THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 21, 1996 TAG: 9604180187
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY JEFF ZEIGLER
LENGTH: Long : 103 lines
IT'S A FACT: Auto racing has grown in leaps and bounds the last few years.
Dale Earnhart, Ricky Rudd and Terry Labonte have become household names.
Corporate sponsors from Food Lion to Citgo have rushed to sponsor events and racing teams. Entire retail stores are dedicated to racing memorabilia and merchandise.
NASCAR public relations director Andy Hall says 31 Winston Cup events in 1995 drew 5.3 million fans, an average of more than 171,000 per race.
The Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis drew more than 300,000 people. Try cramming that many fans into a baseball stadium or basketball arena.
The TV audience for NASCAR racing was more than 100 million in 1995. Fans have made auto racing the largest spectator sport in the country.
It is in this climate that two local auto racers, who had successful seasons last year, are moving on to bigger and bigger things.
Tommy Cherry, owner of a trucking company in South Mills, and Chris Perry, general manager at Perry Auto Mall, finished first and second, respectively, in the points standings at East Carolina Speedway last year before the track closed because of financial difficulties.
The Robersonville oval will reopen this year, but Cherry and Perry are planning to race at bigger events.
Cherry has run one race at East Carolina this year and placed fifth in the late model sportsman division.
``I'm going to try to run a few at Langley and try to run around to some other tracks,'' Cherry said.
Perry, a graduate of Northeastern High School and College of The Albemarle, had his first experience at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway a few weeks ago. He qualified 24th out of 92 cars and finished fourth in a qualifier.
``The competition that shows up for those things is tough,'' Perry said. ``It was a really good experience to go against people who have been doing it for a number of years. We'll be getting experience every place we go.''
Perry, 31, said he's also hoping to take his solid red Chevy Camaro to Hickory, N.C., Hampton, Va., and Southern National in Kenly, N.C.
``I want to try to get more experience at different places and move around some,'' Perry said.
Racing is part of the heritage in both the Cherry and Perry families.
``I've been interested in it all my life,'' Cherry said. ``My father got me interested in it, and I've been doing it for 14 years.''
Added Perry: ``I've been around cars for my whole life. My family's been in it ever since auto racing has been around. My father did it and his father did it. It's in our blood more than anything else.
``I run with the number 43. It's been in my family since the early days of NASCAR racing. It was my grandfather's number.''
Both drivers got their start at Dixieland Speedway, a dirt track in South Mills.
``I started at Dixieland,'' Cherry said. ``But the cost to run dirt and what you can run with on asphalt, if you have a good sponsor, you can go other places.''
Perry began racing at Dixieland in his late teens and worked his way to the asphalt at East Carolina two years ago.
``I remember the first race at Dixieland,'' Perry said. ``The first time, we had a fifth place finish. I was nervous. I got out of the car and said, `Oh man, I'm glad that's over with.' You get more relaxed and comfortable. It gets easier every time you do it.''
Auto racing is a costly sport, even with Perry Auto Mall and other big names backing you. Both drivers said it costs in the neighborhood of $800 to $1,000 per week to get to the race. Tires, which need to be changed every race, run about $500 alone.
Cherry is sponsored by Weston's Truck Line in Chesapeake, which owns the 1992 burgundy rose Pontiac Firebird. Aerodyne Machine Shop in Chesapeake is also a major sponsor.
``The cost includes tires, fuel and fees to enter the race,'' Cherry said. ``I have between seven and 10 different crew members in the pit at one time, and the total crew in the shop is about 15.
``If it wasn't for the crew and sponsors, I couldn't make it happen. It's a teamwork deal - the driver is no good without the crew.''
Both drivers say they race for the thrill of the chase.
``With the series we run in, you take cars that are equal and everything is so close. The best part is knowing you can run better than they can,'' Perry said. ``Nobody can give it to you. You have to earn it, no matter how much money you put into it.''
``I like the competition and the speed,'' Cherry said. ``We're running somewhere around 100 to 110 mph down the straightaways. It feels good, especially when you have a good car sitting under you. You don't realize how fast you're going. It feels like a Sunday afternoon drive.''
As for the big time, the drivers keep watching their favorites and learning by doing.
``I pull for Dale Earnhart every week,'' Perry said. ``I think everybody thinks of the big time. We're just taking it one step at a time. We've got a lot more laps to run and a lot more experience we have to gain.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by DREW C. WILSON
Chris Perry came in 24th out of 92 cars and finished fourth in a
qualifier at the Martinsville (Va.) Speedway a few weeks ago.
Staff photo by DREW C. WILSON
When he's not out racing cars, Chris Perry is general manager of
Perry Auto Mall in Elizabeth City.
by CNB