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SUNNY Temp: 70 °F Wind: WNW at 5 mph Wednesday, July 9, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend April 18, 2003 At 61, Markey James is the oldest modified driver at Southern Oregon Speedway. He is hoping that a new car will take him to the top of the points standings. Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli Markey James joins Martin racing team Newer, more powerful car makes veteran driver a big threat in modified division By DON HUNT Mail Tribune John Skinner recalls a day in the late 1970s at the old Medford Speedway when he backed his race car off a trailer. Markey James, who Skinner had hired as a mechanic and set-up man a few weeks earlier, carefully watched. James then said, "That car isn’t set up right." "He could tell from the way it rolled down the trailer that something was wrong," says Skinner, a rookie driver in those days and now the promoter at the Southern Oregon Speedway. "I remember thinking, ‘I must have the best set-up man in the Rogue Valley.’" Advertisement Not to mention one of the best drivers. Despite operating on a limited budget and driving home-built cars, James claimed his share of victories at the defunct Medford track, and he’s enjoying similar success at the Southern Oregon Speedway in White City. It makes a stock car fan wonder what James would do if he got behind the wheel of a newer car with state-of-the-art equipment. Come Saturday at 6 p.m., when the speedway launches its 2003 season, local gear heads will find out. James has joined the Ron Martin Racing Team and will climb into the car that Brian Poppa drove last season: a 2001 Smiley Chassis. "This takes some pressure off me financially," says James, a retired heavy equipment operator who lives near Jacksonville. James, who at 61 is the oldest driver in the modified division, won a main event last season and finished fifth in the point standings. Martin is thrilled to have the veteran driver in his corner for the first time. "Markey has always impressed me with his knowledge of cars and his ability as a driver," Martin says. "He has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to setting up the cars. He’s probably forgotten more than half the guys out there know." Martin also likes James’ easygoing disposition. "He exemplifies the good things about racing," says Martin, who also sponsors cars driven by defending modified points champion Jon DeBenedetti and former points champ Tom Glover. "Markey’s attitude about racing is good for me, personally. He’s just so casual about everything." James’ laid-back personality belies his tenacity on the track. And he’s at his best when a dirt track turns dry and slippery, because those are the conditions that put a car’s set-up to the test. "I always say, ‘When a track goes dry, Markey goes to the front,’" Skinner says. "Under those conditions, it’s not about power, it’s about set-up and traction, and Markey knows all the secrets." James has already raced his new car at Yreka, Calif. He won his heat race and the trophy dash before a broken drive plate knocked him from the track prior to the main event. James, who’s been racing off and on for the better part of four decades, says he’ll keep going as long as he remains competitive. "I’m still getting a kick out of it, and I’m still young at heart," he says. Now that he’s well-equipped, the venerable James could be a threat for the modified points title. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times