By BRETT BOWMAN
Tribune columnist
December 03, 2007 11:03 pm
—
It seems only yesterday that an extremely polite young quarter midget driver came up to me at the Kokomo Speedway, introduced himself and let it be known that one day he was going to drive a sprint car.
Well, that young man’s dream came three years ago when he strapped into a non-wing sprint car after a stellar career in both the quarter midgets as well as winged mini-sprints. Since his rookie campaign, Josh Spencer has impressed fans and peers alike which culminated in his winning the prestigious Vince Osman Memorial Award at the recent Gas City I-69 Speedway banquet.
The award, named in honor of the popular Osman who lost his life in a crash at the Kokomo Speedway, is based on character, sportsmanship and more importantly, was voted on by Spencer’s racing peers.
“Winning that award really means so much to me,” said the 22-year-old driver. “To this point in my racing career, this means the most to me considering I was close to Vince and his family.”
As a matter of fact, the day after he picked up the award, he showed the trophy to Osman’s widow, Jill.
“The thing that made it mean so much was that it wasn’t political,” said Spencer. “It wasn’t a case of track officials choosing me to receive it, but the vote of the drivers is what determines the honor.”
Spencer noted that he was in total shock when he heard the master of ceremonies announce his name as the 2007 recipient.
“I was very surprised. I think that was one of the only times in my life I have been totally speechless,” he recalled. “It was pretty special. Everyone was coming up to me offering congratulations and everyone was so emotional. I looked out and Bud Kearns’ wife and Bud Whitacre were very emotional and my mom and dad were too. It meant a lot to me.”
Always one of the last drivers to leave the track on race night, Spencer attributed earning the respect of his peers to helping make the award mean even more.
“I really try to be friends with everyone,” he said. “That has always been a thing with me — I’ve wanted my peers to respect me and trust me. I want then to know that I will race them clean and try to help them out whenever I can.
“My thinking has always been, the more friends you have the better off you are,” he continued. “That’s why I try to help the other racers out. Who knows, one night it could just as easily be me who needs their help? That’s the great thing about this sport, it seems like everyone is a big family.”
Spencer noted how his career seems to be taking a major step in the right direction which gives him even higher hopes heading into 2008.
“This past year, for the first time, we really had a lot of folks backing us which I think showed on the track,” he said. “I still haven’t won a feature yet, but I’m getting closer each year. This year at Gas City, I had a couple of third-place finishes and that is a tough track week in and week out. I also won a bunch of heats at Kokomo and Gas City.
“My team is a family operation,” he said. “And in the past it would seem like we would climb a step, then fall back down. We would have good cars, then get caught up in wrecks that weren’t our fault.”
Spencer noted the support of Bud Kearns and Bud’s Auto Sales, Whitacre, Simpson Safety Equipment, Tom Chalk of Chalk Chassis, Greg Stephens of Stephens’ Machine shop and his parents Jerry and Sarah as well as his brother Paul.
“This year, we will have a backup car and motor thanks to everyone who has helped out,” he said. “Knowing that really builds confidence — knowing that if you tear something up you still have spares to fall back on. Right now I’d say my confidence level is probably a 10 on a level of one to 10.”
Looking ahead to next season, Spencer noted he intends to chase the points at Kokomo and Gas City and hopes to catch the eye of a car owner who might put him in a car to compete in USAC competition.
“We’d like to come out of the box strong next season,” he said. “Then, if a car owner wants to put me in his car, that would be great. I would love to have the opportunity to drive a Silver Crown car and maybe do some pavement stuff and possibly get in a midget too. Also this year, as long as everything stays together, we are planning on running some USAC dirt shows that are close by and to compete in all of the Sprint Week races.”
The polite young kid of yesteryear is quickly turning into an even better young man as evidenced by winning this coveted award. There’s little doubt that it’s just a matter of time before the dreams he now envisions will soon come to fruition. He’s known all his life what he wanted to do and he’s not afraid to work hard to make his dreams come true.
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.