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Sept 29th , 2006 - Dave Hess Jr.!

This may come as a shocker, but this is our third 10Q in the month of September!! This time we got Dave Hess Jr! The local hot shoe took some time out of his busy schedule to let us know what was up for the rest of this year and down the road. Enjoy!

1. By now most everyone in the regional racing community knows who Dave Hess Jr. is. If they don't, they've been living under a rock. Humor us anyway and tell us a little about yourself, how long you've been racing and exactly how many feature wins you really have?

I started racing go-carts when I was 7 years old until I was 13 years old. Then I moved up to street stocks for a year (14-15), when I was 16 years old I raced a full year of limited lates and steel blocks for the last half of the season. I raced steel blocks for an entire season when I was 17 years old and raced some late models shows with my steel block. When I was 18 years old I began to run both late models and e-mods. I am currently finishing up my 5th year in the late model and e-mod.

2. Your father of course is a late model legend in the area. What was it like growing up with his influence and was there ever a chance you would not be strapped in a racecar someday?

I wasn’t born yet when my father raced, my dad quit racing in 1984 when I was born. When I was about 12 or 13 years old my dad started racing e-mods again to get me into racing and I started to go with my dad and uncle Mike to the races.

3. We have to ask, Dave Hess Sr. in his prime lines up next to Dave Hess Jr. of the present in a 5 lap King of Hill, who wins?

I never had the chance to see my dad race a late model. The cars are so different now than they were then so it would be hard to compare. If you ask me though, I would say I would win, but I’m sure if you asked my dad he would say he would win.

4. Although you've had success right out of the chute in a late model, we tend to still think of you as one of the most dominating mod drivers the area has seen. Which do you prefer to drive and will we continue to see you in an emod?

I prefer racing in the late model class, but I enjoy driving both. I will not be racing the e-mod regularly next season; we are going to have our priorities set on the late model.

5. It's no secret that you can run with the big boys. We've seen you branch out a little this year and run more big shows. Are there any plans in the upcoming future to travel? What is your goal in the late models?

The next few years we are planning on traveling with the Outlaws, but we are going to need some financial help to be able to travel with them all year. My goal in the late model is to become a full time Dirty Dozen Outlaw late model driver and to travel with them yearly.

6. Have you had a chance to talk with any of the Outlaws or other national touring guys when they've been in the area? What kind of advice have they given you?

Yes, to get away from the local tracks to help me get more experience from other tracks. Chub Frank has given me a lot of set up tips that have helped me the last few seasons.

7. What would say are the three best memories and three worst so far in your racing career?

Worst:
1. Flipping at Stateline and totaling my late model
2. Hitting the inside cement barrier at Lernerville, totaling my late model      again.
3.Running in qualifying at KC Raceway and hitting the wall and I didn’t make the Outlaw show.

Best:
1.Leading Lernerville Outlaw show and finishing 9th.
2. Running 5th at Wayne County in the Outlaw show.
3.Running 2nd in the Winter Nationals in Florida.

8. Instead of word association, we're going to do 'fill in the blank'. Read the following and give us your best answer:

A. The best race I've been a part of is______. This year at Lernerville leading laps in the Outlaw show.
B. The cleanest racers out on the track are______. Rick Eckert, Rich Gardner, Justin Carlson
C. If I could win one race, I'd really like it to be_____. The World at Eldora
D. My racing idol is____. Rick Eckert/ Dale Earnhardt Jr.
E. My favorite track surface is_____. Smooth and tacky
F. The guy I'd like to beat out there on the track is_____. Chub Frank

9. It's been reported that Josh Richards and Tim McCreadie are going to be included in the Chevy's 'Gong Show' to find the next big Nextel Cup star. Do you ever envision yourself trying out for those kinds of competitions? Do you have any desire to race on asphalt?

If I had the opportunity to try out for one of those competitions I would. As far as local asphalt racing I wouldn’t, unless there was an offer that would be too hard to turn down.

10. With the 2006 season quickly coming to a close, what are some of the events that the 44H team plans to attend before it's time to head to the garage for the winter?

Smethport- September 30
Pittsburgh 100- October 8
Challenger Fall Fest- October 13-15
KC Raceway- October 19-21
A chance of going back to Florida for the Winter Nationals- February 4-17,2007

11. Finally, tell us who works out on the car and helps you the most getting to the track each week.

My mom and dad, Jim Clinger, Jim Rhomba, Gary Zacheral, Chuck Kobel, Bobby Kreiger, John Boyd, Mark Blount, Ron Riechert, and my Uncle Mike.

So there you have it. Best of luck to Dave and the 44H team in their quest to travel more with the WoO on the upcoming seasons and hopefully get the financial backing needed to make that happen.

Also special thanks to Becca for setting the 10Q up. Much appreciated!

Photo Credits:
Jay Pees
Bill Galford
Rick Schwallie