Are sportsmen of the year awards still handed out? If they are Leslie Lipscomb, a NASCAR Late model driver competing at Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield is a likely candidate.
In the world of racing everything is fast. Cars run fast, accidents happen fast and tempers flare fast. Last Saturday night, Lipscomb had a fast car and just as fast an accident happened.
Lipscomb was coming out of turn two when he collided with two cars stretched across the backstretch. He stood on the brakes and did his best to avoid them, but there was nowhere to go and no time to do it in or as they say he plain ran out of real estate.
Jim’s Towing hauled Lipscomb’s No. 83 into the infield pits and the attention of the crew. I believe the crew consisted of two, including the driver. The two brought a light out, pulled some trashcans over and started chopping away at the broken parts. There was no anger or “poor me”. It was just racing and in racing things happen fast.
Next week the NASCAR Late Models have a week off as the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Touring Series takes over the Mesa Marin ½-mile, but July 7th the Late Models are back and hopefully Lipscomb will have his car ready to return.
Mesa Marin Raceway is lucky indeed to have such a concentrated field of talented competitors. Its list of NASCAR Late Model drivers reads like a “who’s who”. Drivers include Craig Raudman, Brandon Miller, Kristi Schmitt, Mike Duncan, Sammy Potashnick, Dan Holtz, Brandon Whitt, Lance Wilson, Kevin Thompson, Jason and Kevin Small; the list goes on and on, including Lipscomb and if votes are still cast for the Sportsman of the year, this composed young man should join the others whose names are in the hat, he is definitely deserving of one.
