HERBERT'S NEW FOCUS
Top Fuel driver Doug Herbert’s two young sons, Jon and James,
were killed in a car crash down the street from the family’s home. In
at least 24 events, race fans offer their condolences to Herbert, which
is greatly appreciated from the veteran drag racer.
He’s taken the experience of losing his sons to bring awareness to
responsible teenage driving through their B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible
And Keep Everyone Safe) program. The program was created in January of
this year through the determination of Jon’s classmates at South Lake
Christian Academy.
Top Fuel driver Doug Herbert’s two young sons, Jon and James,
were killed in a car crash down the street from the family’s home. In
at least 24 events, race fans offer their condolences to Herbert, which
is greatly appreciated from the veteran drag racer.
He’s taken the experience of losing his sons to bring awareness to
responsible teenage driving through their B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible
And Keep Everyone Safe) program. The program was created in January of
this year through the determination of Jon’s classmates at South Lake
Christian Academy.
“It's just building speed and building momentum,” Herbert said. “The
most important safety feature in a teenager's car is the teenager
themselves. They can make a big difference keeping them and their
friends safe by making good decisions and thinking about what's going
on and knowing what's in front of them, beside them, behind and what's
going on with the car. The driver is the most important thing. We have
a scholastic program now that should be available on our website any
day. We're also doing a defensive driving class that will start in
Charlotte.
“My friend Bob Lutz, he does the Mario Andretti and Jeff Gordon school,
he's doing a BRAKES charity defensive driving school that is going to
teach the kids. A teenager will come with a parent, that have to come
with a parent, will keep them together for a bit and then we'll split
them off. The teenagers will go off with the driving instructors. The
parents are a big part of this. The kids, before they turn 16 they
already know how to drive. They know how to drive from us and we have
to make sure we're a good example to them.”
Herbert admitted the experience has changed his outlook towards traveling the highways.
“I think I am a lot safer driver,” Herbert said. “I use cruise control
a lot. I set the cruise control at the speed limit. I am a lot more
aware. I try to pay attention more. The text messaging and being on the
phone, it’s a distraction. It's a cause for a lot of accidents. I was
surprised to learn that over 6000 kids every year, teenagers, die in
car accidents. It's the number one killer of our teenagers and its
something that we can actually do something to make a difference and
change.”
A NEW HOME TRACK? - For years, the
Lincolnton,NC.-based driver has called Bristol Dragway his home track.
The new Charlotte facility will challenge his devotion.
Herbert knows he’s got a tough decision to make in the near future.
“Well, at least the same guy owns both the tracks, so I'm not being a
slut here,” Herbert said, his voice cracking with laughter.
Herbert’s affection can be traced to 1992 when he won his first
national event. The sophomore driver defeated such names as Lori Johns,
Jack Ostrander and Brandon Bernstein’s current co-crewchief Kim LaHaie
in the final round.
The first experience was so pleasurable that Herbert added five consecutive victories in Bristol to compliment the first one.
“I guess it’s easy to love a track when you win there that much,” Herbert added.
Herbert said the most significant lesson he’s learned over the years is to understand what the race car is telling him.
“I think one of the best things you can have in the car is a driver
that knows what their doing; that knows how to win. There are a few of
them out here, Doug Kalitta does, Schumacher's gotten good, Dixon's
good. I mean, these guys have been racing a long time.
”They know. We come back and I tell them all the time, it broke a
valve spring or broke a push rod or broke a rocker. Usually I'll know
what happened. It dropped a cylinder, about a second and a half, picked
it back up, look at the computer and they say 'how do you know that?'
Well, I've been doing this for a pretty long time and that's how you
figure it out. I think I am a lot different as a driver and probably
just as an overall person since that time, too.”
His maturity level as a driver, Herbert says, is like night and day in comparison.
“I think back then it was just the thrill of being out here racing Top
Fuel,” Herbert said. “The only thrill really now is to win. Coming out
here and racing; it's fun. I'm out here with all my friends and being
out here with all the fans is fun, but winning is really the only thing
that keeps you motivated to keep on going.”
