Her love of racing began with a childhood trip to a local racetrack, where the sights, sounds and smells were enough to put the racing fever in Jenny Lynn Parsons for a lifetime.
Now, over 40 years old, this dirt track racing fan is just as enthusiastic as ever, while following her favorite sport across several states.
“Dirt–track races are a place where you find inspiring stories, get some cool pictures and souvenirs, and meet some of the nicest people in the world,” Jenny says, adding “You must see it to believe it. If you haven’t witnessed the amazing spectacle that is dirt-track racing, you are in for a treat.”
The speed-way enthusiast says more women should become involved in the sport whether a fan or a driver.
Jenny got her first taste of dirt-track racing when she was a little girl.
The initial experience fueled a passion for a sport that could seemingly last forever.
“People probably think I’m crazy for being such an avid fan,” says Jenny, noting that she has taken her dedication to a new level during the past few years.
“There’s no place I’d rather be than at the dirt track.”
The woman spends practically every summer weekend at various dirt tracks in West Virginia and surrounding states. She knows many of the drivers by name.
“You should see her on race day,” explains her father, Russell Dale Parsons of Crab Orchard. “She is as passionate about dirt-track racing as anyone could be.”
And yes, she would love to get her hands on one of those dirt-track demons.
Yet she is realistic about her chances of ever driving in an actual race.
“It’s my dream,” she says, “but it’s a tough dream to fulfill. It takes a lot of skill to sit behind the wheel of one of those rumbling and grumbling machines, and the sport requires a lot of upfront cash that right now I don’t have. No doubt it would be daunting, terrifying, and intimidating. Still, I think I could do it.”
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Although Jenny has always loved race cars, it’s the thrill of the dirt-track environment that keeps her heart pounding like a Hemi piston. She describes her affections for her sport simply and matter-of-factly:
“I’m a girl who has a passion for dirt-track racing,” she says. “It started when I was a kid, going with my dad to Beckley Motor Speedway, and watching the races.
“Though just a youngster, I was excited while waiting anxiously for my father to come home on Fridays. I still remember those afternoons. And though I’m almost middle-aged, I’m still going and loving it. Being a fan, listening to the surging engines, watching the drivers, and taking in all the racing imagery—it all has become part of me.”
Jenny met her first race car driver when she was only nine years old.
“My father took me to ‘Smoking Joe’ Meadow’s garage. I was a little skittish, and I remember dad telling me to stay close because the pit crew was working on the vehicle.
“Joe was smiling and laughing while talking to us. I was quiet and shy, just looking around and taking everything in. Then Joe grinned at me and asked if I would like to sit in the blue and white Jack Williams’ sponsored super-late model parked nearby.
“I remember looking at Dad, who told me, ‘It’s OK, go ahead.’ I felt a huge smile creep across my face as Joe lifted me up and put me into the sleek machine. He even started it up. The engineshuddered and thundered with loud blasts and I could feel the sensations rushing through my body when I put my hand on the sheet metal frame.”
Jenny adds affectionately, “From that moment on I was hooked. I loved going to the garage, the pits, the race track, anywhere I could huff and puff the delicious scents of dirt-track racing.”
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Jenny continues to accompany her father to the race tracks on weekends from April through September and she still drops in occasionally to visit the pit crews. She keeps in touch with the drivers who, over the years, have become icons among regionaldirt track fans.
“Joe Meadows was a hard-charging, watchful, consistent and clean driver,” Jenny says of her idol. “Whether he was in the pits or somewhere else around the track, he was always talking, laughing, joking, and just being himself. He always took time out for his fans; he never minded chatting, signing autographs,or posing for pictures beside his racecar.
“He’ll always be the best driver and the most positive influence in my life.”
Jenny, meanwhile, continues to be a familiar face around the dirt-track circuit.
And no matter what dirt track vista she visits, she always finds the fast-paced attractions exhilarating and inspiring.
The die-hard diva of the pits describes her obsession for racing this way: “Some say it’s a way of life, and once you get the fumes and fragrances in your nostrils, you can never get themout. All I know is that I can hardly wait for the cold, dark winter months to disappear so I can get back to the sights, scents, andscenes of racing, whether it’s buying t-shirts, or taking snapshots for scrapbooks, or just collecting pieces of sheet metal from the tracks.”
And she has become attached to a new generation of dirt–track drivers who display many of the same aggressive yet clean driving habits of the past, including the same thoughtful presence and kindness of their predecessors.
At any rate, Jenny is never at a loss when it comes to describing her delights for racing.
“I am amazed when I consider all the aspects of the sport: the work, the time, the money, and the dedication that goes into creating a dirt–track, racing machine. Seeing a chassis turn into a racecar with an engine, tires, gas tank, and sheet metal body with its graphics and paint is an awesome experience.
“It’s a great sport to be around, and I’m forever grateful to my father for being there for me and allowing me to discover something that would become such an important part of my life.”
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Top o’ the morning!