The roar of the engines, the cheer of the crowd and the spray of the dirt while stock cars tear around a 3/8th mile oval track in Wilsonville &045; that&8217;s Shelby County Speedway racing on a Saturday night.

The track gives race fans a chance to perhaps see NASCAR drivers of the future or at least an opportunity to see drivers who enjoy racing at that entry level where they are most accessible to the public.

Among those racing Saturday night was J.R. Brown of Calera, who drives a Pure Stock 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass.

&8220;I&8217;ve raced for two years. This is my home track, Shelby County Speedway,&8221; said Brown. &8220;We&8217;re still trying to get victory number one.&8221;

Brown, who finished second, said, &8220;I&8217;m still young, and I hope to run pure street the rest of the year &045; maybe next year move up to a Hobby or to a Super Street style division, and one day to get to the big boys with the late models.&8221;

He works as an auto teach for Express Tire and Auto Service Center in Alabaster.

Then there was Robert Lucas of Montevallo, who races in the Hobby class. He said he&8217;s been racing seven years, but he&8217;s happy where he&8217;s at.

&8220;This is enough,&8221; said Lucas, who cuts trees for a living.

Lucas wrecked with Jeremy Andrews.

There was also Mike Smith of Shelby, who races in the Hobby class. He said, &8220;I&8217;ve been racing since &8216;96, but I sat out a couple of years, and this is my first full year back in it.&8221; The Shelby County Highway Department employee said of racing, &8220;I like to do it on the side, but I&8217;d love to move up.&8221; Still, he said, &8220;If this is all I do, it&8217;s a dream I&8217;ve been doing.&8221;

William McKee of Jemison wrecked his 1991 Toyota Corolla in the Pure Pony Stock class. &8220;It just got loose from me, the tire blew out in (a) turn,&8221; he said. &8220;It just gave way.&8221; After taking a serious roll and damaging his vehicle, he was asked if he was discouraged? His answer, &8220;No, man &045;

we&8217;ll put it together and do it again. If not we&8217;ll come up with something else.&8221;

Dirt racing is not a men&8217;s only club. Also racing was Megan Barnett of Wilsonville, who is the track&8217;s youngest female driver.

The track, now in its 15th year of operation, is owned by James and Ethelene Ingram of Wilsonville.

James said he got into it &8220;fooling with dirt cars.&8221; He said crowds average 300 to 400 people and there are two races in five different classes.

One young fan at the track was the three week-old daughter of Angela and Jerry Jarvis of Dogwood. Lacie Savanna Jarvis was 19 days old Saturday night. Her dad, races in the Hobby Class.

According to Ginger Smith, who maintains the track&8217;s website, the results from Saturday night&8217;s races were as follows:

– Pure Pony: Steven Foster, first, Terry Reach, Mathew Vazquez, Dave Harbison, Barnett, Kevin Niece and McKee.

– Pure Stock: Larry Hatchett, first, Brown, Neal Mapes, Steve Kelley and David Hatchett.

– Hobby: Gary Ingram, first, of Wilsonville, Jarrod McGaha (J-Rod) of Wilsonville, Mike Smith of Wilsonville, Lucas and Andrews.

– Hogg: Wayne Spradlin of Vandiver, first, but disqualified for refusing tech inspection. Billy Joe Fields, first, and Sammy Thrash.

The track will hold a back to school special on Aug. 12

where prizes will be given away and children ages 9 and under will be admitted free.

General admission is $10, driver entry is $20 and pit passes are $20