Media Contact: Megan Dupuy – woodhullracewaypr@gmail.com
For Immediate Release: August 10th, 2017
(Woodhull, NY) – For some drivers racing has been one of their favorite things, but they find themselves without a racecar. This driver gets to do what he loves but doesn’t actually own his car.
Darin Horton, pilots the No. 66 Crate Late Model weekly at Woodhull Raceway. Horton started racing about twenty years ago in an amateur class. The amateur class had cars similar to what we see as Hobby Stocks now.
After a while Horton got out of racing but came back into it in 2004- driving in the street stock division. After four years of street stocks, Horton got out of racing again but wound up back in a 4-Cylinder a couple years later. Now Horton wheels a crate late model.
What made you want to get into a Crate Late Model?
“Stan and Pam Krise asked me to drive for them and I said yes,” Horton responded.
Horton touched upon the fact that while driving the 4-Cylinder he learned a lot of “bad habits” that don’t help him in the crate late model.
“I thought driving the street stock would help me but when I got into the 4 cylinder I picked up habits I didn’t even realize I picked up until now. Mainly it was driving too far into the corner.”
Horton is not a complete stranger to Woodhull Raceway but this is his first full season competing. And just like many other drivers have said, the thing about Woodhull Raceway is “…slower is faster.”
“You let up right before the flag stand and as driver you see so much straightaway left you just want to go all the way to the corner,” Horton explained.
Horton has progressed immensely throughout the first half of the season. Billy Van Pelt, a veteran of racing at Woodhull, has helped Horton out tremendously. Along with that, the endless amount of practice and going to other tracks have helped Horton as well.
A few weeks ago, Horton and car owners headed to Little Valley for a race. The track is similar to Woodhull Raceway but doesn’t have the banking like Woodhull. Horton had never seen the track and didn’t until he drove out for the heat due to running late. Horton ended up twelfth out of nineteen cars that night. A great finish for not knowing the track well.
The crate late model division is small in numbers at Woodhull Raceway, but for Horton that has it’s advantages.
“It’s helped me this year. It helped me be able to learn the car more. But I wish there were more,” Horton said.
What gave you the drive to get back in the car after you got out of it each time?
“The need for speed, but mainly the adrenaline rush. It’s just amazing when you’re out there. Twenty laps don’t even seem that long when you’re out there,” Horton responded.
With the first half of the season coming to a close Horton has narrowed down his goals and has his eyes set on one thing.
“Well we’re going to try to put her in the winners circle. That’s the main one but also to keep on learning.”
If you look closely at Horton’s car you’ll see a little sticker next to the 66. It’s the sponsor logo from his dad’s car back when he used to race. It’s been on every single one of Horton’s cars along with his sons’ go-karts.
“I don’t even know what it is. It was on my dad’s car back in the late 60’s early 70’s. It was for a gas station that was where the Leader is now,” Horton expanded.
Horton has seen a great deal of improvement since the first race of the season. The purple and white No. 66 has had a great run thus far into the season. Hopefully within the next couple of weeks we can see Horton pull it in victory lane so he can mark off another check box on his team’s goals sheet.