BECKI McKNELLY....#32................Illinois
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I love talking to this young mother....she is so full of spunk...
She has three adorable little boys that sit in the bleachers at CCS every friday and scream louder than anyone for their MOM!!!!!!

She truly loves racing... I admire her for her strength and courage to go out and race every weekend ....

When she is out on the track she always finds her boys in the audience and waves at them...

Oh yeah.... I'm a fan!!!!

DAILY CLAY COUNTY ADVOCATE_PRESS/JULY 16, 2003
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BECKI MCKNELLY....#32.
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BECKI McKNELLY HAS MOVED FROM SPECTATOR TO DRIVER
(The Daily Clay County Advocate-Press/July 16,2003)
by: Sheila Winchester....

American society is changing. Women are making their mark on history,showing men it isn't just their world....women belong too!
Becki McKnelly of Louisville is showing Clay County the racing sport is no different.
Becki has been racing cars on dirt tracks since 2001. She attended races and watched the drivers, eventually deciding to race for herself. She began by driving a borrowed Bomber in a couple of Powder Puff races, and enjoyed this so much, she got a car of her own.
The Hornet races in 2002 was Becki's next challenge. Her car was a pink Nissan 240SX graced with the #32. She has also raced a '91 Chevy Beretta.
Becki explained getting started in racing can be costly. She and her husband, Steve, buy the race cars used. The cars are stripped and taken to the "Anderson boys" of Clay City, where roll cages are installed. Becki and Steve do the remainder of the work.
Becki is a stay at home mom. She enjoys spending time with her sons - Dylan, age nine, Nicholas, age eight, and Blake, age two; gardening; and riding four-wheelers.
She, like many racers, "feel the need for speed". She thirsts for the speed , the excitement and showing men what women can do.
She feels her greatest challenge when racing is compteting against her father-in-law, Terry.
Her biggest challenge as a woman racer is showing the men they aren't going to "knock her around the track". Nevertheless, she has earned the title as "just one of the guys".
Becki's best racing finish was placing second in a feature race and winning three heat races.
Becki has competed at race tracks in Clay County, Mt. Vernon, and Brownstown, with the support of Wolfe Construction and Flora Lumber.
Becki's family also supports her love for racing. Her husband Steve is her crew chief, and her three boys are her biggest fans. "They love it!" she added.
Steve and Terry help Becki with the maintenance to her car in the race pits. "Really anyone you ask will help," she said. "We're all like a big family out here. We help anyone who needs it," she added
Steve also races in the Mechanic Race, having finished as high as second place. Terry , in the #57 car, participates in the Hornets Race.
Other racing members of her family include: Randy McNeely, #5M, Modifieds; Bert Phillips, #79, Bombers; and soon to be sister-in-law, Gina Nolen, #00 Hornets. Becki's parents have also raced cars.
Quite a bit of time and effort goes into the racing sport, especially when you're just getting started. Luckily, a perfect car, may be desired, but isn't required.
"If there isn't a lot torn up during the race, the car is parked until the next Friday night." Becki said. "Put in a little gas and race again."
Racing requirements include participants being 14 years of age or older, meeting the race car requirements at the track and wearing appropriate attire.
Becki says her personality changes on the track. " I'm the person trying to get to the front when I'm on the track," Becik said. "When I'm off the track, I'm the mother of three."
Becki's goal is raising her boys the best she can, but racing is still very much a part of her life.
When asked what she would be doing if not racing, she answered, "I'd being watching. I couldn't stay home."
Her most memorable moment in racing was when she won her first heat. Then, finishing second against all the men she raced against just added to the glory.
Racing has its down side too. Her most embarrassing moment occurred during a heat race. She was hit by another car, which knocked her car out of gear. The car was actually in fifth gear when she thought it was in third. The car "dogged down" and wouldn't go very fast. She left the track thinking her car was torn up.
"Knock on wood. I haven't been involved in any accidents," she said at the time of the interview. However, her car was totaled after a crash on June 27 at the Clay County Speedway, but she was not injured.
Becki will continue to race with a backup car from last year until her new car is finished.
Becki would like to take this opportunity to thank her family for all the help and support they have given her. She would also like to thank all the guys in the pits who helped her with her car, especially the night of her crash.
"I encourage people to visit the races, not just to watch me but to watch all the drivers. It's exciting!" she said. " I just thank everyone in the stands for their support. It's nice to know people are rooting for me".
Becki was fifth in the season point standings for the Hornet Division with 475 p

BECKI McKNEELY...#32
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BECKI IS FROM LOUISVILLE, ILLINOIS..
CLAY COUNTY SPEEDWAY IN FLORA IS HER HOME TRACK. SHE ALSO RACES AT MT. VERNON SPEEDWAY.

BECKI STARTED RACING IN 2001 IN A BOMBER POWEDER PUFF AT CLAY COUNTY. SHE STARTED RACING "JUST FOR THE THRILL".

THE PERSONAL THRILL OF RACING FOR BECKI IS THE EXCITEMENT, AND WATCHING HER BOYS CHEER HER ON.

HER GREATEST RACING THRILL WAS BEING ABLE TO FINISH A RACE IN FRONT OF THE #57.

BECKI IS PROUD OF BEING ABLE TO FINISH A RACE WITH ALL THESE MEN.

DALE EARNHARDT IS HER RACING HERO..

STEVE McKNEELY AND BERT PHILLIPS , CREW..DYLAN, NICHOLAS AND BLAKE ARE HER BIGGEST FANS.

QUOTE: "I WANT TO THANK STEVE, BURT, DAD AND MOM FOR ALL THEY HAVE DONE FOR ME."