|
A REAL
YOUNG GUN... Drew Herring
November 28th, 2003 - updated
November 28th, 2003 21:18:34
Web posted by Langley Austin ~ Talk Racing Mag
BENSON, NC --At just 16 years old, Drew
Herring is attracting the attention of his fellow competitors.
Herring started racing in 1997 in the Bandaleros division. He competed in
that division until 2000 and obtained 20 wins in just over 50 starts. In
2001 he moved on to the Allison Legacy Series, he wouldn’t have much
success there, but he felt ready to tackle the Late Model Stock Cars.
Photo By: Langley Austin
Being too young to compete at NASCAR sanctioned race tracks, he traveled
down to Coastal Plains Raceway in Jacksonville, NC. There he placed third
in his first Late Model race and fourth in the overall points.
That’s pretty impressive for a 15 year old rookie. The true test would
come after he turned sixteen and began competing on the NASCAR sanctioned
tracks.
He started the season at Southern National Speedway in Kenly, NC. He said
he never really found the setup to run there, so the team lead by his
father began traveling. In his first start at South Boston he qualified in
the top ten and had a strong run going before jumping a restart and being
black flagged.
His next trip to South Boston would prove even tougher as the young driver
couldn’t get a handle on the track. Still he persevered and traveled to
Martinsville for the ‘Daytona 500’ of Late Model Stock Car races, the
Taco Bell 300.
There he would prove he had talent qualifying his Chevrolet Monte Carlo,
Townsend Chassis in the 26th position. From there he would make the race
from finishing top five in his heat race. From there the youngster raced
hard all day to get inside the top ten toward the end of the race. He
would finish 18th, but that doesn’t show how well he had run.
"We were running good and was battling to get 10th place on the last
lap when we got wrecked," said Herring.
Herring also said that his qualifying efforts don’t always show how good
the car is and that he seems to always run good during the race.
Mark Herring, Drew’s dad leads the team as the crew chief with Jerry
Ingram, Neil Johnson, Brian Barefood, Sylvia & Warren Herring serving
on his crew.
When I asked his father where he got his knowledge on setting up the car
he said it’s all driver.
"What knowledge, it’s all the driver. We get the car close and then
he just drives it," said Mark Herring. "You work at it until you
learn, but he gets up on the wheel and takes care of business."
Herring team runs a Wally Duncan engine and a Townsend Chassis with a 2003
ARP Chevrolet Monte Carlo body on it.
Herring is sponsored by his father’s businesses; Parking Bumpers
Incorporated, Hog Slat and Integrated AG.
He’s hoping to find a sponsor this winter to go ASA racing, but if not
he’ll be back behind the wheel of his NASCAR Late Model Stock Car and he
says he’ll travel around.
Photo By: Langley Austin
Herring’s ultimate goal is to make it to Nextel Cup and with the talent
this kid’s already showing he’s got a good chance of going right on up
the ladder, but he says he’s going to have to find the financial backing
to do so.
E-mail today for more information
on our Sponsorship Opportunities with Drew Herring at sponsordrew@ggmmarketing.com
or Contact us at 607-625-5876
|
