SETTING RECORDS
Janet Stephens of Redding, California, is making quite a name for herself as a driver in the Street Stock class at Siskiyou Motor Speedway in Yreka, California. This season she became the first woman to win the Bo Hittson Memorial Race at the track. She is the only female in her division, and she's offering clear evidence that driving talent knows no gender. Janet won 10 races, finished Second 17 times, and earned the title of '03 Street Stock Champion at the track, becoming the only female in the region to win a championship in dirt track stock car racing. Janet's team is a family operation, with her father serving as crewchief and her mother, two sons, and her husband, who is a Modified driver, helping to prepare Janet's '76 Camaro.
FATHER AND SON
The Parks family has a lot to cheer about on weekends at Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat, Virginia. Tony Parks and his 17-year-old son, Matthew, both compete at the half-mile clay oval. Tony, who has been racing for 14 years, races in the Modified Street class, while Matthew races in the Street Stock class, where he won Rookie of the Year in 2002. By September 2003, each driver had won twice in his division. The night of June 28, 2003, was special for the family, as each driver won his respective feature race.
GETTING STARTED
Joey Ogston, 15, of Duluth, Minnesota, competes in the Pure Stock division at Proctor Speedway near his home. Joey ran the last four races of the '03 season and won a heat race in just his second start. He's no stranger to turning left and going fast, however, as he raced go-carts for two years before moving up to Pure Stocks. Joey plans to run the full season in 2004 and hopes to eventually compete in NASCAR's top division.
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FAMILY AFFAIR
Two brothers, Scott S. Cook (left) and Jim Cook, shown with 5-year-old Chase Cook, have operated Cook Bros. Racing Team for the past 12 years. The Uncasville, Connecticut, residents compete at tracks in their state--Waterford Speedbowl, Thompson International Speedway, and Stafford Motor Speedway. After falling two points shy of winning a championship at Thompson International in 2000, the team captured the '01 Limited Sportsman title at the 5/8-mile asphalt oval. That same season, Scott was Rookie of the Year in Late Models at Stafford. This past season, after three years of racing at both Stafford and Thompson International, the Cooks curtailed their schedule to concentrate on competing at Stafford.
A FAMILIAR LOOK
Gordon Anderson of Canada competes in the Claimer Class at Edmonton International Raceway in Wetaskiwin, Alberta. He's been competing in the class since it began at the quarter-mile asphalt oval in 2000. Anderson calls his four-cylinder, "Wrangler Chevy," the best car he's campaigned. He finished Third in the track's King of the Claimers race on July 26. We're guessing that Anderson's favorite driver might have driven a Wrangler Chevy bearing a yellow and blue paint scheme and the No. 3 a few years ago.
STANDING BY HER MAN
Patricia McVay of Samson, Alabama, is proud of her husband, Stacey McVay, who just completed his third season at South Alabama Speedway in Kinston. After two years competing in the Super Stock Division, Stacey moved up to race in the Modified Division. In his first Modified race on May 10, he finished Fifth after his car suffered carburetor problems. Stacey hopes to eventually compete in the Late Model Division. Patricia says she supports her husband "110 percent" and expects his dreams to come true because he has the heart of a champion and never gives up.