Pit life gives racing perhaps its greatest perspective.
The time and money spent on the need for speed can make any outsider or newbie to the sport wonder why racers do what they do. Even racing on a dirt track has its hazards. The tiniest little oil spill on the track can cause a driver to spin out and wreck.
The Wild West Modified Tour races at Montezuma County Fairgrounds Speedway last Friday and Saturday is not NASCAR. But this International Motor Contest Association points series had nearly 50 cars racing each night in front of 300 fans who came to see their favorite stock, modified and sport mod drivers.
Racers from seven states traveled to Cortez to take the checkered flag. For many, it was just to race.
I guess we just dont know no different. Its all weve ever done, said Aaron Spangler, of Dove Creek, modified racer and local favorite.
Aaron, who drives the No. 16 modified car, along with his son Brody and cousins Ricky, Ryan and Glenn Spangler, have combined for more than 50 years of racing experience. Aaron and Ryan Spangler both have a day job working for Dawn Trucking in Dove Creek. The Farmington, N.M., based oil and gas heavy-haul trucking company is run by Montezuma County Fairgrounds Speedway promoter Jack Nelson, who also is the president of Dawn Trucking. Aaron, Brody and Ryan Spangler dont have trouble racing around their work schedules to hit dirt tracks throughout the West.
We always race on weekends. The expense part of it we dont spend a whole lot more than going to the lake every weekend, Aaron Spangler said while sitting on a tire. The traveling is a lot of fun. We get to go to new places and see new things. Instead of having one big vacation, we have a vacation every other weekend all summer.
For some, its a living on the IMCA circuit. Tony Hill, co-owner of Victory Racing & Machine, Race Winning Performance with his wife Lexi, make half of their revenue building race car engines. The proud parents of three are their own pit crew for Tony Hills 007 Victory Racing stock car. If there was an award for best looking car, Tony Hill would win as easy as he used to on the race track. But business has limited the 007 car to the local summer races.
Its more or less something fun to do. We used to do 50 or 60 shows a year. We just dont have time now, Tony Hill said, while holding a tire shock. I would like to get back there someday.
Tony Hills stock car experience has taken him across the country and as far as Australia. In 1997, he was in strong contention for the IMCA stock points championship.
We did about 60 shows that year, and its physically, mentally, financially just brutal. It consumes 100 percent of your time, Tony Hill said.
In the summer of 1997 alone, Tony and Lexi Hill spent more the $35,000 in racing expenses. The two hauled 007 in their truck and trailer across the country and spent thousands on parts alone. Thats racing. The thrill of the checkered flag and building fast cars keeps Tony Hill coming back for more.
Its knowing you can build something that can go out there and do better than anybody else, he said. You come up with something new that somebody else hasnt thought of. It wont be too long before its going to be time for me to be going out. Id like to see some younger kids being able to come up with that passion that I have for 25 years in the sport.
One of the best young race car drivers in the United States is just 24 years old. Zane DeVilbiss of Farmington has quickly made a name for himself in modified racing. In just five years in the IMCA, DeVilbiss was the 2006 Aztec (N.M.) Speedway IMCA Rookie of the Year, and took home his first WWMT and IMCA modified points championships in 2010. DeVilbiss sits in second in the 2011 WWMT standings and fourth overall in IMCA, but his modified victories at Montezuma County Fairgrounds Speedway on Friday and Saturday will shoot him up the points ladder. DeVilbiss lists Montezuma County Fairgrounds Speedway as his hometown and favorite track.
We race here more than we race anywhere else. This is my favorite track to race in, DeVilbiss said.
Zane and his dad Nick DeVilbiss build their own cars at DeVilbiss Motorsports in Farmington. They are the crew for Zanes 18z pink-and-black modified race car, which sports an image of the Pink Panther on the hood. To become an IMCA national champion, Zane DeVilbiss drives in a minimum of two or three races a week. He travels as far as California and Iowa, and back to Farmington weekly. Last year, Zane DeVilbiss put 60,000 miles on his truck en route to the 2010 IMCA title for 18z.
It changes your whole lifestyle to race as much as we do, Zane DeVilbiss said. Theres a lot of sacrifices at home. I work for my parents, so that helps me out a lot. I get to leave there when I need to.
When there isnt racing, theres plenty of work to do.
You dont get to do nothing besides work on the car. We work on it 40 to 50 hours a week. Theres a lot that goes into it, Zane DeVilbiss said. We got quite a few more races to do this year.
Zane DeVilbiss hopes all his sacrifice and hard work leads to a career in the big leagues of NASCAR, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. He has done some test runs in the Craftsman Truck Series and said he will be racing in the series in the near future.
Dakota Kibel, 18, is another young aspiring race car driver. The Montezuma-Cortez High School graduate has been racing his No. 89 IMCA sport mod for three years and shows no signs of letting up.
I live for racing. Its one of the big things in my life, Kibel said. Id like to win a series or a national championship.
The Colorado State University freshman-to-be has even modified his class schedule to race in Cortez during the school year.
I dont have a class on Friday, so I can come back down and race, Kibel said, then laughed.
Dakotas father, Jay Kibel, currently races the yellow 777 stock car and has raced in multiple models for more than two decades. Racing runs true in the Kibel household.
I passed over the realm (to Dakota). I just barely got back into a car, said Jay Kibel, who owns Outdoor Connection shooting range. I dont think I can keep up with my son now. Thats the bad part. But its kind of fun to be able to race with your son. I got to race with my dad. Its pretty cool.
Bloomfield, N.M., native Rex Higgins won the stock races each night in his AK47 car in times of 11:05.052 (25 laps) and 13:09.140 (24 laps). Steffan Carey (No. 3) was runner-up both races. Danny Stevenson (No. 05) took third on Friday, and Allen Bradley (No. 26) rounded out the top three on Saturday night.
Zach Rouse, driving the 7x car, placed first in the sport mods both nights in 27:51.826 (25 laps) and 17:47.413 (25 laps). Jordon Eddleman (No. 11x) was second and third on Friday and Saturday. No. 97 Julie Boettler placed third on Friday and No. 55 Brian Carey was second on Saturday.
Brandon Carley (No. 71) and Jeff Taylor (No. 9) were second to DeVilbiss in the modified races on Friday and Saturday. No. 111 Danny Bradford and No. 7P Porter Smith made the top three on Friday and Saturday.
The next races at Montezuma County Fairgrounds Speedway are slated for Friday and Saturday, Sept. 2-3. It will be the final races of the Montezuma County Fairgrounds Speedway 2011 season. For more information, log on to www.fairgroundsspeedwaycortez.com.
Reach Bobby Abplanalp at [email protected].
