example.com - old corvette

Everyone keeps asking me if I am going to drive a third car for the Jegs Mail Order Pro Stock team with my brothers, Jeg and Troy. We talked about it, and I wouldn't mind doing it someday, but right now, there is a timing issue. We don't want to spread ourselves too thin, and I don't want to do it unless it's 100 percent right We need a lot of parts and pieces and enough manpower, but we don't have that right now. Its not the right time. When you get into a program of that magnitude, it has to be all or nothing.

I am going to be part of a multi-car team in 2003, but it won't be a Pro Stock operation. I have decided to race in Super Comp and Super Gas, and my brother, John, will compete in Super Stock. John and I plan to run eight Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series races and about 10 to 12 national events.

Last year, I finished sixth in the Division 3 Super Comp standings, and I was fortunate to finish 10th nationally after winning a national event And it wasn't just any national event, it was the Pontiac Excitement NHRA Nationals in Columbus, my hometown. That was great for all of my friends and family that were there.

I think I did pretty well last season, considering the type of racers that are out there. I'm aware of how competitive Pro Stock is, but the Super categories can be rough. Around 200 competitors will race over three to four days, and all of them are aiming to win. Trying to work your way through the field is unbelievable. That's some crazy competition.

The setups on my cars are almost identical; the same engines, transmissions, converters, and combinations with throttle stops. Dave Fields is the crew chief on all three of our Sportsman cars, and he keeps them all dialed. He is a better tuner than I am.

My goals this year are to win one race in each category and finish in the top 10 nationally with both cars. That would be an amazing accomplishment for our team. If I do well enough to be in the top 10 and a couple of things go my way - you sometimes have to be in the right place at the right time -- then the possibility of winning a championship increases. At the end of the year, usually only a couple of rounds separate the number one guy from the number 10 racer. I don't want to boast and say that I am going win the championship, but it's not out of the question.

The Super Gas Corvette that I'm going to race is the one that Troy ran a few times last year. He basically turned over the car to me this season so that he could concentrate on his Pro Stock program. I set up the car with a little bit of a different combination than my dragster, but it's a great combination, and I hope it works out. It showed some promise at the Mac Tools NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville. The car is fast, but we want it to be more consistent I hope we can learn from the data that we gather from both cars.

Our racing program is pretty extensive with the two Pro cars, three Sportsman cars, and all of the races that we attend. Racing is still a hobby for us, but it's a big part of our business, Jeg's Mail Order. Racing plays a big role in the marketing and advertising programs that we have for our business. It's kind of like working and racing at the same time.

This entire program derives from my dad; he was instrumental in teaching us everything. He taught all of my brothers and me how to race and work with the media and the different aspects of the business. We learned from all of his years of experience. It has definitely been paying off because he has been doing it a long time. Dad now has grandchildren racing; Troy's son, T.J., drives in the Jr. Drag Racing League. All of my brothers and I try to have lunch together every day to talk about everything that is going on. We discuss everything from business to racing to everyday life. Our parents were very adamant about helping us work together and stay together. They also taught us that if we had differences, to work them out and move on. My parents were pretty good at that. That's what helped make all of this work.

example.com - old corvette

Menu