At the 281 Speedway in Stephenville, Brandon Byars of Brownwood claimed the Track Championship on Saturday.
After winning 7 heat races and 5 feature races, Byars has accumulated enough points to secure the championship with his IMCA Dirt Modified race car. Byars (left), along with his sponsor Jimmy Trowbridge of Guardian EMS (right) are pictured above with the race car.
The races Byars participates in are typically on quarter mile dirt tracks that are bowl shaped raceways. The cars race at speeds of 95-100mph for 10-20 laps depending on whether it is a heat race or a feature race respectively. Byars stated that he competes against cars from across the state during these races and will compete again on the 29th at the 281 Speedway’s Speed Fest and then next month at the Ryan Bard Memorial Southern Challenge in Abilene against approximately 200 other cars. An awards presentation for the championship will be held in January.
These dirt modified race cars run on methanol and can do upwards of 80-100mph on the straight-aways during races.
Byars stated that he loves racing because it is a sport, but nothing like athletics, you have to be not only physically fit but mentally fit as well.
“This is still a sport, one that goes all the way to the pro level,” said Byars. “Racing takes a lot of concentration and skill.”
He explained that racing involves thinking outside of the box, “The key to winning is being innovative and doing something that defies the laws of physics.”
Byars encourages the public, especially young people to come and visit with him, view the car and learn a little about racing. He stated that racing was something that he could do, when he figured out that he was just average at sports.
“Kids that aren’t good at athletics can still be champions,” stated Byars. “I got to be a champion with the help of Guardian EMS.”
Byars explained that a starting race car can be purchased for a couple of thousand dollars and then when a driver is ready to get sponsors, the better cars can cost as much as $30,000. He said that is why there are car owners, car sponsors, and contributors in racing.
Brandon Byars is a 1993 graduate of Early High School and has been racing for ten years.
Pictured above, a back view of the car shows damage encountered during races.
