One-on-one question and answer interview

Story and questions © Dwight Drum
Photos © Dwight Drum
Web work by Gary Larsen

ARCA Spotlight

"Insanity. We have a burning desire to hold on to the little kid in us."

Place: Daytona International Speedway
Time: 2005 Pre-season

"If I can just keep one kid out of trouble and get them to love what I do as much as I love what I do…what else is there? "

Andy Belmont seems to know nothing about timidity. Not in his words. Not with his deeds. We all have a few phobias lurking, but many will agree it's always how we grapple with our fears that separates the brave from others. Belmont has to have known a few fears on the racetrack over his decades of speed, or maybe he doesn't. How does he keep showing up for the next fast lap weekend after weekend? How too does he answer media questions with such smooth honesty? It's seems to be a mix of fearless actions and an earnest desire to communicate the fire of driving.

We met with Belmont at Daytona International Speedway during an ARCA December practice on a recently completed track patch that was necessary to construct a huge new tunnel. The infield was in advanced stages of reconstruction. That finished product will be awesome in February when ARCA racers like Belmont return for laps that count. We plan to bring you much about that, but for now we bring you racing words that count too.

We don't propose to know all that Belmont knows, but we're proud to bring you what Belmont says.

Dwight asked Andy Belmont:

"Insanity. You want one-word answers? I just think we have a burning desire to hold on to the little kid in us who won the trike races at home on the sidewalk, you know?"

"Communication. Not necessarily the best people but good people. You don't have to have the most talented people. You have to have people who are willing to work together, and don't have egos so big that if they don't know something that they can't go by somebody and get the right answer."

"I spend way too much time away from my kids. That's the bottom-line. When it's all said and done at the end of the day, I love what I do, but it's too much time away from the kids."

"That is a very difficult question. In 1980 a drunk driver killed my brother. The day after that we went to Nazareth where I was the track champion and won the heat, the held-over feature and the regular feature. That was probably the biggest moment to this moment in time. I've done a lot of great things in racing. I've had the ability to race with Richard Petty in 1992 and it was the farewell tour and he hadn't won a race in eight years but that was Richard Petty, you know what I mean. My first race in 89, Earnhardt ran over my front fender because he was going past me and I was in his way. I've raced with Harry Gant. I've had some really great things happen in my life, winning everything there was to win but the day my brother got killed that brought the family together, one time once and for all. He worked on the cars and all and dad just said, he wouldn't want us staying home and licking our wounds cause he ain't here. We need to go to the races. W e did and we whacked everybody's ass. That was a pretty big deal."

"Sex! (Laughter) Really and truly my interests outside this racing are racing with my kids. All three of my boys are running quarter midgets. Nothing in racing that I've done - nothing - feels like when my boy won his first feature. When my oldest son won his first feature. Words can't even describe it. I cried. There's nothing you can do better as a father. He's a student of the game. All three of them especially the oldest two, if they don't win they're pissed. They've got the fire in them. Seeing them win is…you know when you can teach a 10 year old to do the inside-out move on dirt and they go do it…that's something to see. To me that's a thing of beauty. It's all about the kids."

"Intense. Insane. Irresponsible."

"I've been doing it for a long time and I guess what I've have to say, Dwight, in all honesty if there is ever a little kid who reads any of this stuff that goes out there…all I can say is don't be afraid to follow your dreams. All I ever wanted to do was drive race cars, and I had the opportunity to go to some of the best colleges in the country to play baseball. I got an offer to try out for the Kansas City Royals and I don't regret any of it. Don't be afraid to follow your dream. Sometimes when you are chasing your dream, the road gets a lot of detours and land mines. If you have conviction to yourself, stick with it. I race cars for a living. What else is there? I'm not a five-time champion and I don't care. I race for a living and we live O.K. My kids have a good roof over their head and this is long answer to a short question, but if there is a bottom line it's why I help so many young kids. If I can just keep one kid out of trouble and get them to love what I do as much as I love what I do…what else is there?"

"Don't be afraid to follow your dream. Stick with it."

Editor's note: Belmont mentions kids reading stuff out there. We're pleased to report that Zoomster.com and Stripbike.com have it's words and images accessed by kids across the planet every day (about 20 % of our visitors) and that we support high standards that keep their access as clear and pure as we can. Our purpose from day one in 1999 was to bring motorsports reality without dirt unless that dirt was packed on a racetrack. We feel we haven't missed many right moves, or left turns or straight runs. We welcome those who would say that we've missed a mark or two on either Web site to report their suggestions. We strive. We listen. And, of course, we also support great guys like Andy Belmont.