FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FASTRAK PR November 22nd 2012
FASTRAK Drivers SPOTLIGHT - 2012 FASTRAK City Chevrolet Touring Division Southeast/Mideast Rookie the Year Car #07 from Hodges, SC “The Dark-Horse” Dale Timms
Tell us about yourself.
I am twenty years old. Lander University is where I attend college full-time and work a part-time job. My major is mathematics with a dual engineering degree. Racing has always been a huge part of my life. I am a third generation dirt car driver.
How did you get into racing? How old were you? First car/class?
I began racing go carts at age 10. Shortly after at age 13 my mother and father took me to the race track, put me in a limited late model and gave me a lap time to beat so I could be allowed to race. The first time on the track I beat the designated time and so began my limited late model/crate late model career. I have many championships including Blue Plate in go carts in 2004, Limited Late Model in 2007 (which was my second year of racing) at Mileback Speedway, and 2010 Limited Late Model Championship at Laurens Speedway. I have began traveling to several different tracks this past season with the FASTRAK Racing Series Crate Late Models.
What is your favorite racing memory?
One of my favorite racing memories is being rolled in the mud for the first time (and only time) because it was my first win. I enjoyed racing with my good friend Nick Deitz this year and finishing first and second, then switching spots the next week. I also really enjoyed the year my dad and I won championships together, and my mother and grandfather won crew chiefs of the year.
Greatest achievement in your racing career?
My Greatest achievements in racing include my first Limited Late Model win in 2007 which was also my first points championship racing dirt. My other championship in Limited Late Model was in 2010 when both my father and I captured Championships at the same track. I won the Limited Late Model Championship and he won the Late Model Championship. My grandfather won crew chief of the year for my father the same year, and my mother was the crew chief of the year for me. We all were champions that year!
Any superstitions (peanuts not allowed in pits, etc)?
I have no superstitions, really, as my family and I have won with peanut hulls in the bottom of the cockpit before. We do try to relax and listen to certain music on the way to the race to help ‘pump us up’. Sometimes you just have to know that when it is your night it is your night, when it is not then it just wasn’t meant to be.
What is the story behind running the number you choose?
The story behind my number is simply I do like the ‘lucky’ number 7. My initial number was 07 because it was the same number my family has had on their race cars for as long as I can remember. This past year racing with the FASTRAK series I obtained my nickname along with my number 07, which is the Dark Horse from Series Announcer Wesley Outland and it’s stuck from there. I came out of no-where and was a contender to win every week even though I raced with veteran drivers.
What is the hardest part of racing?
Honestly the hardest part of racing seems to be having the funds to race like I would like to race. Finding sponsors can be difficult. I love the competition and racing is fun, but it takes a lot of finances. So, as always, sponsors would be welcomed. I am just trying to get my name ‘out there’ and make something of my racing career.
What got you involved with the FASTRAK Racing Series and what keeps you racing with the Series??
The FASTRAK racing series has been challenging. I have learned so much from veteran drivers and have enjoyed traveling to new tracks. Making new friends in the racing community has also been something I have enjoyed. I have improved my racing skills tremendously. The FASTRAK series runs a professional series in racing that allows all racers to test their skills.
Tell us what you like most about your home track? What are some of your other favorite tracks & why do you like them so much? What?s the hardest track you?ve ever competed at?
What I like most about Laurens Speedway is having my family and close friends there to watch me race. The track is close to home and is where I began my racing career. I have many fond memories of winning races there along with my Championship shared with my family. Some of my favorite tracks include Toccoa Speedway which is a small banked track with a lot of speed. I have to really stay up on the wheel there. I also like Wythe and Eldora because they are big tracks, and fast tracks where you do not have to let off the throttle. The hardest track I have ever competed at was Thunder Mountain in West Virginia. The dirt there is ‘different’ and the track was extremely slick, which was new to me.
What do you like to do when you are not racing?
When I am not racing I enjoy football. I am no particular fan, although I do pull for the 49ers and the Oregon Ducks, and just like watching the games because I played all through school. I enjoy working on race cars even when I am not racing. I have to keep up my skills and enjoy learning everything I can about a race car.
People you?d like to thank & sponsors.
FK Rod Ends (for the nice new rod ends), Superior Roofing(for helping buy tires and gas), Ricky Arnold’s Automotive (for helping buy gas and lettering), My Parents(Bonnie and Larry Timms) for the sponsorship of money and encouragement along with the work and hauling of the race car and allowing me to live my dream, My grandpa(Alvin Timms) for sponsorship of money and encouragement, My grandparents (Tommy and Marian Coleman) who gave me the motors that started my career, Mitch and Nick Mathis (for all the hard hours of work), Chad Cox, Nick Deitz, Petey Ivey and his whole crew for that little extra boost and help when I needed it, David Smith and Carburetor Bob for the help in general, Lee Cooper for the bodies and help when I needed it, Chris Meadows, this guy was at West Virginia this year that actually stopped working on his race car and helped me (because I needed to fix my car because I was running for rookie of the year), Kimber for allowing me to race all over the Southeast, and Clint Burton for words of encouragement and helping work on the car.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED FASTRAK DRIVERS IN BEING BE APART OF THE FASTRAK DRIVERS SPOTLIGHT PLEASE CONTACT: FASTRAK Racing Series Announcer/PR Director Wesley Outland - 919-262-5660 or email him at announcernc05@yahoo.com or fastrakannouncer2012@gmail.com and he’ll make it happen!!
The FASTRAK Racing Series City Chevrolet Touring Divisions would like to thank all of its marketing partners for their great and continuing support. Those 2012 sponsors include: Hoosier Race Tires, VP Racing Fuel, City Chevrolet, Chevrolet Performance Parts, Vicci Apparel, TNT Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, Longhorn Race Cars, RockAuto.com and FK Rod Ends. FASTRAK would also like to welcome Cool Shirt, Five Star Bodies, Hooker Harness, Velocita USA Driving Suits, Beya Headers, Kooks Custom Headers, R2C Filters, Sisco Fire and Safety and Tiger Rear Ends to our line-up of product sponsors. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of the Premier Pro Late Model Series in the Country please contact Stan Lester at the FASTRAK Corporate Office at (678) 935-7304 or Series Director Kelley Carlton at (864) 871-1442. Also Visit the FASTRAK Racing Series online at www.fastrakracing.com and be sure to like us on Facebook and/or follow us on Twitter at @FASTRAK_Racing!!