Defending East Carolina Motor Speedway track champion Jeff Shiflett is having even more success in 2015 then he enjoyed last season when he picked up his first career track championship.
So far, Shiflett has scored two wins and has been a contender week in and week out at East Carolina Motor Speedway in Robersonville, North Carolina. Right now, he is setting his sights on successfully repeating as track champion after winning last season’s title despite not winning any races. He enters the August 8th races with a 22 point advantage over Thomas Burbage with Louis White four points behind Burbage.
“We had a bigger point lead but the rear end, the rockers broke in it and I only had one tire pulling so we didn’t finish as well as we needed to,” Shiflett, 46, said. “We’ve got all that stuff fixed and hopefully we’ll be back on track this week.”
Despite last season’s title being his first, winning races against competitors such as White, Burbage and Shelton McNair, among others, would make a 2015 track championship mean even more.
“It would mean more because we got more car count this year, we’ve got a lot more competitors,” Shiflett stated. “Louis White is a strong contender as is Burbage. Half the field you can normally throw a blanket. that’s how tight they are.”
The 46-year-old from Chesapeake, Virginia now lives in Mayock, North Carolina. He began racing at the age of 18, competing in mud bogs, however it was when his father-in-law purchased him an Oldsmobile and told him it would be his new racecar that Shiflett began racing at Dixieland Speedway. In 2004, Shiflett made the transition from dirt to asphalt and began racing Late Models at Langley Speedway where he had strong runs but never a victory.
“We won the first race we ever ran at East Carolina,” Shiflett remarked. “That’s what made us decide to go back to ECMS. We ran last year, won the championship but didn’t win any races. We had a lot of second place finishes. We knew the wins would come eventuially. They came this year. We’ve only got two but we’re hoping for more. Everybody wants to win. It’s not an easy task. Need luck, knowledge and a driver. If it was easy, everybody would be doing it.”
While Shiflett has a strong enough car to score victories at East Carolina, he says he is racing for the championship. He will certainly try to win races but he won’t take risks he does not to take.
“I’m racing for the points because I want to win the championship so I won’t try to take any chances but I still want to win some more,” Shiflett explained. “If I can get in the front and lead and not have any worries, that’s where I want to be. There, when you get out front, it’s hard for anybody to catch you or get around you. I chased Louis White and I tried to get by him. I race him clean and he races me clean. We’re not out there to tear up racecars. I could get under him but couldn’t clear him. Clean air does something. The race before, it was the same thing, I was ahead of him and he couldn’t get by me.”
Saturday night’s race at East Carolina Motor Speedway will be the first race at the track since 20-year-old competitor Haley Moody fractured her wrist in an accident. Shiflett says that the risk of injury is always in the back of his mind.
“Injuiries could happen to any of us,” Shiflett commented. “It’s always in the back of your mind. We go through our racecar every week. We go over everything, oil, wheel bearings. We do a tremendous amount of maintenance to make sure it doesn’t happen and it still can happen. The more you inspect, the most likely you won’t have any trouble.”
Shiflett has faith in his car to keep him safe on race days.
“The cars that we have now in Late Models are just as safe as the Cup cars probably,” Shiflett emphasized. “The roll cages are built just like the Cup cars. I wear a HANS device with an approved helmet. I’ve got the top notch safety stuff in the car. That’s stuff a wife will approve of.”
As it is with most racers, racing is a family activity. Shiflett comes to the races with his wife, Shelia. In fact, Shelia is his spotter.
“She’s a great spotter. She does a great job. If she can’t spot for me, I’m a little uneasy.”
Shiflett will continue his quest for his second consecutive track championship when East Carolina Motor Speedway’s 2015 season resumes on Saturday night, August 8th.
