Racer USA - By: Jarrod Lehman

Posted Jody Shannon on December 14th, 2007 | Filed under Articles, Jarrod Lehman, The DRC

Welcome to the first edition of a new column. This is my first
‘official’ column although I have written numerous columns the past couple years substituting for my Dad, Doc Lehman, in RPM Racing News as well as in Area Auto Racing News. In other websites and racing  newspapers you will find a press release about my Dad ‘retiring’ from  motorsports (believe me, it was a hard decision and mostly motivated by my Mom, my brother and myself) due to his ongoing health issues and everything else he has been taking care of family-wise.

The decision came with lots of contemplating and soul-searching on his part but there is only so many hours in a day and after all the things he has went through the past five years or so, including major back  surgery and three heart attacks, he can no longer put that many hours in. In the last year and a half there’s been open-heart surgery and trips to what he calls the ‘crash house’ for additional work not to mention the nightmare health issues my sister has went through, plus the fact that he and Mom are helping to raise two of my four nephews, well, it’s a no-brainer.

Besides, he’s really done it all (see the press release for a small
portion of what he has done in racing) already and in my opinion has nothing to prove and I have no idea what else he can accomplish. It’s been a little over a week since the decision has been made and he has no immediate regrets as his priorities have been more focused on family and church these days.

Whatever remaining time the Good Lord will give him on this mud-ball called Earth he wants to spend as much time with Mom, the family and especially his four grandsons which is why he is seeking employment outside of racing that will only require 40 hours a week instead of 100–plus that has been the norm for many years.

You can take it to the bank, Dad has a long standing and true love of this sport and especially the people in it, he really does, but with what he has been through the past couple years (with no complaints from him!) if he had to choose between attending a race or going to church with my four nephews, he will choose church in a heart beat. But you can bet if he’s able, you’ll see him at some races. He will always be a fan and will always want to see his friends and acquaintances.

When Editor Dave Kittey of RPM Racing News and Lenny Sammons of Area Auto Racing News got word of Dad’s decision he very graciously offered me Dad’s space last weekend so next season you will see my scribblings in those pages weekly (at least until there are enough complaints to throw me out!).

I am the fourth generation of my family to be involved in motorsports and as you can imagine during the past quarter-century I’ve been here it’s been pretty much all racing all the time. I really enjoy dirt Late Model and Sprint Car racing and through Dad I have come to know dozens and dozens of drivers and promoters. As a race fan it has always been cool over the years to answer the phone and on the other end find
people like Scott Bloomquist, Carl Short, Earl Baltes, Larry Moore, Mark Richards, Jack Boggs, Mike Farr, Brad Doty, Kenny Jacobs, Donnie Moran, Mike Swims and so many others wanting to speak to the ‘Old Man’.

Dad put me to work with Lehman Motorsports Services several years ago and has trained me to write press releases and articles. Over the last ten years whenever we would go to a big race like the World 100 or DTWC, to cite just two, he’d send me out through the pits picking up tidbits and news items for his many columns. In 2002-2003 I was the public relations director at Wayne County Speedway, a track Dad started his motorsports career at in 1973 and promoted during the mid-1980’s. I
have access to all of Dad’s contacts and plan on hitting many races during

2008 to bring you additional coverage here and in RPM Racing News and Area Auto Racing News. I will also be conducting interviews at the tracks and offering commentary, which Dad has encouraged.

I will never do as good or comprehensive a job as Dad has done but will give it my best effort. Dad has told me to not do ‘his’ column, to find my own way and in fact he told me if I have to emulate anyone to take cues from columnists like Gordy Killian and Rich Berry. Apparently he thinks I’m as “opinionated” as my Mother! I am also not beholden to any press pass or ‘company line’ and will do my best to be as forthcoming and honest as I can in my evaluations of races and happenings within the industry.

At the very least it’s my hope to be able to enlighten and entertain
you.

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WRAP-UP:* We can be contacted at: P.O. Box 341, Smithville, OH 44677 or via email at: Dirtracersradio@yahoo.com. In the next edition we’ll have a new email address. On behalf of my entire family we want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! God bless!