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September 5, 2005
Section: sports
Edition: BRADENTON
Page: 2A
FAMILY BUSINESS
Scott Lockwood, Special to The Herald
BRADENTON --- Racing at DeSoto Speedway in Bradenton has always been a
tradition for the Best family.
It started with Jim Best, who began racing 40 years ago in Michigan. When he
came to Florida, he was one of the original racers in the Street Stock division when
the track opened. Along with his wife, Louise, they would bring their young children
Jimmie and Duane to the track. "When they were babies, they were coming to the
track," Jim Best said. "They just grew up around it, and they kept telling me that
they wanted to race when they were older. When they were old enough, I let them
in the car.
"I quit, they started racing, and they've been racing ever since."
Jimmie, 31, was the first to get his chance behind the wheel. He got his driver's
license at 16, then got his wish.
"Dad gave me his car to drive," Jimmie said. "He's the one that got me started, and
he's the one who paid the bills when we first started doing this."
Both Jimmie and Duane spent a lot of time when they were younger working on
their dad's race cars. For Jimmie, getting behind the wheel was an easy choice.
For Duane, 29, it took a little more convincing.
"For the longest time, I just worked on the cars," Duane said. "When I turned 15,
dad asked me if I wanted to drive, and I said 'Sure, I'll try it.' I wasn't sure I wanted
to, but I drove the car once, and I've been doing it ever since."
The Best brothers have experience in many of the different classes at DeSoto.
Jimmie began his driving career in the Mini Stock class and spent a few years in
the track's lower divisions.
He eventually got his chance at the top division at DeSoto, the Limited Late
Models. The car owner for Jimmie's late model ride was none other than his father,
Jim.
"We did pretty good in the late models," he said. "We tried to make it a success,
and we won a lot of races, but it just got too expensive."
After his stint in Late Models, Jimmie dropped down to the more cost-friendly Pure
Stock class. Driving for his father's team in 2003, he had his best year in racing,
taking the class championship by winning 13 feature races and failing to finish in
only two of his starts.
This season, he's piloting the No. 67 in the Street Stock division.
Duane's career has taken a similar path to Jimmie's. He has spent time in
numerous classes at DeSoto, and he even got a shot at driving his brother's Late
Model for a few races in 1997. This year, he is pulling double duty, driving the No.
67 in the Pure Stock division, and the No. 3 in the Street Stock division as a
teammate to Jimmie. Duane is leading the Pure Stock points chase and is tied for
the lead in the Street Stock division, while Jimmie sits in fourth.
One of the things about a family-run race team is everyone pitches in. Jimmie does
most of the chassis setups on the cars, while Jim and Duane put motors together
and do all of the engine work. A third brother, Shawn, 25, does the bodywork and
paints the race cars.
"My 8-year-old son Kyle even comes down and helps us each week," Duane said.
"All of our family . . . nieces, nephews, everyone comes down to help and
everything.
"It's just one big family deal for us."
* Steve Gill held off Steve Dorer to win the 100-lap Limited Late Model race
Saturday night at DeSoto Speedway.
Other winners included Joe Gagen (Cowboy Cadillac), Todd Freed Jr. (Mini
Stocks), Mark Nelson (Outlaw LM), Dale Reigle (OWM 35), Richard Shepherd
(Pure Stocks) and Casey Hall (Street Stocks).
* Results, standings, Page 7C
PHOTO/TED MASE/Special to the Herald
The Best boys, Jimmie, left, and Duane, right, have been racing for 15 and 13
years respectively with their dad Jim supporting them.
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