Brock Oglesby
column by Norm Froscher
05/17/03
Brock Oglesby... Remember the name. You'll probably be seeing it,
and hearing it again in the weeks and months to come, even though he just turned
15.
No, he's not a Spelling Bee champion, although he's an A Student. And although he tips the scales at just over 100 pounds, he's not an up and coming Thoroughbred jockey.
Oglesby is a different type jockey, wrestling a 2,700 pound Super Late Model race car around the asphalt with the best of those twice and even three-times his age.
Still a year away from being able to get a drivers license, Oglesby has long had a license to race and the trophies to prove it.
A couple of years ago several young female friends had their moms dress them in the best finery, because they were planning to have their picture taken with Brock at the track, the start of a fan club.
Indeed, a rising racing star at age 12.
Why haven't you seen him lately?
A broken and then aggravated left arm injury earlier this year slowed his assault the past couple of months, but Oglesby stood fourth in the Florida Sunbelt Series standings and at that point was leading the rookie points in that state-wide touring Late Model competition at the time of his accident.
He just had the cast removed the afternoon of May 15th and hopes to have a practice race shortly.
One of Brocks favorite hobbies, other than Play-Station, is riding his four-wheeler, but that's unfortunately how he first broke his arm, in a spill. He then re-injured it trying to come back too soon.
Oglesby and his team hope hell be able to return in top shape in time for the traditional Powell Memorial Late Model race at Tim Christmans Ocala Speedway on June 6.
That's not up to his crew chief and car owning dad, but rather his doctor. He doesn't want to again make the mistake of coming back too soon.
No, Oglesbys not an overnight sensation, despite those young years.
He came up through the ranks under the tutelage of his dad Jeff, a sometimes racer and whose business, Oglesby Drywall of Ocala, is main sponsor on the No. 88 Chasin Dreams Monte Carlo.
Yeah, the 88 stands for Brocks birth year, while the Chasin Dreams stands for itself.
Oglesby started in go-karts at the young age of six. Then he moved to mini stocks where he won the championship at Ocala Speedway in 1999.
That was followed by an advance to the modifieds and for the past couple of years -- except interruption for that broken left arm -- to the Super Late Models.
OK, so he's back. What goals has this newly-turned 15-year-old?
Like many drivers, I love racing and I guess my goal is to be driving in the Busch Series within five years and then eventually move into Winston Cup.
I know that does not come without a lot of hard work and support and sponsorship, and my dad, who's been able to help me through his business, Oglesby Drywall. Were actively seeking additional sponsors, said Oglesby, who has already mastered the art of crediting and seeking backing during an interview.
Oglesby is home-schooled and one of the prerequisites of his racing is that he keeps up his grades, which he so far has done exceptionally well.
But what about the accident and possible fear factor and how does mom Shari see this venture?
The day after Dale Earnhardts fatal accident at Daytona, the Oglesbys ordered a custom-made (to his small size) HANS Device which he always wears.
As to my driving, one night I will never forget was the first night I was in an open wheel modified at Ocala. This other car got loose and turned me into the wall and I wound up upside down on the backstretch.
I will never forget that, but I know its a part of racing.
Other than that, I really haven't had an scariest incidents, but my Mom says shes had several.
She worries every time I'm on the track. I know that, but I really don't feel its all that dangerous and we have the very latest in safety equipment, such as that HANS Device.
Finally, how do a couple of his fellow competitors view this young up and comer? First, former United Stockcar Alliance champion Kevin Durden:
I first raced against him his first year in Late Models, but he's made a drastic improvement and is getting harder to race against every race.
I sure don't feel jittery racing against him. He's got good people behind him and they're trying to do whatever it takes for him to do good.
Late Model veteran Mike Franklin of Miami agrees: He's going to win a lot of races before he's through. Franklin says.
Norm Froscher’s columns will appear from
time-to-time on FloridaAutoRacing.com.
A free-lance magazine writer, Norm Froscher is in his 50th year writing, having began as a newspaper sports writer upon graduation from the University of Florida in 1953.
Through the years, Froscher, as a writer and editor, has been honored with the Ray Marquette Memorial Award, the Bloys Britt Memorial Writing Award (both for motorsports writing excellence), the NHRA media award, and a winner of national annual press competitions in both auto racing and thoroughbred horse racing.
The media center at Gainesville Raceway is named in his honor. He's past president of the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Assn, and the Florida Sports Writers Assn.
|
|
Most recently, last month he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Driver of the Year Foundation and presented a $2,000 Maurice LeCroix Swiss wristwatch by 12-time NHRA drag racing champion John Force and Barry Schmoyer, Driver of the Year president (see photo).
Froscher joins Chris Economaki as the only two racing journalists to be so honored at this time.
Froscher’s latest honor was having one of his earlier stories included in the new book “Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul”.
