My name is Ted Hartman. I am 44 years old, have been married to the same blonde lady AND have been self employed in the trucking business since 1985. Yes, she is very tolerant.
I watched my first sprint car race in Missoula, MT in 1978, and would not see them again until I watched Leland McSpadden crash at least two times in one night and still win the main event when the SCRA visited Skagit Speedway in 1994. Have been a fan ever since.
I got involved in racing quarter midgets with my kids in 1998, hoping to avoid the motorcycle my son wanted when he was 6. One thing led to another, I became someone I said I would never be (big motorhome/ enclosed trailer), and somewhere along the line the little cars grew (as did my son & daughter) into something bigger. We did get rid of the motorhome though, and I threaten daily to trade the enclosed trailer for an open one.
My daughter "retired" from racing early, though she was the better driver IMO. My son elected to continue and now races wing and non-wing sprint cars. I do my best to make sure he is aware of the decision he is making to do this. I am a much better fan of racing, then I am of being a racing participant due in large part to the fact I interact much better with children than I do with adults.
I think all sprint car drivers are nuts, Scott Daloisio is my favorite announcer, and I think sprint cars rim riding and doing wheelies is second to nothing. I drink Mountain Dew because I'm not so young anymore. I think truck drivers in this country are underappreciated, underpaid, and since the time I could walk, there is nothing I would rather do for a living then drive a Kenworth.
Does that last line qualify me as a racer based on similarities of occupations/addictions?
