Thrills, Chills and Smiles For Fans Turned Racers At East Bay Raceway

by Rebecca Richards

Soon to be racers at the driver's meeting

The warm night air at East Bay Raceway Park was filled with the hum of sprint car engines from Dave Blaney's Outlaw Driving Experience and some tension as eager soon to be "racers" awaited their turn behind the wheel of the red #77 or white #17 sprint cars they had paid to race.

But the tension wasn't just from the ones soon to be racing the cars as wives, mothers, girl friends, friends and fathers were all smiles as race suits were donned in preparation for a behind the wheel experience.

Others chose to take a spin in the two seater sprint with racer Jimmy Weller as the driver. "This is my first time at East Bay Raceway Park," said the Ohio racer, "And my first time to race a 410 sprint." When asked if he was nervous, his face lit up with a smile and he replied,"Not yet!"


Kevin getting the sprint car started.

He didn't seem a bit nervous racing the two seater around the track, thrilling the passengers with a ride to remember. Former Indy car racer, Lyn St. James suited up and climbed in with Weller, a whole new experience for Ms. James. After her ride, she said,"It was like a roller coaster!" But she was all smiles and even hopped into one of the sprints for a spin around the famous clay oval herself! "This is a whole different world to me," Ms. James stated.

David Knowles, 14, from Oak-Level, Virginia, will be a rookie racer this season in a mini stock division and it was his first time to visit East Bay Raceway and to race a sprint car. "It was a rush to race with Lyn St. James!" said the smiling young man. "This is a nice track, excuse me gotta go drive!" he said, and ran off for his second turn behind the wheel.

His parents Richard and Cathy laughed because that is the same determination he has shown about becoming a racer since he was eleven years old. His passion for racing started with a go kart and crewing for his friend who raced. "I really didn't take him seriously, I thought I could stall him off and it would go away-but it didn't...now I support him 100%," said Mom, Cathy.

His Father, Richard recalls the first time he flipped his go-kart chuckling, "David said,"Now I know how Rusty (Wallace) felt" and David went right back out and hopped in it again, he was unhurt and had no fear," said Richard.

For David it was the best birthday present he could ask for!



Another birthday boy, Ben Hendricks, from Tampa, FL, bought himself a birthday present, an opportunity to race a sprint car after watching sprints race since the mid sixties. "It was flattering to have Ms. St.James here," he said,"The car was intimidating at first but then I got a grin across my face I couldn't slap off!" All smiles, Mr. Hendricks commented that he would definitely do it again and it was well worth the money!

Brothers, Scott and Sam have done it before and loved it! This time though they had two special requests, photos with Lyn St. James and with their Dad. That capped off the excitement for them.



A New York racer used to racing, Bob Pierce, was ready for the challenge. He brought his own race suit. He said,"This was a real experience, you have to respect the car." But he was used to a larger track and Winston-Cup racing. "It was considerably more of an effort to keep the car straight, it was an honor to have Lyn St.James here, she should have all kinds of accolades for her accomplishments. Far too often the sport is looked at as a mans' sport," said Mr.Pierce.

"East Bay is a very nice track and even though it's dry at 9:30 at night and a little rough...it's a super dirt track. A lot of well known drivers have cut their teeth on this track," he said.
Advice Mr.Pierce would give to anyone for their first time with the Dave Blaney Outlaw experience: "Don't think you can get in one of these cars and floor it. You have to get the feel for the car and the horse power or you'll lose it."



All in all the smiles told the story. And as David Geiger put it,"I'm selling the boat, the car and buying a race car!"



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