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SAYBROOK, IL - The 2002 season has already been a success
for 20-year-old Blake Feese, and the rising star will add to his resume
this weekend by making his debut in a stock car. Feese, who regularly
races a World of Outlaws sprint car, will be behind the wheel of Kevin
Lang's asphault Late Model on Saturday night at Elko Speedway near Minneapolis.
"This will be a big challenge for me, but I'm really
looking forward to it," said Feese, who ran his first pavement races
earlier this year in a USAC sprint car. "Everything will be different
from what I'm use to. At least in the USAC deal, it was still a sprint
car. This weekend the car will be heavier. I'll have fenders, and I
guess the good thing is that I'll have a racing legend like Dick Trickle
there to help me with the learning curve."
Feese will spend Thursday testing with Trickle, who
worked his way to NASCAR's Winston Cup Series by running pavement Late
Models. The college sophomore will be watching Trickle in Friday's Windsor
Windows 250 NASCAR Re/Max Challenge Series race.
"I want to make it to NASCAR and getting experience
in a full body car is a step in the right direction," continued Feese.
"We've had some great success already this season with the sprint car,
and I hope that continues. I only see an upside to trying to get more
experience."
Feese is trying to follow other young hot-shoes from
open wheel cars to NASCAR. Kasey Kahne, who will run a limited NASCAR
Busch schedule this season, started in winged sprint cars on dirt before
competing with USAC. The two became friends and Feese is trying to get
as much experience as possible."
"Kasey drove a lot of different cars before he got
his NASCAR shot," said Feese. "I'm excited about this weekend and who
knows what will happen from here. Just being able to work with Dick
Trickle should help me tremendously. I just want to race, so my goal
is to make a solid first impression on Mr. Lang and everyone involved
with their team."
"Sure, I'd love to have a full-time ride with the World
of Outlaws and race all over the country with them. If that happens,
I'd go in that direction, but for now it's all about getting experience
and becoming a better racer."
Feese had planned on racing his family owned #1F Weld
Maxim at Knoxville Raceway on Saturday, but this opportunity just came
up this week. He'll return to the seat of a sprint car next weekend
either in Charlotte with the World of Outlaws or with the All-Star Circuit
of Champions at Eldora Speedway, where he won the All-Star feature on
April 6th.
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