Story by: Rob Staley ~ [email protected]

Prospect Hill, NC(October 18, 2012) – It seems the new format for the Virginia Is for Racing Lovers 300 late model stock car race has spawned a rebirth of the little guy in the big race. No team epitomizes this more than the effort of driver Thomas Scott, trying to make the field for the first time.

“We are very low budget,” Thomas told me from his home in Prospect Hill, NC. “We use used engine parts from the top engine builders. I get used parts from the top from the top late model teams. My dad (former Ace modified champion Jerry Scott) builds our engines. I build my own suspension and my own shocks. I do my own setups with the help of a computer program. We truly are a do it yourself family race team.”

Scott’s team will purchase just one set of sticker tires for the weekend as he will use old tires he purchased from other drivers to practice with. With many of the big money teams using new tires to practice and thus establish a qualifying time, Scott will probably find himself mired deep in the field for his 25 lap heat race. If he can’t make the field with a top eight effort in his heat, he will have another chance to get in through a 50 lap last chance race.

“We’re going into this weekend with one goal, to have fun,” he stated. “If it only means I get 75 laps around the track and we don’t make the race, we still will have achieved our goal.”

As if trying to make the field for the biggest race of his life weren’t enough, Scott will make a three hour round trip to Orange County Speedway Saturday night to spot for limited driver Daryl Carver.

“He has the opportunity to win the championship in that division and I’ve played a huge part in setting up his car, spotting, and being a consultant,” Scott explained.

As for the new format, Scott feels it evens the playing field for a small team like his.

“I really feel like the new format allows someone like me the opportunity to race into the big race. In the past the big money teams could invest into running that fast time in order to qualify in. The new format gives me the opportunity to try to stay clean and put myself into a productive situation where I can get a transfer spot.

“I’ve dreamed about trying to run this race since I was old enough to have a NASCAR license,” Thomas concluded.
This weekend, against what many would consider significant odds, he gets his chance and sometimes that’s all one needs.