Published: October 22, 2008 11:31 pm         

Writer gets her chance to get behind the wheel again

Almost every Saturday night from the end of March through October for the past 20 years, I have spent my time in the press box at Enid Speedway Park, behind the keyboard of my trusty laptop, recording the results of the action packed stock car racing on the legendary Garfield County Fairgrounds track.

I begin my shift by venturing down into the pits to interview a lucky weekend warrior and make them famous at least for a little while. During the past two decades I have stepped out of my comfort zone a total of five times to indulge my “bad girl” side and experience a fleeting adrenaline rush as I put on the oh-so-fashionable fire suit and pack my lovely tresses into a helmet to pilot a race car.

When my 50th birthday passed in August, I secretly mourned the fact my racing glory days were long gone. After all I was officially “over the hill” and it would not be fitting and proper for a professional educator and newspaper staff writer to throw caution to the wind and treat herself to the wild abandonment that this unique sport provides. Plus I wasn’t even sure enough that I still was agile enough to climb through the window. (You do know that stock cars don’t have doors, right?)

A few days ago I received a text message from our apprentice track announcer and radio personality Brandon Clepper. This 16-year-old Chisholm High School student had the wild idea we should coordinate a media race at the track Saturday night.

Needless to say I was intrigued and before my school teacher common sense could take over I was in contact with our senior announcer and Lahoma Police Chief Mike Andrew. The plan was set into motion and, much like an avalanche headed down a steep hill, it quickly gained momentum, culminating in a meeting with track promoter Lonnie Colville early Saturday afternoon. Before the first green flag flew we had eight pure stock rides lined up for young Clepper, his father radio personality Alan Clepper, track promoter Meichelle Colville, administrative press box assistant and Enid High School football player Trent Smith, pace car driver and Oklahoma Army National Guard Recruiting officer SSG Cale Lynn Grauberger, Andrew and I.

First, I must give a big hats off to the pure stock drivers who so generously agreed to let us use and abuse their trusty rides. Andrew and I approached eight drivers including Michael Smith, Kenny Adams, Tim Smart, James Goldman, Jr., Earl Hansen, Jr., Corey Vendetti, Dustin Schoonover and Michael Watts. Each and every one of them immediately agreed, without any hesitation and or bribery. I didn’t even have to use my “feminine whiles.”

Our big event was slated two races after the pure stocks’ final point card of the season. Now if you have been paying attention to detail, you have done the math and realize we had lined up eight cars for seven drivers. However, the point’s chase on the final night can be brutal and the pure stock “A” feature was no exception. A broken axle claimed Adams’ ride, Vendetti’s car was disabled and Goldman’s engine blew leaving us two cars short. Meichelle and I both graciously agreed to let the gentlemen race. I grabbed the microphone to pacify my bruised ego and began announcing the action from the pits.

I’m a fairly competent journalist, but my announcing skills are definitely lackluster. Luckily enough for the fans’ sake limited modified driver and radio personality Ryan Parli gallantly came to the rescue. When he noticed the other media contestants were lining up, Parli inquired why I wasn’t prepared. I explained how I had lost my ride to racing attrition and in under a minute he and the entire crowd convinced me to climb behind the wheel of his limited modified.

I was flattered but a bit distraught. For those of you who don’t know a lot about dirt track racing, the limited modified is a much more expensive class, to the tune of about $12,000 per car. Plus the cars are smaller, lighter and open wheeled. That means I was just moments away from piloting Parli’s very expensive precision ride into a sea of much larger, heavier cars with fenders piloted by rookie drivers. I was intimidated, but the adrenaline junky in me had been set into motion and before you could blink I was belted in.

Just a few minor problems, I’m quite a few inches shorter than Parli and I ended up perched on a stack of red mechanic towels so I could peek above the dash to see the track stretching up with the tip of my toe to reach the accelerator of his quick Rocket Racing built car. And Ryan, I’ll confess now from the safety of my living room easy chair that the brake was even more difficult for me to access. Needless to say my “bad girl” alter ego was completely undaunted and she did experience a few laps of pure adrenaline bliss leading the race.

Yes, I may have bent the rules a bit, but one thing the drivers have taught me over the years is “it isn’t cheating until you get caught.” In my defense, somebody had to sneak up to the front to head up the restart after the caution flag for young Clepper’s mishap on the back straight. And was it really my fault that Parli’s quicker car was the only thing I could find to race at the last minute?

No, I didn’t make it to the winner’s circle (even with my faster ride and jump start). That honor went to young Smith. They didn’t officially score the race, and I’ll begrudgingly admit I ended up finishing somewhere near the back of the pack.

I do want send out an enormous thank you to Ryan Parli for giving me the ride of a lifetime. This is the first time I had ever experienced so much horsepower on the dirt track. My previous encounters, which ranged from 10 to 18 years ago, included a mini stock, cruisers and enduro cars. While each of those memories is fond, I sincerely will treasure my few minutes of fame behind the wheel of Parli’s amazing No. 12.

Ryan, for a few fleeting moments I was 20-years old again. You may not be this year’s champion, but you unselfishly gave me an amazing gift and a fall break I will never forget. You’ll always be my hero.

Track promoter Lonnie Colville officially announced he has slated a media grudge match Sunday afternoon. Contestants will include local radio, newspaper and track celebrities. If you missed last weekends entertaining show, you’ll want to be on hand for this fun and “campy” event.

And Trent, we’re watching out for you now. You might have surprised us last week, but we’ll be ready this time.