County Road 12: Racers ready for Alabama 200

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Montgomery, Alabama, is ready to race, and there are some faces to keep an eye on.

“Ah I like the smell of tires burning and the fuel going,” said Stan Narrison, the general manager of the Montgomery Motor Speedway.

“I actually get chills every time we crank the motor up,” said racer JoJo Wilkinson.

“I’m very excited, a little nervous too,” said racer Evan Shotko. “This is a new car. We wrecked the last one.”

It’s time for the 58th annual Alabama 200.

“It really is a racer’s track,” said Narrison.

The drivers come from all over. Shotko just rolled in from Michigan after a 14-hour trip. Racing is in his blood.

“My grandpa, my dad, my uncles, everybody raced. It’s all I know,” he explained.

One thing he’s not used too? Summer in March.

“Back at home it’s like 20 degrees,” Shotko explained. “So this is nice, but I’m standing here sweating.”

There are some racers from closer to home, like JoJo Wilkinson, a racer since age 9. Now she’s a senior at Hueytown High school near Birmingham.

“I’m actually on the varsity cheer squad.” She couldn’t recall known any other cheerleaders who also tear up the track.

This year she’ll be rolling in the 11 car with a brand new team.

“It’s tough being a female in this racing world. You just have to put your foot down and gain respect. It don’t matter if you’re a girl or a boy, or how old you are. Once you put on a helmet, they can’t see my hair. They don’t know I’m a female.”

Fast cars and $10,000 bucks up for grabs to the winner. One racer will join some impressive company.

“This race has been won by Richard Petty and the Allison brothers,” said Narrison.

The gates at the Montgomery Motor Speedway open at 4 pm Saturday. You can get tickets at the gate. Adults are $20, seniors and military $15, kids 6-12 are $5, and 5 and under get in free. There’s also a family section where you can watch if you don’t want to be around others drinking beer.

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