|
|
|
|
|
JR has been involved in racing most of his life. His family racing background goes back three generations, so I guess you could say that it is in his blood. He has enjoyed racing at many levels. He started racing motorcycles at age 6. He raced motorcross for about a year, then switched to racing flat track. He raced short tracks, 1/2 miles and even on ice. With an American Honda Support Rider Package, his dad building engines and setting up the bikes, JR was busy racing and making sure his equipment outshined everyone elses. JR won his first track championship at Mendon, Ohio in 1984. He repeated in 1985 and was Ohio State Champion five years in a row. In 1984 JR went to his first Ice Racing National Championship at Lake George, New York and finished third. Chicago, Illinois was the sight for the 1985 Nationals and he finished second. JR most prestigous accomplishment on motorcycles came on 1986 when he won the National Ice Racing Championship at Port Huron, Michigan. JR finished third in the combined short track, 1/2 mile and TT in the Mini-Olympics in New York.
In 1987, after winning the Logan County Fair 1/2 mile event, JR decided to move to four wheels and started racing go-karts. JR caught about the last half of the season in 1987, winning the first race that he was ever in. In 1988, with his grandpa building engines, his dad working with the chasis and JR driving, he won his first Track Championship at Cridersville, Ohio in the Junior Stock Division. In 1989, he moved up to the Senior Stock Division and again won the Track Championship. From 1990 to 1996, JR started racing at different tracks across the state, winning at virtually all of them at one time or another. In 1995, JRstarted racing with Gene and Wanda Harris, Hi-Point Crane Service, which turned into a full ride in 1996. In 1996, JR set his sights on another track championship at Cridersville. 3/4 way through the season, while leading the points, JR had an opportunity to go sprint car racing. The was a life long dream for JR, so of course, he jumped on it. He got a late start in August, but was still able to catch the last six races at Limaland and one race at a 1/2 mile in Mansfield, Ohio. JR made six out of seven A-Mains.
1997 was a good year for JR. He won ASCS Sprint Bandits Rookie of the Year honors, and finish sixth in the regional point standings. Besides these great achievements, JR gainned a lot of expierence that will make him force in the ASCS Challenger Series for the 1998 season.
|
|
|
|
|
