[PJ Wright]

I grew up in western NY and started getting interested in drag racing when I was 10 or 11. My parents didn't go to the races, so I bugged and begged my dad to take me. He finally relented and we planned to go to a big drag race. A few days before, my folks told me they couldn't afford the tickets. However my mom saw an ad for a dirt track with adult admission of $2.50 and told me that dad would take me there if I wanted. I had seen some dirt cars on trailers and in some garages and thought they looked cool so I said OK!. So I went to my first race at Holland Speedway in 1967, the last year it was dirt. Before relocating to SC in 1973, My dad and I also went to Stateline (dirt-Busti, NY)
Lancaster (asphalt) and saw my first sprintcar race at the Erie County fair.
Early on, my parents tried to discourage my interest in racing. Shortly after they were married they went to a midget race at the Civic Stadium in Buffalo, and a driver was killed in front of them so they never went to another race until I came along. After they saw that my interest in racing was NOT going away, even my mom started going with dad and I.
Both my folks are gone now, but I'll always remember those good times. Thanks Mom and Dad for sacrificing what you wanted so I could have what I wanted.