FORT BENNING, GA - Curtis Haney is following a dusty trail blazed by his father in the world of dirt track racing. Now, he's hoping to make a mark during his second season at East Alabama Motor Speedway.
The 25-year-old sergeant, who's assigned to Fort Benning's 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, appeared in six events this year in the Hobby Class at the 3/8-mile dirt track in Phenix City. Driving the No. 61 entry, he earned a fifth-place finish June 16 and a career-best second during an Extreme Power Sports Tuesday Night Thunder race two weeks later.
Haney said he plans to compete in the 35th annual National 100 next month - unless the Army calls him to duty in Iraq first. He's set to deploy with the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team but might not go with the main body. It will be his fourth deployment.
Nicknamed "Tater," Haney said he was a teenager growing up in Winder, Ga., when his dad introduced him to dirt track racing. Mark Haney also built the engine for his son's race car, a combination 1971 Chevelle frame with a 1981 Camaro body.
Last December, Haney re-enlisted in the Army and used some of the bonus money to completely overhaul his car, he said. The motor is worth $5,000, with the chassis valued at $10,000.
Haney wasn't a factor in this year's Hobby Class point standings due to his part-time status on the circuit. But working on the car gobbles up about 75 percent of his spare time.
He said it's all worthwhile when he gets behind the wheel.
"The feeling you get running around the track - it can't be explained," he said. "The adrenaline is pumping, you get tunnel vision in what you're doing ... It is a great sport and we need to get more fans. Most people are into NASCAR but the thing to remember is, 'Dirt is for racing; asphalt is for getting there.'"
Haney said funding and sponsorship is key to climbing the racing ladder. Occasionally, he'll win enough prize money to cover the entrance fee and fuel. But his tires cost $130 a piece.
"We put a lot of time and money into this sport, with little or no sponsor funding. I get some help from other racers. We are like a family out here," he said. "But I'm not there to make money. I'm in it for the fun."
Haney said he'd like to slide up to the modified division after the Iraq deployment but ultimately wants to drive in late model, the premier series at East Alabama Motor Speedway.
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