CHARLESTON SPEEDWAY
MAY 17, 2008
Jim Cross, Sr is 69 years old ...he will be 70 in September....... He lives in Oakland, Illinois and has three children: Jim,jr, Shirley and Susan..
He considers Charleston as his hometrack and also his favorite track to run... He told me that he ran on opening night at Charleston back in 1964.....
Jim runs the #5c hornet... It is a Chevrolet..the engine is a 2200..
He said the reason for his number #5c.........said if or when he quits racing Jim,jr will only have to add a 2 to the number and it will be his car..
He told me he started racing when he was 16 years old and they only had one class and didn't really have a name for it... He said that they would time the cars and group them up according to their speed..
He has been racing in the hornet class for three years.... He said he started back up when his son started racing after being retired for twenty years..
The driver he most admires is his son Jim ,Jr
When asked who his toughest competitor was he told me just about all of them were....He said he is racing just to have fun..
He told me to be a good driver you need to have courage.... and you need to have patience.....and he said about 90% doesn't have patience....
HIs goal in life is to live to be 97...
I aksed Jim if there was anything in racing he felt needed changed....He said yes there was but would not elaborate.... He did say however that he feels the kids need to have their own division...
Racing Highlight for him is being able to race at 70 years old..
Jim likes to race the high groove on a dry slick track...dry and hard...
He is his Crew Chief..
His Crew consists of Jimmy, Cory Rennels, and Cory Woodyard
JIm said he wanted to give a special thanks out to his son and his family...
JIm... what a treat to get to meet and interview you........thanks so much....
cj