[Copperhead]

I once heard somebody say that Babe Ruth was less than a God, but more than a man. If that can be true of someone who swings a baseball bat, then what would you consider professional Sprint Car drivers? I’ve spent 22 and a half years on this Earth so far. In that time I have witnessed the Indy 500, 5 ARCA races, a Hooters Pro Cup event, the ASA & CRA‘s All-American 400, and countless Dirt Modified and Late Model events. I have personally raced Mini Cups, 600cc Mini Sprints, Pure Stocks, Street Stocks, TQ Midgets, and piloted a Murray riding lawn mower at 40+ miles an hour. I have also seen 3 USAC Sprint Week finales at the Tri-State Speedway, The Kokomo Klash, and the recent return of the World of Outlaws Sprints to Bloomington Speedway. In my opinion, Sprint Car Racing is the most amazing, breathtaking, exciting, slightly ludicrous, and flat out coolest form of auto racing on the planet.

Thanks to TV and internet, I have watched these incredible machines race for years. However, I had never seen them in person until the 2009 Sprint Week Finale at the Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, IN - even though I have been racing on short tracks throughout the country since 2004. TV doesn’t do it justice. The feather-light weight of these cars is the equivalent of a fly on your shoulder to the 800+ hp engines nestled between the frame rails. With breakneck speeds and no fenders, every lap teeters between a graceful dance and complete havoc. Being a Hoosier all of my life, I have a softer spot for the traditional non-wing variety, however, both winged and wingless are unique styles of racing, neither of which ever disappoint. With the wing atop the car, corner speeds rise astronomically while lap times decrease at the same rate. Watching the Outlaws drive into the tight corners at Bloomington Speedway without lifting can make even the most dedicated fan question the laws of physics. When the wings come off, a little speed is lost, but the advantage of faster cars diminishes as well, and the driver’s role becomes even more important. It is simply phenomenal to see these cars thrown impossibly sideways, backed around the turn at strange angles amidst a field of equally hungry competitors, and driven on rear wheels down the straight to the next corner where the brake is briefly applied in order to bring the nose down to start this process once again. I strongly believe that everyone should witness a live sprint car race in their lifetime. Race fan, or not, it is entertainment beyond expectations.

So what about the driver’s that willingly buckle into the saddle of these bucking bulls night after night? What word most accurately describes these individuals? Insane, crazy, suicidal? Those are probably justifiable first impressions. On the other hand, I think these drivers would be better described as some of the most talented athletes on the planet. I mean no disrespect to other forms of racing, but after seeing my first Sprint Car race, I decided that those guys were the stuff of legends. To see a support division that races at a fraction of the speed, run a race with 6 cautions, and then to see more than 20 sprints take to the track and race wheel-to-wheel for 30 laps caution free is simply astounding. I started racing when I was 15, dreaming to someday become a professional stock car driver. I began on pavement, but have mostly been playing in the dirt since ‘06. I believe Sprint Car racers are truly an entirely different breed. So, after 8 seasons behind the wheel, I’m working towards becoming one of these riders of the storm. There is a rolling Sprint chassis resting quietly on jack stands in my garage as we speak. I can’t wait for the day that we drop in a power plant and bring the sleeping beast thundering to life. No offense to Mr. Ruth, but I don’t think baseball could scratch this itch. I hope to see you guys soon.

- Copperhead

www.ScottyOrme.com

[Mud Packer]

Interesting observations. I hope that you can successfully fulfill your dream.

[Copperhead]

Thank you. If things work out, hopefully we'll have a sprint on track next season.