ENTRY LEVEL IS WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT; JUST ASK THIS RACER
Wed, 2009-08-12 12:28
John Leslie Jr., from Munster, Ind., doesn’t have a problem racing in an entry level division in the NMRA. In fact, 
after
nine seasons of racing in the Factory Stock division, he’s admitted the
notion of moving up the ladder has crossed him mind.
He’ll move on when he’s ready.
He’ll only move on when he’s filled his resume with a few more accomplishments, namely a series championship.
“Everybody always asks me that year after year and I tell them after I make my first win I'll move up but now that I got my taste of the first win I want the championship,” Leslie explained. John Leslie Jr., from Munster, Ind., doesn’t have a problem racing in an entry level division in the NMRA. In fact,after
nine seasons of racing in the Factory Stock division, he’s admitted the
notion of moving up the ladder has crossed him mind.
He’ll move on when he’s ready.
He’ll only move on when he’s filled his resume with a few more accomplishments, namely a series championship.
“Everybody always asks me that year after year and I tell them after I make my first win I'll move up but now that I got my taste of the first win I want the championship,” Leslie explained.
He wants a championship to go along with his national event success. There’s a performance milestone he’d like to corral in while he’s at it.
“We've got another engine being built right now by Rich Groh of RGR engines and from what he says it's going to be one of the best if not be the best ever made,” Leslie beams. “We should have had it 2 races ago and I need a lot of money right now to pay it off. Once we get it in we're shooting to be one of the first 10-second cars in the class. The chassis is coming around really good. I think we have a good shot at doing it so we're hoping that we get it in the next 2 weeks.”
Okay, suppose he gets his championship, the ten-second run and the prestige, that still might not be enough inspiration to move on.
“I think if we win the championship we will stick around next year just to debut the engine and defend the championship,” Leslie laughs. “We've got a lot of stiff competition. Everybody in the class has been running great this year. Right now you've got your top 6 guys that are within a tenth of each other.”
Entry class it may be but there’s nothing novice about Factory Stock. The run-down of the class is simple. No power adders, no porting to the heads and the largest engine displacement is 311 inches.
Leslie laughs when he recalls what led him into Factory Stock. He was sitting in former Hot Street racer Andy Schmidt’s garage when he settled on the class.
“We were sitting in his garage one day flipping through the rule book and he goes ‘I'm gonna run a class" and he said I'm gonna run Hot Street. I was like what can I run and I said well I think I can afford factory stock,” recalled Leslie. “I haven't looked back since. This class has come a long way, a LONG way. When we first started you had to make the 16-car field and there would be 22, 23, or 24 cars in the class and it was great. Don't get me wrong, every year is great year, but back then with so many cars it was phenomenal. Nowadays it's gotten to the point where technology is so much better.”
How much better? Try on at least two seconds quicker for size. Don’t think for a moment that advancement hasn’t gotten his attention.
“If I had the money I would go to Renegade or Drag Radial but most likely we'll step it up to Pure Street,” he said.
after
nine seasons of racing in the Factory Stock division, he’s admitted the
notion of moving up the ladder has crossed him mind.He’ll move on when he’s ready.
He’ll only move on when he’s filled his resume with a few more accomplishments, namely a series championship.
“Everybody always asks me that year after year and I tell them after I make my first win I'll move up but now that I got my taste of the first win I want the championship,” Leslie explained. John Leslie Jr., from Munster, Ind., doesn’t have a problem racing in an entry level division in the NMRA. In fact,
after
nine seasons of racing in the Factory Stock division, he’s admitted the
notion of moving up the ladder has crossed him mind.He’ll move on when he’s ready.
He’ll only move on when he’s filled his resume with a few more accomplishments, namely a series championship.
“Everybody always asks me that year after year and I tell them after I make my first win I'll move up but now that I got my taste of the first win I want the championship,” Leslie explained.
He wants a championship to go along with his national event success. There’s a performance milestone he’d like to corral in while he’s at it.
“We've got another engine being built right now by Rich Groh of RGR engines and from what he says it's going to be one of the best if not be the best ever made,” Leslie beams. “We should have had it 2 races ago and I need a lot of money right now to pay it off. Once we get it in we're shooting to be one of the first 10-second cars in the class. The chassis is coming around really good. I think we have a good shot at doing it so we're hoping that we get it in the next 2 weeks.”
Okay, suppose he gets his championship, the ten-second run and the prestige, that still might not be enough inspiration to move on.
“I think if we win the championship we will stick around next year just to debut the engine and defend the championship,” Leslie laughs. “We've got a lot of stiff competition. Everybody in the class has been running great this year. Right now you've got your top 6 guys that are within a tenth of each other.”
Entry class it may be but there’s nothing novice about Factory Stock. The run-down of the class is simple. No power adders, no porting to the heads and the largest engine displacement is 311 inches.
Leslie laughs when he recalls what led him into Factory Stock. He was sitting in former Hot Street racer Andy Schmidt’s garage when he settled on the class.
“We were sitting in his garage one day flipping through the rule book and he goes ‘I'm gonna run a class" and he said I'm gonna run Hot Street. I was like what can I run and I said well I think I can afford factory stock,” recalled Leslie. “I haven't looked back since. This class has come a long way, a LONG way. When we first started you had to make the 16-car field and there would be 22, 23, or 24 cars in the class and it was great. Don't get me wrong, every year is great year, but back then with so many cars it was phenomenal. Nowadays it's gotten to the point where technology is so much better.”
How much better? Try on at least two seconds quicker for size. Don’t think for a moment that advancement hasn’t gotten his attention.
“If I had the money I would go to Renegade or Drag Radial but most likely we'll step it up to Pure Street,” he said.
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