KLMS '99' EVENT
May 5 and 6, 2006
Denny Eckrich is 33 years old and is married to Melissa... They live in Tiffin, Iowa..
Denny runs the #50 late model with a Barry Wright Chassi and a Grove Engine..
I asked him what the reason was behind his number.... He told me the number 50 had been in his family for thirtyfive years..
He considers West Liberty in Iowa his home track and his favorite track to run is Knoxville...
He started his racing career at age 15 in the Hobby Stock Division, then went to ProStock and then to the Late Model in 1992... He said he had to win two track championships before he would move to a different class...
I asked him what had inspired him to start racing and he told me he grew up around it... He said his father Larry Eckrich had won several races in the Winston Racing Series...
The driver he most admires is JEFF GORDON
He told me he felt to be a good driver it takes a good car and a good crew..
His goal in racing is to the WDRL title and also the Crown Jewel
When I asked him who his toughest competitor was he told me Brian "Birky" Birkhofer.. They are both from Iowa and have known each other since the age of sixteen... He said they have always been very competitive with each other......even in running foot races....
I asked him if there was anything in racing that he would like to see changed...he told me he would like to see larger purses..... said it is very hard to race full time anymore.... said you almost have to have a full time job and race too.....and that is really hard to do....
The racing Highlight that stands out for Denny is winning the Yankee Dirt Classic for $15,000 twice...and winning the WDRL title..
I asked whether he like racing the high groove or the low groove and he smiled and said "the faster one".
He does like racing on a dry slick track...
His Crew Chief is his brother Doug and his Team Members are his other brothers Dave and little brother Andy...
He told me that his little brother , age 22 is also racing a late model back home in Iowa at the home track..He said we would be hearing his name before long....
He wanted to give his sponsors a special thankyou and also his mom and dad and also Jason Wilkerson, Troy Bryant and Mike Schropp...
Thankyou Denny for the interview... You were a lot of fun to talk with.... I hope to run into you again and hopefully one day I will get an interview with that brother of yours...
cj
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