FULL NAME:  Dylan Ray Harris

 

AGE:  16

 

YEARS RACING:  4 1/2 years

 

EDUCATION: sophomore at El Dorado High School

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My whole family has been involved in racing for over 25 years, so it was obvious that I was going to race.  It was only a matter of time.  I started in 2006 when I got a legend car for Christmas.  I was only 12 years old and had no racing experience whatsoever!  Unfortunately I could only run about half the season due to various car and motor troubles.  That first season made me a little unsure about my desire to race.  Between not finishing, bad finishes, crashing and motor problems I was not 100 percent sure that I wanted to do this racing thing! 

           Then came the 2007 season.  It was my first full racing season in the legend class. Unfortunately I missed the first few races; thankfully Keith Lieghty at Kustom Works was able to get our motor back together. Once I got the motor back, I was off the ground from there.  I had a few DNFs, and a few not so decent finishes, but all in all the season went pretty well.  I had a total of two local main event wins, one trophy dash and three heat races wins, 5 semi-pro wins and 5 young lions wins.  With an average of 20 cars racing the local tracks, I had my hands full racing against pros, semi-pros, masters and young lions.  Each win boosted my confidence and my excitement.  At times my excitement out weighed my driving ability and on the last night in Las Cruces, New Mexico, I jumped in a borrowed car due to clutch problems, to try and secure third place in the track standings.  I was driving one of my best races ever; I had come from dead last and passed 20 cars to take second place. On the last lap coming out of turn four, I spun out, causing a huge wreck, involving several cars. But through all that, I still managed to secure third place in the standings. What a fantastic season finally!!  Nevertheless, I was voted "Most Improved Driver" for the 2007 racing season by the Legends of the Southwest, Won the Young Lions National Championship, and the Young Lions Texas State Championship. Racing was in my blood for good!

            Most drivers go from go-karts to legends or other classes, but I have done just the opposite.  In the off-season I started racing go-karts to improve my reflexes and my smoothness behind the wheel of the legend.  I have won 5 out of 7 races in the FMKA go-kart series.  As for the 2008 season, it was by far the best season I have had in the legends cars. I won 15 out of 29 races at El Paso Speedway Park in the 2008 season, I also won all three track championships that I raced at (El Paso Speedway Park / Southern New Mexico Speedway / White Sands Speedway, NM). I won the Legends of the Southwest Championship (my local series), and I won the Texas State Pro Championship.

           I carried my success into the 2009 racing season, and won the 2009 Dirt Pro Division National Championship, the 2009 Texas State Pro Championship, and attended the 13th annual Receiver Legends Dirt Nationals in Stanley, North Carolina. There I qualified 2nd fastest of the pros, and continued on to win both the Nationals Race along with the Race of Champions in the Pro Division.