By Jane Smith
Jimmy Owens may be only 35 years old but has been racing since 1991. Jimmy is a four time UMP Dirtcar Racing Modified Champion who in only two short years won one of the biggest dirt Super Late Model races there is, the World 100 at Eldora Speedway, on September 9th. Recently Jimmy was interviewed on realracinusa.com by Jack Smith and Rick Anges on his newest accomplish and what it has meant to him.
And just like a man who races for a living, he was in his shop working on his car while doing the interview.
“We are sitting pretty good right now. With 203 cars at the track for that one event, setting fast time was a thrill for us. The best in the country were there and in spite of the one day delay due to rain, it was a great event.”
Owens $40,000 plus win came on the heels of his $50,000 win at the North-South 100 at Florence Speedway in Union, Kentucky last month. Owens has won 14 out of 33 Super Late Model races with a number of top 5’s and 10’s. Not bad for a man who never got into a Super Late until two years ago.
Owens, who started 13th in the A-Main after setting the fast time with a 15.690 on the half-mile oval, took the lead from his car builder Scott Bloomquist on lap 10. Being passed by Steve Francis on lap 18, Owens ran second until lap 87 when he repassed Francis and took the checkered. Owens thought he had nothing for Francis but kept a cool head and began reeling him in and in the end, it did pay off with his first World 100 win. Twenty eight cars started the A-Main with 6 heat races and two B-Main races. And that is alot of cars for one race!!!
“From 1995 to 2003 I drove dirt modifieds. I was just lucky to move into Late Models. We raced with Top 2 Motorsports out of North Carolina and Harry Farms last year. Things have been good for us. The dirt modified is very close to the dirt Late Model. We did have a learning curve for awhile but luckily they are pretty much the same.”
Jimmy has earned the nickname the “Newport Nightmare” which began in his modified days and has carried thru to his Late Model days.
“We take our schedule day by day. Right now we are trying to get ready for a race this weekend which we hope to make. Our schedule runs thru the end of November and we will be at the Winter Nationals once again next year in Florida.”
When asked what Eldora was like, Jimmy replied, “it was like Woodstock, a big party for the fans and serious racing for the drivers. Taking that checker4ed flag and setting fast time was one of the biggest thrills of my Late Model racing. It may not be the highest paying race but the one you want to win like the Daytona 500. It is awesome, just awesome.”
“It is not easy racing for a living. You have to be in the top five and have some great sponsors behind you to do it. I have really enjoyed the World of Outlaws Late Models and alot of other series. I think we need other series, not just one, to make racing good and meet alot of great people. And once I saw in the Late Model and drove it, I got a passion for it.”
Recently Perry Brown and Jay Carbury visited Tazwell Speedway where Jimmy has gotten a few wins of his own. When asked what Jimmy thought of the high banked track, he only had good things to say.
“Tazwell is banked more than any other track I know. Even the straightaway is banked higher than most of the banks at other tracks. It is a 1/3 mile track and fast. When you wreck, everyone wrecks. And when you wave to the fans, it is not easy there but I love that track.”
For more information on Jimmy Owens and his 2007 schedule, to go www.jimmyowens20.com.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
-Jane Smith is Editor of Florida Stock Car Racing and motorsports writer for Florida Today. She has written over a thousand racing articles, not surprising as her dad Patrick Smith has been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize more than once.
