QUICK 5: CATCHING UP WITH DAVID RAMPY

 



David Rampy is at it again. During a year in which he planned to "slow down a bit" and not chase championship points, the Sportsman superstar's early season victories forced him to alter his plans and is currently leading the Comp national standings and is in second place in Super Stock. Additionally, his four victories to date this season increased his career total to 96 national event wins, making reaching the century mark this year a possibility.

CompetitionPlus Sportsman's J.T. Gonzalez caught up with Rampy to talk about his season, why he began the year not looking to compete for a title, and the possibility of reaching the century mark in career victories.

Q: You're currently leading in Comp and are second in Super Stock. How does it feel to have another successful season?

A: I did know that I'm leading Comp -- it's obvious we're doing real good in Comp -- but I wasn't aware where I was in Super Stock because I hadn't looked all year long. My theory has always been that if you win races, the points will take care of themselves. At 62 years old, it feels good to be able to go out and still win and be very competitive, so naturally it's a great feeling.

Q: Were your plans coming into the season to win the title in both classes?

A: To be honest, I was not going to run for points this year, but it just kind of worked out that I had to run for points. When we went to Gainesville, Fla., and won the points meet and the Gatornationals, then went to another points meet and won, I thought, "Well, we have to chase points now." That's what changed our mind on everything.

Q: If you're not racing for points, then why race?

A: That's pretty simple: Money. The points meet have their purpose, and if you enjoy racing, it's all good, but we were trying to slow down a bit, and my emphasis was going to be on running more national events than divisional races because the money is better at national events.

Q: In Atlanta, you came pretty close to winning in a sixth different class, in Super Street. How did that come about?

A: The reason I ran Super Street there is because my son, Chase, races a truck, and Comp was not being run there. So to have two chances to win, we carried the Super Street truck and ran it to try to win money.

Q: You're at 96 national even wins; is number 100 going to happen this year?

A: Well, I don't know. We already won four, and if you look back at everybody's track record, an excellent season is maybe six national event wins, so if you take that into consideration, I'd say the odds are not good.

But you just don't know. I plan on going to national events and doing my best to win four more races this year, and if the Good Lord blesses me and allows me to win them, then yes, but if not, then we're not going to do it.

Q: If you could pick the class in which you win No. 100, which class would it be?

A: I think if I reach 100 wins, No. 100 will come in Comp because that's where I've won the most of them, but to be honest, I really don't care in what class it happens, as long as we can do it. I have been very blessed to have won 96 races, and if I don’t ever get to 100, I've had a great career and have no reason to complain.

 

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