BORN TO RACE

“How’s my car?” The question came from Tim Chrisman who had been unconscious for several days following a racing accident. Those words made an impression on his friend Keith Levell, a racer who had experienced life-threatening injuries in his racing days. Keith went home that night and put his feelings into words that I’ve taken the liberty to title “Born to Race.”

Tim Chrisman is a late model racer who lives in Richmond, Kentucky. Keith Levell, a resident of Jeffersonville, Indiana, is a track announcer at Bluegrass Speedway in Bardstown, Kentucky, home of the Dirt Track World Championship again this October.

Keith dedicates “Born to Race” to all race drivers, and especially to those who have raced again after experiencing life-threatening injuries.

Ron Singleton, LuvRacin.com, r.singleton@insightbb.com

BORN TO RACE

Some of us were just born to race,

To chase the thrill of victory,

Not to settle for second place.

To guide that horsepower with our hands,

To grab that steering wheel and put on a show

for the fans in the stands.

I have seen many drivers crash and burn,

Ignoring the dangers in every turn.

Not even thinking that each lap could be their last,

But concentrating more on the car ahead they are

Trying to pass.

Drivers come in all ages, shapes and sizes,

All vying for those elusive prizes—the trophy, the money, the bragging rights for the whole week.

That is the feeling we all seek.

I have broken bones and even been on fire.

My friends and my family ask, “for what good reason?”

I simply reply, like all racers,

“for the chance to carry that checkered flag just one more time,

and maybe have another championship season.”

Keith Levell

June 3, 2002