway this evening, I felt it was a relevant way to kick off the weekend. Enjoy!
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You’ve
heard the story before, and you probably know how it ends. A kid goes to Eldora for the first time. He falls in love with the track, with the
cars, and with racing in general. He
dreams of someday standing on the famed Eldora Speedway stage.
Yep,
we’ve all heard that story before. Mine
isn’t much different. It just has a
slightly different spin. My
first dirt Late Model race at the hallowed half-mile high-banked oval was the
1997 Dream. The race itself left a
lasting impression on everyone, but especially a 17 year-old from southeast
Ohio.
I
mean, who could forget the ’97 Dream?
Scott Bloomquist and Billy Frye.
Oh yeah, my first Dream was THAT one.
Jimmy Mars, who was just beginning to establish himself in the dirt Late
Model ranks, would be the winner that day.
I watched in awe as he stood in victory lane and held high the giant
cardboard check for $100,000.
When
we left the following day, I swore that I would someday stand on the stage at
Eldora Speedway. That was my dream.
But
my dream was different. You see, I
wasn’t a race car driver. Heck, at age
17, I was doing my best to keep a ’78 Camaro between the yellow lines driving
to school and back. The thought of
wheeling a 2300 pound dirt Late Model around ANY track, let alone one as famous
as Eldora, scared the bejesus out of me.
Nope, that wasn’t my idea of a dream
at all. As
an inspiring announcer calling weekly shows at (the now dormant) R&R
Speedway in Zanesville, Ohio, my dream was to someday be the announcer at
Eldora Speedway. THAT was my dream.
Fast
forward 15 years and here I am. Now in
my third year as the house announcer at the world’s most famous dirt track, I’m
living my dream. And I get to stand on
the stage at Eldora Speedway.
Interviewing the race winner, feeling the excitement of the crowd,
watching the fireworks go off… I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
But
it’s not all glitz and glory and glamour. There’s hours of homework that needs
to be done in preparation for the highest paying dirt Late Model race in the
country. There’s a ton of research that
has to be sought out for the 18th Annual Dirt Late Model Dream. The race’s history, driver info, sponsor
updates… it all has to be perfect. The
vendor booths, concession stands, t-shirt trailers… none can be left out. The daily reminders, the track sponsors, the
upcoming events… I have to hit it all.
There’s
a lot to do when you’re the Eldora Speedway announcer. The pressure is as high as the
expectation. So much to do, so much to
remember, so much to learn. No excuses
for error, no forgiveness for mistakes, no justification for inaccuracies.
But
remember, this is MY dream. I
love chatting with the drivers before the races, getting updated as much on
their lives outside of racing as much as their world behind the wheel. I love standing in the staging lane just
before the first heat race rolls onto the track. I love the atmosphere of 20,000 fans cheering
for their favorite driver.
At
the end of the night Saturday, one lucky dirt Late Model driver will have his dream
fulfilled as he climbs from his car, sweat pouring from his helmet, and raises
his fist in victory. The pyros going
off, the fans screaming, the crew members hugging and high-fiving. No doubt, a dream come true.
And,
for the third year in a row, on the other end of that victory lane interview
will be someone living out his dream as well.
Perfectly happy am I to be lost in the shuffle of the chaos on that
platform. Why? Because, for me, being on the stage at Eldora
is also a dream come true.
