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| Jim Hannon/TimesDaily
Mark Dowdy gets ready at North Alabama Speedway. Dowdy is a dirt track racer from Waterloo who is paralyzed. By Bryan App Staff Writer Published: Sunday, July 5, 2009 at 3:30 a.m. Last Modified: Saturday, July 4, 2009 at 10:50 p.m. Drifting around the turns of the dirt track, Mark Dowdy's No. 88D car looks no different than the others in the late model stock division. Not until closer inspection in the pits does the innovation become clear. At the end of the steering column sits an intricate wheel, like something out of an arcade video game, dotted with buttons and levers. One controls the gas, another the brake and to the left is the clutch. The hand controls are a product of more than a year's worth of designing and tinkering, and without them, Dowdy, who is paraplegic, likely never would have accomplished his goal of getting back out on the dirt track. The 39-year-old Waterloo resident had raced cars for more than 20 years before his life changed the foggy morning of May 13, 2008. Then living in northeast Indiana, he was riding his motorcycle to work when the rear tire locked up while going through a turn, sending him to the pavement. An oncoming pickup truck then ran over him as he lay on the ground. After spending two days on life support, Dowdy awoke in a Fort Wayne, Ind., hospital. The accident caused a T10 vertebral burst fracture, completely severing his spinal cord. Doctors gave him a one-percent chance of walking again. "For the first week or so, it was about as bad as it could be," Dowdy said. "You hear about the suicide rate among paraplegics being so high, and I can understand it. With the help of my girlfriend and my daughters, I got my spirits up a little better, and I thought, 'Well, if I can't walk again, they didn't say anything about me not racing again.' I've been racing my whole life, and I wasn't going to let this stop me." Still in the hospital, Dowdy began exploring his options. He heard about paralyzed drivers participating in time trial races without other cars on the track. They used hand controls similar to those typically used in passenger cars that allow a paraplegic to steer with one hand while operating the throttle and brake with the other. But Dowdy's brand of dirt track racing requires both hands on the wheel, and the one-time successful regional driver was determined to get back to that level. "When I got home from the hospital, the first thing I did was go out to my shop to start working on ideas to figure out how to run my racecar without using my legs," Dowdy said. His experience as a prototype fabricator was useful as he started working on a solution. And after returning to his hometown of Waterloo, a move that was planned before his accident, Dowdy got help from racing buddy Dennis "Sleepy" Brewer, who works at North Alabama Speedway in Tuscumbia, and Lynn Stanley, who after 47 years building racecars came out of retirement to put together Dowdy's engine. Lacking a model to follow, they embarked on a trial-and-error process, harvesting and assembling a hodgepodge of parts. "It was tedious, a real project," Sleepy said. "That's the fourth attempt right there, and that's the one that's worked the best." The steering wheel - oblong in shape with handles on each side, resembling one from an open-wheel Indy car - came from a Honda Odyssey all-terrain vehicle, a model from the 1980s that is no longer in production. Among the modifications to it are a throttle lever that Dowdy operates with his right thumb and a device on top that controls the brakes. Making it all possible are parts from ATVs, snowmobiles and industrial machinery. Sleepy even designed a hinge below the driver's side window that folds to allow six additional inches of space, making it easier for Dowdy to exit the car with assistance from his girlfriend, Shelly Smout. "It gets better and better each time we go out with the car," said Dowdy, who raced in May for the first time since his accident. "It's a combination of the feeling coming back to me and us getting used to the racecar. Dirt racing has a drive-by-the-seat-of-your-pants feel. When you don't have feeling in the seat of your pants, you've got to find other ways to feel. I'm developing that." Friday night at North Alabama Speedway, he finished fourth out of eight drivers in the late model stock division, the second-fastest in the program at the dirt track venue. Dowdy, who also competes at Thunderhill Speedway in Summertown, Tenn., has finished four of his five races in the car. While still adjusting to his car's more sensitive steering, necessitated by the shape of the steering wheel, Dowdy said he's getting the hang of his new technique. He credits Sleepy; Stanley; his daughters, Dena and Darci; and especially his girlfriend for helping him get this far. "Shelly is the backbone of all this," Dowdy said. "I've got the knowledge of what needs to be done to this racecar in my head, but a lot of these things I can't reach. We'll jack the car up in the shop, and if I can't get to it, I'll explain to her how to do it and she will do it. She sets the carburetor, she was checking the drive shaft the other day and she changes the gears every week. "You wouldn't know it by looking at her because she cleans up like the belle of the ball, but she gets in there and wrenches." Smout, who started dating Dowdy before his accident in 2006, supported his comeback from the beginning. "I was all for it," said Smout, who turned down a promising job opportunity in Arizona to care for Dowdy before moving with him to the Shoals. "At first, he kind of hemmed and hawed, 'I don't know if I can do this.' Of course, I'm like, 'No, you were doing this before. Just because you're paralyzed doesn't mean you can't do it again.' " Now, Dowdy is providing the inspiration, and he said he's been overwhelmed with the support he's received. From the track owners who have allowed him to race, to the competitors who have helped fix his car after an accident at the track, to an anonymous race fan who bought a $350 fuel cell replacement and another who donated $100 to his purse. He also draws interest from paralyzed, former drivers throughout the Southeast and Midwest. Florence resident and veteran racer Roger Brewer, no relation to Sleepy, was crushed under the tailgate of a hauler in April, resulting in a T12 fracture and leaving him paraplegic. On Friday, he attended his third race since leaving a rehabilitation center, visiting Dowdy in the pits. After learning of Dowdy's return to racing, he's determined to get back in a racecar himself. "Racing people are a different breed," Brewer said. "I've quit drinking, chasing women and all that mess. I can't quit racing, and I ain't going to quit racing. If I can ever get rid of this pain, I'll get back in (a racecar)." Some tell Dowdy he has already won just by making it back into his car, but he has a different definition of success. He wants to be judged like the drivers of those other cars that on the outside look just like his. "I don't want to just be the handicapped guy that's out there racing," Dowdy said. "I used to be a pretty good regional racer before this happened. I want to get back to that. It's going to take some time, it's going to take some help and some sponsorship. But this is a good way to start. We've got it started." Bryan App can be reached at 740-5730 or [email protected]. |
| Hello folks, Shelly here. Friday night, July 3rd found the Dowdy Racing Team at the North Alabama Speedway. It was a regular night of racing and it turned out to be a good night for us. Mark was very happy with the car after hot laps. The heat race saw us line up on the pole. (thanks to me for drawing a #1 for our start spot)!! Well on the initial start of the race Mark and the #56 of Perry Butler made contact and actually Mark jumped the start. So per the track rules, Mark and Perry were moved back a row. This time the start went well and Mark followed a safe line around the track, finishing 3rd. That started us on the inside of the 3rd row for the feature. The start was a clean one and There was a very good 5 car fight for the top spots. Well soon into the feature Mark seamed to back off some. We were not sure what the was reason. He did manage to gain a couple of positions and finish in the 4th spot. However we did notice he was not attcking the turns with his normal agression. After the 4th place finish Mark returned to the trailer. And thats when we found out... Mark had lost the brakes on the 3rd lap. A small investigation revealed that the bolt that holds the linear actuator to the brake pedal had came off!! So there fore when he squeezed the brake lever on the steering wheel, the actuator did indeed move. However it was not hooked to the brake pedal anymore!!
All in all it was a good night for team Dowdy. A top 5 finish and no damage to the car. We have not decided yet whether we will race at NAS next friday or not. The Lucas Oil Late Model Series will be at the track. And the pit passes are expected to climb to $35!! However we are planning on racing at Thunderhill Raceway for the next month, on Saturday nights... Come and see us at the track.... Shelly out! |
| North Alabama Speedway July 3, 2009 |
| July 8, 2009 |
| There is also a video that accompanies this article. Check it out on the link below. |
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| Mark hot lapping |
| Mark & #56 Butler starting the heat race |
| Coming in from our 4th place feature race |
| Hello race fans, Shelly here and I hope you all had a great weekend. Last Friday, July 10th found team 88D at the North Alabama Speedway. It was an exceptional night, as the Lucas Oil Dirt racing series was on hand for the night. These are the "Big Boys" of the sport, and if you haven�t been to one of their races I strongly suggest you go. It�s something to see. With the Lucas series there, it meant the grandstands and pits at NAS were PACKED. With the big full page story about Mark in the area Sunday paper; as well as all the talk on the area message boards and chat rooms.... we had the chance to meet MANY new fans. Mark shook a lot of hands and alsoreceived a lot of "attaboys". Some of the Lucas racers even came and met mark and looked at his creation. They were all impressed when they looked in the car and seen the steering wheel.
Well my streak of single digit draws came to an end. For those that don�t know. In our division of steel block Late Models, we draw for our starting spot in the heat race. I had previously drawn a #1 and #4. However Friday I drew a #61. That started us at the rear of our heat race. Dead last. However Mark got up on the wheel and gave us a 6th place finish. That would start us on the 6th row, inside. However when the feature was lined up Mark started 6th row, outside. When the green flag waived, Mark jumped to the outside to see if he could work his way to the front. However on the 2nd lap it was obvious to us that he was having problems. As he went into turn 3, did a complete 360 degree spin, and stayed on the gas!! He did not draw a caution, but did fall even farther back. Well soon enough a caution did waive for a car that left the track. That helped him out as it erased the deficit that Mark was in. After a LONG 20 lap feature, Mark ended up in the 8th spot. The last car left on the lead lap. It was clear all race long that he was struggling with the car as he never really found a rhythm. So it wasn't a great finish, however, it wasn�t a terrible one. The car is in one piece with some small slide job damage. We can have it ready to go by Wednesday. The next 3 weeks will find team #88D at the Thunder Hill Raceway on Saturday nights. On Aug 1st they are paying bonus money for our Steel Block Late Model division. Mark has decided to forgo Friday nights at NAS so that we can concentrate on the Hi banks of Thunder Hill. We have run good there every time we have went. So Mark, Sleepy & I are excited! I hope to see some of you out there. If you are, then stop by and say "hello". Shelly out... |
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| Back behind the wheel
Paralyzed Waterloo man returns to dirt track racing |
| July 5, 2009 |
| July 12, 2009 |
| North Alabama Speedway July 10, 2009 |
| July 18, 2009 |
| Thunder Hill Speedway July 18, 2009 |
| Hello race fans. Well the HOT temps in Alabama have finally calmed down. This weekend found us in the mid 80's by day and dipping into the 70's by night. Which are much more comfortable temps for racing. Speaking of racing, Team Dowdy decided not to race at North Alabama on Friday night, so that we can concentrate on getting a good set-up for Thunder Hill Speedway on Saturday nights. So last Saturday we loaded up and headed to "The Hill" in Summertown, Tn.
The night started real good and just got worse from there. I was back on my luck in the draw category. This week I got the team a 13. Which may sound high, but with the numbers ranging from 1-99 it could have been worse. Well after the draw was complete we ended up being the lowest number drawn. That would have put us on the pole of the first heat. However the track decided to qualify our division last night. So that meant we would be the first to qualify. After hot laps Mark was excited about the car. He told Sleepy he hadn't touched the breaks in the last few laps and it was obvious to us he was fast. Well then Mark qualified. After qualifying you are required to cross the scales and weigh the car. Our division is required to weigh a minimum of 2350 lbs. You can weigh as heavy as you want, but you can not weigh less than 2350 lbs. The #88D Warrior late model weighed in at 2320 lbs... That means instead of starting 6th (we qualified 6th fastest), we had to start dead last and add another 30 lbs of weight to the car! Then during a practice session for all Late models during intermission, Mark was sailing down the backstretch when a cloud of steam came from the car. Mark raised his hand and left the track. After getting back to the pit area it was determined that the water pump had come loose from the engine on one side. This has NEVER happened to Mark in over 20 years of racing!!! So this was fixed and Sleepy and Mark were faced with setting the car up for the feature and not having any time to work on the set-up all night long. We just hadn't kept up with the track... So they put on a set-up that they hoped would do the job. The field took the green for the feature with the 88D car at the rear. In the first 2 laps Mark passed the #69 car of Donald Estes. Then on the 3rd lap the #69 car slammed into Marks door. At first we thought "What the heck?" but after the 69 car slid into the infield we could see he had a totally blown left rear tire. This must have been why he slammed into Marks left side. Mark was able to continue on, but something was wrong with the car. He just was not running up to speed. So as the leaders caught up and lapped him, he then decided it was time to leave the track. After returning to the trailer, Mark and Sleepy checked things out and something is causing a very hard drag on the car. It just won�t roll easy and hardly pulls itself. The contact with the 69 car has caused some damage somewhere. We will find it in the shop this week. On a better note, Mark's cousin Matt Eagen, from Michigan, is in his first season racing Late Models, after racing a sportsman car for awhile. Matt earned his first Late model checkered flag last Friday at the Hartford Motor Speedway. A track Mark has had allot of success at in the past. Matt won the fast car Dash. Team Dowdy would like to say congratulations!! When ya win at Hartford you have won at a quality track. We are proud of Team Eagen to venture out and race and some good tracks in their area... Shelly out!! |
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| Having our after race chat |
| Looking for any damage |
| Sleepy & Mark adjusting the bars before the feature |
Left: Feature going into turn 3 Right: Mark out running the 69 car |
| Waving to fans after hot lapping |
Left: Getting ready to qualify Right: Johnny, Mark, & Dena before qualifying |
| Mark welding on the nose piece |
| Hello friends and race fans, we had an awesome night last Saturday. I should have known it was gonna be good. As soon as I went to sign in the team and draw for our heat race start. I signed in and drew a 2!! That�s right baby!! I'm BACK! I am 3 for 4 in my draws, and the team loves it. That draw put the #88D, Waterloo Market & Grille, D&R Hardware, the "Shed" Music Park, Tasca Ford Mustang on the pole of the first heat race. However the 3 big dogs at the track were all in the same heat. Mark said "well we'll see how we stack up".
So the Green flag flies and the #99 of Ryan King got the jump on Mark. However he fell in right behind him, and it looked for a minute he was settling into his rhythm. However on lap 3 Mark went off into turn one and got a bad push. So quick as lightning; the #77 of Wally Walls and the #17R of Brad skinner zipped by. So Mark fell in behind them and the 4 of them pulled away from the rest of the field. After our 4th place run Mark & Sleepy talked about the car. Ya see Mark made a call last week to old friend Larry Stevens of Union City, Mich. Larry gave mark a few set-up changes to make as he and his brother Linc have had a swing arm type car for years. Mark changed 3 springs and a couple of bar locations this week. He and Sleepy agreed the car is much better. Mark had wanted side bite all along. Now he has it. So now that the car is very tight into the track they decided to change the gear and pull more RPM. That will get the car off the corner much faster as long as you�re not spinning the tires. So our heat finish lined us up on the inside of the 4th row. The green flag flew and those guys took off like a pack of mad dogs after fresh meat. They only ran a couple laps and had 2 cars stacked up on the back stretch. A couple laps later Ryan King, #99 went sailing into the 3rd turn wall. His night was over. By then Mark was up to the 5th position. On the restart Mark went to work on the #127 and the #77 of Wally Walls. He had just passed them both in turn one when the 2 of them got together in turn 2. He got by that one just in time. During the restart Mark had the #88D in 3rd behind track point�s leader Brad skinner and track feature win leader Ben Davies. The 3 of them clicked off the final 10 lap�s nonstop and very quick I might say... So Team #88D placed 3rd in the feature and passed technical inspection. (They teach the top 3 cars). We are very pumped about the car after the changes Larry suggested. So now we put it all together and head to Thunder Hill again this Saturday. The Pay for our division is $2000. That is why we have been concentrating on the Hill. Gettin ready for the big money!! Be sure to check in next week and hopefully we will have more good news. Until then, If you ain't gettin dirty, you ain�t gettin it!! Shelly out... |
| Thunder Hill Speedway July 25, 2009 |
| July 28, 2009 |
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Mark out hot lapping |
Left: Mark & Dena chatting before hotlaps Right: Ready to RACE |