Stock Car Racing Readers' Racers

MAKING HIS WAY UPMichael Halbrooks, 17, of Hartselle, Alabama, had a successful rookieyear racing his Hobby Stock at Huntsville Speedway. Michael earnedRookie of the Year and finished in the Top-10 in points. He moved tostock cars after racing go-carts since the age of 8. Michael says hehopes someday to compete in ARCA or NASCAR. "I would also like to beatEarnhardt Jr. at Talladega Superspeedway," he says. "But for right now,I will make my way up the ladder in the racing world." We admire yourspunk, Michael, and you obviously have a level head. Aim high!

HAPPY WINNERJoey Hegnet won 12 heat races and 5 features in the Hobby Stock divisionat Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, in 2003. This was his second year ofcompetition, and the 21-year-old has his sights on bigger goals inracing. He looks like a happy winner in this photo submitted by hisaunt, Linda Zirbel. Linda says she is Joey's number-one fan.

YOUNG GUNJeremy Manes, a 13-year-old 8th grader from Nixa, Missouri, was theyoungest competitor at Springfield Raceway in 2003. Jeremy, a veteran ofgo-cart competition, was in his first year of stock car competition,racing in the Mini Stock class. Jeremy spent time in the Top-10 inpoints and was assisted by his father, Al, and stepmother, Tammy.Jeremy, who began racing carts at age 7 along with his brother Brandon,captured his first carting championship in 1999 at age 9.

STEADY WINNERSince beginning his racing career in go-carts at age 7, Bobby Holmes hasexperienced steady success. He was track champion at RansomvilleSpeedway in New York in 1994, 1996, and 1998, and was Second in 1995 and1997. He then moved up to microsprints and eventually progressed to TQMidgets, running tracks in New York. The '03 season marked Bobby's firstin the Sportsman division at Lancaster Speedway. He won two features andwas Second in points while earning Rookie of the Year at the track.Bobby, 18, resides in Lockport, New York.

MINI LATE MODEL SOPHOMOREChip Mack competed in the Mini Late Model class at 35 Raceway Park inFrankfort, Ohio, in 2003, completing his second season in that division.Chip was Second in points last season and has won numerous heat racesand several features during his five years of racing, according to hiswife, Georganna. He started out racing the Stock class and had a Secondand a Third in points during his first three years of competition. Hismove up to Mini Late Models in 2002 brought a finish of Fourth in pointsand a Rookie of the Year title. He was also Mini Stock champion atFunfest in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, in 2002.

PURE RACERIt's a safe bet that you can find Brad Keselowski at a racetrack on anygiven weekend. Keselowski is a team engineer for the No. 29 entry in theNASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. But he also spends time turning the wheelin his own Outlaw Super Late Model, which he races out of RochesterHills, Michigan. By the time he submitted this photo, Brad, 19, had wontwice in 2003 at Toledo Speedway in Ohio, during his rookie season ofcompetition there. Brad began his racing career in Quarter Midgets atage 15 and garnered several feature wins before moving up to OutlawSuper Late Model class in 2002.