KINGSPORT, Tenn. (AP) - Dillon Hodge will experience a lot of change as he enters his teenage years and, as if nature taking its course isn’t enough, he’ll be adding another arduous task.
The 12 year-old Hodge will be making the transition from the Go-Kart racing world into the life of a Street Stock Series car in the next 18 months. After finishing up this season and four races next year in his Go-Kart, Dillon will put all his focus on learning to drive the 3,400-pound Street Series Stock Car that dwarfs him.
“I am going to have to learn how to shift the gears, but I believe that I will be able to handle it in about a year or so,” said Hodge, who attends Colonial Heights Middle School. “I am nervous and a little bit anxious at the same time.”
What Dillon isn’t nervous about is competing. He seems to have that down pat, which is reflected by his 49 career wins and 19 career pole starts. He also won one of the most prestigious titles in the Go-Kart world as he won the Maxxis National Championship in 2014.
But that isn’t the only place that Dillon gets stuff done. He is a straight-A student and volunteers in the community, while maintaining the hectic practice and racing schedule.
So the only thing that seems to be holding Dillon back is his age.
NASCAR made a new law that lowered the driving age from 16 years old to 14 years old in 2010, but Dillon won’t be that age until Dec. 20, 2016. However, his father is hopeful that he will be allowed to race during certain times, and until then, he will finish up his Go-Kart obligations and practice with the Street Series Stock Car, as soon as it gets an engine.
While there have been multiple sponsors and people, including Greg Fields, who have helped Dillon through the process, he will be receiving an introduction into the stock car from Adam Balyard, who moved to the area two years ago. Balyard took a similar path as Dillon, albeit, with a little less success. However, he knows what the transition consists of as he raced in quarter midgets and made the climb to stock cars.
“He’s going from a lot smaller car, but when you get in these things at a young age like he has, you learn how to race and how to drive,” Balyard said. “It’s going to take him a little bit of time to get used to the big feel, but once he gets use to that, he’ll be fine.”
Balyard made the transition from driver to engineer a few years ago and he will lease the car to Dillon and his father, while also maintaining it when the time comes. The group is excited about the possibilities that the partnership can create.
“I’d rather help young kids like him make the move up and make it a business for me; … it helps him and they will get the experience,” Balyard said. “With his driving ability, I think that he can win in this thing.”
And this isn’t just a hobby for Dillon, it’s a lifestyle. He attended his first NASCAR race at Bristol Motor Speedway when he was just 2 years old. It was watching races there from which his love of the bumping and grinding of racing became more than just enjoyment. But that isn’t his favorite part of racing.
“I like the fast part of it,” said Dillon, whose smile brightens with the mere mention of speed.
It almost matches the smile that overtakes his face whenever he mentions some of his favorite drivers: Kasey Kahne, Kyle Busch and NASCAR Hall of Famer Junior Johnson. Some of those great racers didn’t get their start until a little bit later than Dillon, which could be a key contributor in the success he may have.
“Racing at that young age, you learn about car control and how to race fair and clean,” said Balyard, while mentioning names like Joey Lagano and Jeff Gordon. “He’s going to understand how to go around people.”
And although his dreams and goals are traced by the success that those top drivers have had, the fact that Dillon is still a youngster is evident when he mentions how he feels about getting behind the wheel.
“I feel like I’m going to be the coolest kid in school,” Dillon said.
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Information from: Kingsport Times-News, https://www.timesnews.net
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