"MARK SIMS "A YOUNG GUN"

Their he is, a young raw talented driver that has all the makings of a driver that can go big time if he becomes more focused on his racing style instead of the many young adoring charming gals that love to watch him race his 22M Crate car around almost every track.

I have seen Mark Sims go from the Prue Mini class to the Modified Mini class and now has jumped to the Crate Class of racing. He was a winner in Pure Mini , I know, I have yet to see him win a in a Modified Mini unless he raced at another track. I try and document all the wins by doing all the filming at West Georgia Speedway located in Whitesburg, Georgia. And as for as his Crate races, at West Georgia Speedway he has yet to get a checked flag win.

Mark has the heart, but a driver needs more than a heart and a social hour, he needs to work on his car with a passion, he needs to quit listening to some drivers that plain out want him to turn the wrong screws, after all this is racing. I know many a driver that will tell you all day how to set up a car, but I also know some that will make sure your set up is wrong, maybe it is because they want to win and they have no intention of giving you any pointers to help beat them.
Let me tell you up front Mark Sims is a all American young driver, I know that his time is coming and the wins will come more and more, but as for now Mark needs to continue to race and learn and make the set ups of his car that he believes in and not something someone else told him. Every race track is different, the weather is alway different, the track changes, and the other drivers can always be a hassle.

Race cars are not cheap, and the last thing Mark needs is to really mess his car up in a crash. Sim's has talent, he reminds me of a young Darrell Waltrip Jr. , he has that bright look in his eye, he has a flair, he can show off some times but then again he needs all this to become a better driver.
One thing for sure is that Mark has the above mastered, he is a natural in front of a camera. But Mark needs to be as focused on his driving as he is his fans.
Winning races, is what will make him better, knowing set ups will make him better and having some good runs at the local tracks can always make his confidence grow.

I have seen some of the best dirt track drivers race, from Mike Head known as "The Headman" to Richard Bagby as well as Shane Clanton plus others like Lamar Haygood and Marty Massey. I have also seen asphalt drivers like "Hurricane" Mike Hillman. Rusty Clanton, plus Reed Sorenson and some great female drivers like Tina Johnson.
Everyone of these drivers, never gave away secrets, sure they were great when I needed a photograph for the magazine, but when they were on a race track they were focused.
The 22M car of Mark Sims will be in the winners circle soon, but I just hope I am around to see him win his first of many races in the Crate division to come. To do all this he will have to finish those big races, and beat drivers like other Crate car drivers like #K17 of Mark Knight or the #07 of Dewayne Aldridge, now if he can do this I will mark him up another notch as being on his way to the top.
So when you are at a local dirt track and you see the 22M of Mark Sims just remember that he has won races, in the lower divisions but now he just has to become more focused. Racing in pure mini, and modified mini is a different ballgame than Crate Cars. He is in a new league with drivers that take no prisoners.

story by : Tino Patti plus Photo's.