Driver Profile

I was born and raised in Arkansas, and left upon joining the USAF in 1989. I retired from the USAF in 2009 after 20 years of service and I'm now 15 years into my second career with a military contractor in Texas. I have 4 grown kids, and 4 grandkids.
I've been around dirt track racing all my life and have crewed on everything from Karts to Sprintcars and I've owned and raced Modifieds, Sportmods, and Stockcars. My dad and uncle owned a Sportsman car which was basically a home built Sprint car with a Model A body on it back in the late 60's and early 70's. Sportsman cars were wicked fast, and loud, and they took my breath away. I've been in love with Dirt Track Racing since before I can remember and after my dad and uncle quit racing I drove myself to I-30 Speedway in Little Rock on Saturday nights after I turned 16 in 1983. I remember sitting in the stands with my buddies thinking to myself "How can I get a race car?" It took years but I finally got my first car in 2004. I was taught to race on a budget by a man named Tom Campbell in Arkansas. He's won numerous Championships through the years in all types of cars, mostly Modifieds, and was quite good at making something out of very little. He's now in his 70's and is still in the dirt track game as an owner; and still winning championships. Over the years Tom has been a "Racing Daddy" to lots of guys and will help anybody if they ask and sometimes even when they don't ask.
I hate paying to have anything done on my car so I do all the repairs, bodies and anything else that needs to be done if I have the tools and equipment to do it. I'll buy the tools if it's cost effective. I've learned to tear motors down and freshen them up, set up gears and this winter I'll take my first stab at freshening my Brinn Transmission. If I had the time and energy I'd really like to build my own car from the frame up.
I've had one feature win in a modified, along lots of heat wins in mods and stocks. Racing on a budget doesn't turn in a lot of feature wins when you're driving mediocre equipment but it's still a lot of fun, and you know even a blind hog will find an acorn now and then.

Every night I get to race is a highlight; I enjoy it that much. The exception is having to deal with hotheads and dirty drivers on the track and in the pits. They are the ones who thrive on drama and steal the joy of racing from others.

Racing, and hunting though I don't hunt much. As a rule, only one expensive hobby at a time.

Matt Mellott, Toby Liles, and my Sweetheart Debra.