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March 22, 2006

Chasin' a Dream Racin' for a Livin'
Have you ever had a shot at your dream? Gotten so close to it that you could taste it? Believed in something so much it resonated throughout your heart and soul until the desire for that dream devoured you? If you answered yes then you must know what the driver wannabes on "Racin' for a Livin'" are going through right now! Fifty men and women will make the cut out of the thousands of drivers that applied for a chance at stardom. Only twelve will get a chance to show what they have got. I sat down with the creator of this amazing "Made for TV" racing reality show to find out what it is all about!

Jerry VanDenHul is a living-breathing example of the American dream. This is a guy that has tried this and done that. This 40-something former World of Outlaws driver now has a new dream, which is all about giving one driver a shot at a NASCAR Busch series ride. "Racin' for a Livin'" is sort of like "American Idol Goes NASCAR." Starting March 28th fifty drivers will be competing for a chance to be one of twelve drivers with a chance to chase that dream in a new reality TV series. No there won't be a NASCAR version of Simon Cowell making the decision of who the finalists will be, you the average racing fan will get to vote! These drivers come from the short tracks and road courses from all over this country and in some cases from all over the world. Every kind of racecar imaginable is represented. The only thing these drivers have in common is a shared dream, a shot at racing in NASCAR's Busch series.

"I broke my neck racing in the World of Outlaws", said Jerry VanDenHul. "I was one of the few crash test dummies that lived to talk about it. They said I couldn't race sprint cars any more but they didn't say anything about stock cars!" After a successful stint at the Buck Baker Driving School, the same route taken by NASCAR champions Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, VanDenHul was ready to give it a shot going after a Busch ride. "I was told we can't find a sponsor for a guy your age", remarked VanDenHul who was just 36 years young at the time. It wasn't long after that rejection that the idea for "Racin' for a Livin'" took over Jerry's life! "I couldn't do this without the help of my wife Theresa, she is supportive of me to following my dream to create this show".

But can you really take twelve drivers from varied backgrounds and turn them into a NASCAR Busch Series driver? The answer to that question is still pending, but isn't that an intriguing enough concept to get you to tune into the show? "I believe you are only as good as the people you surround yourself with", mentioned VanDenHul. Based on those criteria this show is a hit already before it even its network TV debut. Mike Joy, Harry Gant, Larry McReynolds, Jeff Hammond, AJ and Larry Foyt are some of the people convinced this show will be a hit! Taking the recruits through every aspect of what it means to be a NASCAR driver on and off the track, these experts will give the lucky twelve drivers the equivalent of two years of training before they win the ride! The winning driver will get a seven-race deal with quality Busch equipment. If they should happen to win a race they get promoted to a Cup ride.

"Our drivers come from all over. We had five of the World of Outlaws mean fifteen apply. Crewmen with major NASCAR Cup teams signed up, they have all this talent right under their noses but they don't do anything about it. This training program will give these drivers the kind of chance I wanted", said VanDenHul. Checking out the list of drivers at http://www.racinforalivin.com I was convinced that Jerry had an idea here that just can't fail! There are so many talented drivers on the local short tracks that just won't get the chance without something crazy like this happening for them. It takes money and lots of it to race competitively at any touring series that is likely to attract the attention of a NASCAR Busch team. But with "Racin' for a Livin'" some lucky driver will have their dream come true! Let's take a look at some of the drivers competing for this ride.

Everyone dreams of having that one shot at stardom. Most of us grow out of those dreams and settle for a more ho-hum life, but for some it is a hunger that won't be satiated as easily. The drivers competing at "Racin' for a Livin'" won't give up until they get a shot to show the world their talent. The training program and the National exposure will set the stage for them to shine. The lucky driver will have seven races to turn the heads of the NASCAR insiders and perhaps change their life forever. "The voting starts at 'High Noon' on March 28th, "remarked Jerry VanDenHul. "You betcha it is time to give one of these outsiders a chance." Check out http://www.racinforalivin.com for yourself and give one of these unknowns a shot at their dream!

Tomorrow: In-depth look at some of the contending drivers

illustration by Lori Munro/War-Wagon.com