CARakoom (C): Hi, David! We are very wonder of your amazing race life. Can you answer our questions?
David (D): Hi, CARakoom. Yes, sure!
C: Tell us how you became a racer?
D: I started racing at an early age. It was like it was in my blood. I had my first set of wheels at the age of 5…a magnificent three-wheeler. My adventures on that three-wheeler started an insatiable appetite for motor sports. I quickly progressed to mini-sprints and from there went on to race quads. I did this for some time. Then, life kicked in and I had to work for what I raced. In 1997 I got in to building cars I could race on the street…racing on the street was more affordable than on the track. I ended up taking some time off to start a wonderful family with my wife, Kelli. When I came back into the racing scene, I did so with a track car, racing in the X275 class. I was ready to compete in this class, but found that the money portion I couldn’t keep up with. I wanted to race where I could win and there seemed to be consistent winners in that category all spending more money than I could at the time. So, after two seasons of track racing I went back to what I knew and loved...the streets…and here I am!
C: Tell us about your first race? What emotions you were feeling?
D: Well…my first competitive race was in a mini-sprint when I was 12. I was pretty confident as a kid. My Dad taught me to be proud of whom I was and that I could do anything. That being said, I just knew I was the best driver on that track. That was my job; drive the hell out of that car! I have never had an issue with being scared or nervous on a track. Some might call it nerves of steel or might judge the size of my balls; but, I just call it confidence…thanks Dad! I know what needs to be done and I do it the best I can. No one is going to out drive me. You may have a better car, but you damn sure won’t out drive me.
C: What was the most rigorous part on your way to become a racer?
D: For me, it is really about the money to compete. When I was young and racing was all I had to worry about.it was ON! But now, in the real world, with a family and “grown-up” responsibilities, racing can’t always come first. I know I can drive, I know I can win…but how to get to that point monetarily is proving to be the hardest part.
C: Were there scary and frightening moments during races? Tell us about them.
D: One of the scariest moments was not actually during a race. I was putting a new motor together and was firing it up for the first time…about to take it out for a drive. Then, that orange glow no driver wants to see was creeping through the fire wall. YES, a fire! We attempted to remove the hood but due to the heat it was proving difficult. We were about to give up and call the fire department when I just decided to rip off the hood and kill the fire. Nearly every wire and plastic piece under the hood was burnt but thank God it did not completely burn down. Other moments have been huge wheelies or when the car has gotten way out of shape…even though I’ve always had things under control.
C: Looking back, what would you do different way and what would you change?
D: Really, there is not a lot I would change as far as racing goes. I do wish I would have made the decision to go to college and get a better career so that I could be more stable and both provide for my family and race at the level I am capable of, driving the caliber of cars I should be driving. But, I will always race. Any place, any time. If it has a motor and I can afford it I’ll see you there!
C: What do your family and friends think about racing? What special emotions do they share?
D: Racing, as well as many hobbies creates certain sacrifices, from days spent working on the car and late race night to weekends out of town. But, my family has always been supportive of my racing. Kelli knows how much I love it and how big a part of my life it is. Our children grew up around my cars…helping me work on them and asking all kinds of questions and being super excited when they would get to actually go watch me track race. If they don’t get to go..for instance, if I am street racing, they always want to know the next day how the race went.
C: Why did you choose exactly this car for racing and customization?
D: Is this even a question? Who wouldn’t choose a Nova? With body lines this sexy, this girl is in a class all her own. Also, I needed a big tire car that would have traction on the streets and would hold the power of the motor.
C: New style of your car - is it generally your idea?
D: It’s no secret Novas work on any racing application so the car is not all my idea. It is what we put inside that gives us our edge.
C: What future modifications and customizations await your car?
D: I can’t go into a lot of detail here…but we are going to be making some changes with regard to the suspension.
C: How long did it take to make all current modifications to your car?
D: It has been a bit over a year. We are still not done with all we plan. As with most race cars..she is a work-in-progress. We improve on her every week to keep adding the edge we need to be in the winning lane. As of now, we have only lost 4 races on the street due to traction issues.
C: Did you take part in the customization process of your car?
D: Absolutely! The way Your Mom sits today is completely different than when I got her. Basically, the car was a body and motor. Everything else has been removed and replaced to get her street ready.
C: How often do people pay attention to your car?
D: Every time the car is racing…which can be bad if we are street racing. We have to be careful and discreet when choosing a place. When running on the track, people ask about the car and I try to answer as many questions as I can if I am not prepping. We also have a Facebook page that that currently has a little over 5,500 likes. We are working on growing the engagement on this page and once our first race is seen on TV we expect this to be an easy feat. Currently we are finishing up on the Discover show Street Outlaws as we speak. It has been fun and hope we get the call back.
C: What was the most difficult part about customization?
D: Deciding what parts are the “best.” There are so many good parts available from so many different vendors and parts seem to be upgraded and a rate that is impossible to keep up with. We look at what can be upgraded and weigh our options. What can we afford to upgrade, what must be upgraded to stay competitive, and what can wait.
C: Thanks, David! We wish you a lot of wins in future!
