34racrs_wife
06-28-2007, 10:39 PM
From the Bureau County Journal:
Winning feature races gets
points leader’s heart pumping
PRINCETON — Princeton’s Eric “Spud” Balensiefen has been racing, off and on, for five years, since 1996, but has made the most of the chances he has had during that time. Balensiefen got his racing career started in 1996 when his brother Jaime got him involved. “My brother Jaime had been racing, and after high school, he and I raced for three years before I stopped racing, in 1998,” Balensiefen said. “I ended up giving the car to my nephew, Nathan, who has been doing very well, and then later decided to get back into a car.” In five years of racing, it would be a big understatement to say that Balensiefen has made the most of his opportunities on the race track.
Balensiefen has won some 20 or more feature races during that time and is looking for more. “I think it’s more than 20 features, but I can’t remember off the top of my head,” Balensiefen said. “Getting that feature race victory just really gets your blood pumping, and then to sit in front of the stands, where the fans are going crazy and your sponsors are happy, is a great feeling also.” This year has been no different as Balensiefen is currently the points leader in the street stock division at the Bureau County Speedway, but that doesn’t mean he’s satisfied.
“I am hanging on by the skin of my teeth at the moment,” Balensiefen said. “I think the lead is just eight points, and that just gets the blood flowing and makes you step on the gas a little harder.” Another one of Balensiefen’s happiest moments came during state finals at the Peoria Racetrack. “There was some 50-60 cars there set to qualify for this race,” Balensiefen said. “I ended up finishing in third place. I mean, to get third place in the state is a pretty awesome feeling to have. There were just some amazing drivers there.” Balensiefen also had one
amazing story to tell as far as his most unusual moment on the race track. “Someone had screwed up on the last lap of a race, and their car flipped over and up in the air,” Balensiefen said. “I had nowhere to go so I just stepped on the gas hard, and when he went up in the air I slipped right underneath him and got by before he came
back down.”
Balensiefen also talked about his nickname, as he is known around the track as “Spud.” “My old man gave me that nickname when I was a kid,” Balensiefen said. “Out of seven kids mine is the only nickname that stuck for
some reason.”
Winning feature races gets
points leader’s heart pumping
PRINCETON — Princeton’s Eric “Spud” Balensiefen has been racing, off and on, for five years, since 1996, but has made the most of the chances he has had during that time. Balensiefen got his racing career started in 1996 when his brother Jaime got him involved. “My brother Jaime had been racing, and after high school, he and I raced for three years before I stopped racing, in 1998,” Balensiefen said. “I ended up giving the car to my nephew, Nathan, who has been doing very well, and then later decided to get back into a car.” In five years of racing, it would be a big understatement to say that Balensiefen has made the most of his opportunities on the race track.
Balensiefen has won some 20 or more feature races during that time and is looking for more. “I think it’s more than 20 features, but I can’t remember off the top of my head,” Balensiefen said. “Getting that feature race victory just really gets your blood pumping, and then to sit in front of the stands, where the fans are going crazy and your sponsors are happy, is a great feeling also.” This year has been no different as Balensiefen is currently the points leader in the street stock division at the Bureau County Speedway, but that doesn’t mean he’s satisfied.
“I am hanging on by the skin of my teeth at the moment,” Balensiefen said. “I think the lead is just eight points, and that just gets the blood flowing and makes you step on the gas a little harder.” Another one of Balensiefen’s happiest moments came during state finals at the Peoria Racetrack. “There was some 50-60 cars there set to qualify for this race,” Balensiefen said. “I ended up finishing in third place. I mean, to get third place in the state is a pretty awesome feeling to have. There were just some amazing drivers there.” Balensiefen also had one
amazing story to tell as far as his most unusual moment on the race track. “Someone had screwed up on the last lap of a race, and their car flipped over and up in the air,” Balensiefen said. “I had nowhere to go so I just stepped on the gas hard, and when he went up in the air I slipped right underneath him and got by before he came
back down.”
Balensiefen also talked about his nickname, as he is known around the track as “Spud.” “My old man gave me that nickname when I was a kid,” Balensiefen said. “Out of seven kids mine is the only nickname that stuck for
some reason.”