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This months showcase driver for the purestock class is Greg Owens.
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Greg pictured with his 2007 Purestock Car |
A little about Greg Greg grew up in North Vernon, Indiana. He currently resides with his wife, Vicki in North Vernon, Indiana. Greg has two children, Bradin and Natalie, and two step-children, Briana Barger and Evan Barger. When asked what got him in to racing, he just responded that his brother-in-law, Colin Vaughn was always in racing, and he usually helped in some way or another. He wanted to race him self. At age 18, Greg got his first racecar, a ministock. He raced a mustang. He was hooked. He raced for a few years in the ministock class, and even owned and raced a street stock for a brief time. He raced a purestock too. "Having a baby kinda put the brakes on racing for awhile", he states. "Money was an issue". |
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Greg driving one of the ministocks he raced in the past. (This picture was at Twin Cities) Why Racing? When asked about how he learned what he has, he just indicated by watching Colin, and a lot of his friends in racing. He picks up knowledge by watching and asking questions. "You are constantly learning, even when you think you know something, you learn something new. I just remember it. "Colin, Ricky Applegate and Tim Clark has really taught me a lot.", he adds. Most fellow race drivers are there to help. They are competative, but off the track, it is different. They want to help, it is part of it. I do the same now, for others. What I can, anyway." When asked why he got back in to racing after he briefly quit, he just laughed and said it was in his blood. He can't stay away. When he was out for awhile, he and Rick Applegate were talking, and the next thing he knew, he was back in racing, in the purestock. "Rick had a chassis, I had a motor. I did have a car, a camaro, but they were banned by the unibody rule at the tracks around here.", Greg commented, "We put it together, slapped some paint on it, and I was back in.". He said his favorite thing about racing is 'trying to control something that could potentially be out of control in a second', it is like being on a roller coaster except 1000 times more exciting!'.
Greg shown above working on his 2007 Camaro, getting it race ready Greg met his now wife, Victoria, who he found shared his love for racing. She grew up around racing, and it seemed like a natural fit. He raced Ricks car another year, and he and Victoria decided to get his old camaro race ready and head to Lawrenceburg where they allow camaros to run. That was to be his home track in 2007. Greg does most of his own body work on the cars he races. He sent the motor to Right Auto to rebuild, and he started on the slow process of the body work on the camaro. The sanding, painting, and a new nose piece, compliments of a valentine's gift from his wife, and then the letter from R&K graphics. Now he had a car for 2007!
Before and After Pictures of the 2007 Purestock Camaro Greg has won several awards in the past racing, several for the hoosier hills ministocks, and in the top 10 and 20 in the points championships at Twin Cities in both ministocks and purestocks. He also won a most improved award in the ministocks. He has won several features, consi's, and quite a few heats in the past.
One of Greg's Feature wins at Lawrenceburg in 2007 In the year 2007, he ended up 2nd in the points championship at Lawrenceburg and won a sportman of the year award. He credits his mom and dad, the Vaughns and his wife and kids for being able to continue to race. "Without their support, it would be impossible. Not only the money, but just being there and being supportive". When asked what his most favorite win was since he has been racing, he replied, "My first feature win. It was at Osgood!" He would love to race at Eldora and Knoxville someday. His plans next year are to move up to Superstock and race at Brownstown. He said it will be nice to be able to race a bit closer to home again too. It is in the works. He liked Lawrenceburg, but he is unsure of the scheduling for superstocks there for 2008. When asked what advice he would pass on to someone new and just getting in to racing, he laughed and said, "To race and keep their driving clean, and to be nice to everyone, that will get you farther than anything in racing!'.
Greg standing in front of 2007 Purestock Carmaro and some of his trophies he has won through his racing career. Keep up on Greg's progress on his website at : http://gregowensracing.com/
Thanks Greg for the interview and good luck from all of us at Indiana Dirt Scoops! |
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