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Dirt Racin' With Dingus Griffin
Late Model Mark
PINSON, Ala. (September 4) - Time sure does fly by as of late, seems like it was just spring with rain winning all the battles. Just like that it is the big holiday weekend we call Labor day. This weekend edition of the Red Clay Report will focus on a young Late Model hotshot here in the South, Alabama's Dingus Griffin. Had the chance to talk to him just days after he finished second in the latest brawl at Talladega Short Track. Originally from Southside, now living in Alexandria, Alabama. Dingus makes his living repairing brakes and the air systems for the railroads of the Southeast. An occupation that has had it's ups and downs with the current economic climate.
Seeing his first race in 1978 at Talladega sparked his interest in racing. A few years later Dingus jumped into the Go-Kart wars the rage weekly at Talladega's high-banked dirt oval in the pits of the big track. He was 12 years young when he first raced the karts. He doesn't have an exact number of kart wins but he said it was a "bunch." From the karts he moved up to the big cars racing a Sportsman Late Model thru 2006. During that season he dove into the cash consuming Super Late Model division. In his second race with this high-dollar division in 2007, he got his first win at TST. Each year since he has grabbed wins at both Green Valley Speedway in Glencoe and Talladega. At this point in the 2009 season he has four wins including a big win May 30th at Talladega when the Southern Regional Racing Series rolled in. He bested a stout and large field that night with excellent "black ice" racing conditions.
Dingus admires Scott Bloomquist and what he has done in dirt racing, he would like to have a Bloomquist chassis but feels it would be a waste to spend that kind of money and not go on the road. Owning his own business and all that goes with it keeps him close to home. Griffin rates Talladega and Magnolia Motor Speedway in Mississippi as his two favorite tracks. Ohio's Eldora Speedway is one track that wants to race his Late Model before to long. His goal is not to move to any other division, just race Late Models. His current ride is a Master$bilt with JRI shocks. JRI is a shock manufacturer that has been in pavement racing and now tackling the dirt scene. His only full time crew is relative Paul Griffin, the other helpers pitch in when work allows.
Speaking about tires and other things, Dingus likes the fact that with a Late Model, he can go to dozens of tracks as the rules are all the same. Even though the cost of tires is high, he likes the open rule at TST as he believes that when the big series roll into town, he is not a step behind due to a restrictive rule on the rubber. Even with open tires he can get two to three weeks on a set of rears. As a former kart racer he is all to familiar with altered tires and feels that it is getting harder and harder to police the rules. Griffin points out that if you finish in the top five on a regular Saturday night show and don't beat the car up, it will pay for itself and have some left over. Average cost for a show with no damage, just regular wear and tear runs around $200 to $300 dollars when all is considered. Dingus builds his own engines, in fact he has done all of this on his own.
He says that Tim Busha is his toughest competition at TST. I would agree as Busha has been red-hot this year with 13 wins. Dingus when not winning is usually in second place driving his heart out trying to catch Busha. Most Saturday nights at TST has Griffin driving the wheels off his car on the very high side of the fast and racy track. He is on the gas just hanging the car out like a real pro. A very fun driver to watch who goes to the track to win and nothing more, a very serious driver who is not big on cuttin' up with fans and drivers. Griffin keeps his car extra clean and well prepared each time he unloads his car. When you go to the track for a race, you want to be entertained, Dingus will do just that! If you ever come down to the South, stop by Talladega Short Track and look for that clean number 49, he will light up the track!! Next stop will be a check on the bucket list as I will be going to Eldora Speedway for the World 100. Look for a special two part review in the next Red Clay Report, see y'all.
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