Sunday, January 30, 2011
BMX Racing
These are some pictures from an album my mom made when my family and I were still racing.
Friday, January 14, 2011
What I started with.
My SC300 shortly after I bought it.
And what I had to start with for a garage.
6 inches of gravel over the whole floor with broken cement underneath.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Racing is in my blood.
My racing career started when I was just four years old. My parents were taking my sister and I to a park not far from our house on a Sunday morning. The whole time we were there we could hear lots of activity across the street, so my dad decided to check things out after we left the park. The Searle's Park BMX track is what we found.
Later that afternoon the training wheels came off my first bike and I was riding. I couldn't wait to start racing.
Over the next eight years I would continue to race every weekend. Saturdays in Elgin, IL, Sundays at Searle's Park, and even through the winter in Elkhorn, WI. I was track champion at all three tracks multiple times and we traveled all around the Midwest racing at national events. I managed to work my way up to number two in the nation in my class with over 200 wins under my belt.
As I got older my interest in the sport started to decrease. I needed something different. Something faster. I was 12 years old at the time and was ready to get into something with four wheels. I was fortunate enough to have very loving and supporting parents. They took me out to a local go kart track so I could run some hot laps and even sent me to a driving school for Legends Cars, 1200cc Yamaha motorcycle motors in a go kart on acid. Basically a freakin blast! They also got me a go kart to run around in at our farm house. That is where the Drifting starts. Mud, snow, rain, gravel. I would do anything possible to slide that kart around.
My 16th birthday came around and I was finally behind the wheel. I have gone through many cars before settling with my current one. A 1995 Lexus SC300. I bought it with the intentions of having a nice daily driver while I built my old MKIII Supra as a drift car. But fortunately I loved driving my SC so much that I parted with all of my Supra belongings to buy parts for the Lexus.
My first event with the car was an eye opener. I had nothing done to the car except for cut springs and minor exhaust work. (I was broke because I bought a Lexus . . .) But even though my car was pretty much stock, I was able to link the whole track. Everyone was very impressed, giving me lots of compliments and boosting my confidence through the roof. I picked up a set of coilovers and welded my differential.
2010 was my first real season of drifting. I met up with a group of guys from Indianapolis thanks to my best friend and fellow driver Brian Vrchoticky, aka Nackers. We went to Indy to pick up a new daily driver for Brian and stayed with his friends from the Drift Indy division. By far the coolest, most down to earth group of drivers I have ever met. I knew I wanted to attend their events just for the sake of being with a good group of guys. Little did I know the doors it would open.
The Drift Indy group was expanding fast, so they formed MDU (Midwest Drift Union). The first event I drove was at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis. I had a blast and learned a lot in one day. The second event was going to be a big deal. Held at the Speedrome also in Indianapolis, it was a two day event with a big prize. Because at this time I didn't have a roll cage I could not compete in tandem competition. The guys with MDU and BDRacing got together to hold what they called a cage competition. A competition for non caged drivers in which the first place finisher would receive a roll cage. I went from thinking I wasn't going to make it to the event because of a bad wheel bearing, to driving 5 hours on that bad wheel bearing, replacing it at the track the day before the race, and still qualifying with three other drivers to compete for the cage. They made an exception that day and had us tandem to determine the winner. After a few "one more time's" and a very exciting battle, I managed to edge out the win. The feeling I had was far greater than anything I had ever felt in BMX racing. I knew from that moment on I was going to be pursuing a professional career in drifting. My goals are set high and determination is through the roof.
I was able to make one more event before the end of the 2010 season, at Gateway International Speedway in St. Louis, MO. This track was a big step up from the Speedrome. High entry speeds, long straight aways, larger sweeping corners and decreasing radius corners, this track was amazing. The only problem was my car's lack of horsepower. Though it did hold me back, I was still able to link the entire course and once again surprise a lot of people. I was the only non caged and non turbo car to qualify. (Didn't have enough time to get the cage I won installed before this event)
My SC300 awaits the 2011 season in my garage while I scrape together any pennies I can find for parts. Things have been made difficult due to medical complications, but with that in the past my build continues, along with my search for a sponsor. I know I have what it takes as a driver to make it big, I just need the right opportunity to arise. I am ready and willing to do anything for the right situation, and with a very supportive girl friend and family who understand my passion, anything can happen.
I look forward to meeting lots of new people in this sport, and I can't wait to see what my future holds. In the mean time, I'll be at the garage.
Later that afternoon the training wheels came off my first bike and I was riding. I couldn't wait to start racing.
Over the next eight years I would continue to race every weekend. Saturdays in Elgin, IL, Sundays at Searle's Park, and even through the winter in Elkhorn, WI. I was track champion at all three tracks multiple times and we traveled all around the Midwest racing at national events. I managed to work my way up to number two in the nation in my class with over 200 wins under my belt.
As I got older my interest in the sport started to decrease. I needed something different. Something faster. I was 12 years old at the time and was ready to get into something with four wheels. I was fortunate enough to have very loving and supporting parents. They took me out to a local go kart track so I could run some hot laps and even sent me to a driving school for Legends Cars, 1200cc Yamaha motorcycle motors in a go kart on acid. Basically a freakin blast! They also got me a go kart to run around in at our farm house. That is where the Drifting starts. Mud, snow, rain, gravel. I would do anything possible to slide that kart around.
My 16th birthday came around and I was finally behind the wheel. I have gone through many cars before settling with my current one. A 1995 Lexus SC300. I bought it with the intentions of having a nice daily driver while I built my old MKIII Supra as a drift car. But fortunately I loved driving my SC so much that I parted with all of my Supra belongings to buy parts for the Lexus.
My first event with the car was an eye opener. I had nothing done to the car except for cut springs and minor exhaust work. (I was broke because I bought a Lexus . . .) But even though my car was pretty much stock, I was able to link the whole track. Everyone was very impressed, giving me lots of compliments and boosting my confidence through the roof. I picked up a set of coilovers and welded my differential.
2010 was my first real season of drifting. I met up with a group of guys from Indianapolis thanks to my best friend and fellow driver Brian Vrchoticky, aka Nackers. We went to Indy to pick up a new daily driver for Brian and stayed with his friends from the Drift Indy division. By far the coolest, most down to earth group of drivers I have ever met. I knew I wanted to attend their events just for the sake of being with a good group of guys. Little did I know the doors it would open.
The Drift Indy group was expanding fast, so they formed MDU (Midwest Drift Union). The first event I drove was at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis. I had a blast and learned a lot in one day. The second event was going to be a big deal. Held at the Speedrome also in Indianapolis, it was a two day event with a big prize. Because at this time I didn't have a roll cage I could not compete in tandem competition. The guys with MDU and BDRacing got together to hold what they called a cage competition. A competition for non caged drivers in which the first place finisher would receive a roll cage. I went from thinking I wasn't going to make it to the event because of a bad wheel bearing, to driving 5 hours on that bad wheel bearing, replacing it at the track the day before the race, and still qualifying with three other drivers to compete for the cage. They made an exception that day and had us tandem to determine the winner. After a few "one more time's" and a very exciting battle, I managed to edge out the win. The feeling I had was far greater than anything I had ever felt in BMX racing. I knew from that moment on I was going to be pursuing a professional career in drifting. My goals are set high and determination is through the roof.
I was able to make one more event before the end of the 2010 season, at Gateway International Speedway in St. Louis, MO. This track was a big step up from the Speedrome. High entry speeds, long straight aways, larger sweeping corners and decreasing radius corners, this track was amazing. The only problem was my car's lack of horsepower. Though it did hold me back, I was still able to link the entire course and once again surprise a lot of people. I was the only non caged and non turbo car to qualify. (Didn't have enough time to get the cage I won installed before this event)
My SC300 awaits the 2011 season in my garage while I scrape together any pennies I can find for parts. Things have been made difficult due to medical complications, but with that in the past my build continues, along with my search for a sponsor. I know I have what it takes as a driver to make it big, I just need the right opportunity to arise. I am ready and willing to do anything for the right situation, and with a very supportive girl friend and family who understand my passion, anything can happen.
I look forward to meeting lots of new people in this sport, and I can't wait to see what my future holds. In the mean time, I'll be at the garage.
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