When David Rampy arrives at a dragstrip, he has nothing to prove.

The Piedmont, Ala., native has won 72 national sportsman event titles and six world championships – three each in the NHRA and IHRA.

Rampy, however, who has been competing since the 1970s almost had to go to the sidelines this year because of a lack of financial backing.

“What happened was is we thought we had to have some sponsorship deals and the problem was that we didn’t have anything to start the year with,” the 55-year-old Rampy said. “Finally, we got some deals put together and got everything so we could go racing. The main sponsors are Roger Brogdon at The Racers EDGE, and Lee Sharp at Sharp Motorsports. We also have a lot of smaller sponsors helping us.”

When David Rampy arrives at a dragstrip, he has nothing to prove.

The Piedmont, Ala., native has won 72 national sportsman event titles and six world championships – three each in the NHRA and IHRA.

Rampy, however, who has been competing since the 1970s almost had to go to the sidelines this year because of a lack of financial backing.

“What happened was is we thought we had to have some sponsorship deals and the problem was that we didn’t have anything to start the year with,” the 55-year-old Rampy said. “Finally, we got some deals put together and got everything so we could go racing. The main sponsors are Roger Brogdon at The Racers EDGE, and Lee Sharp at Sharp Motorsports. We also have a lot of smaller sponsors helping us.”

Rampy also is a believer in the “The Racers EDGE,” professional motorsports pain & performance chips product.

“It works, and honestly it really does help,” Rampy said.

The possibly of not racing in 2010 didn’t sit well with Rampy, but he was able to keep things in perspective.

“It wasn’t real pleasant (the thought of not racing again),” Rampy said. “It’s kind of like the ol’ saying I’ve always heard that nothing lasts forever. I guess the reality of it all would not have really hit me until I actually would have had to do it (not race). It never got to that point, but I was already feeling like I was missing it.”

Unlike most of his sportsman competitors, racing is how Rampy pays his bills.

“The job I had before I started racing fulltime was not what you would call the perfect job,” Rampy said. “It was a way to make a living, and I felt like there were more jobs out there just like that, if my racing deal fell through. It wasn’t that big of deal to me. Nowadays, that might be a different story if you quit your job because it’s hard to find a job. Back then, jobs were easy to find, and it wasn’t that big of a deal. As long as you were able to work and you were in good health, you could find a job back then, no problem.”

Rampy’s best attribute as a racer may be his versatility as he has won championships in almost every sportsman class.

“I guess my favorite class now is comp eliminator, no doubt, but I enjoyed all of them when I did them,” Rampy said.

Presently, Rampy is racing on the NHRA circuit in his 1932 Bantam roadster in comp eliminator. He also is driving a 1969 Camaro in the stock eliminator class.

Rampy admits his sportsman success was fueled by the friendship he developed with the late Don Young in the 1970s.

Young was considered one of the sport’s best bracket racers during the 70s and 80s. Young was a star IHRA driver before being killed in September of 1985 during a racing accident at the Fall Nationals at Bristol (Tenn.) International Dragway. He was 38.

“It’s crazy to realize that happened almost 25 years ago,” Rampy said. “It’s just amazing how time flies,” said Rampy, Young's protégé and traveling companion for nearly 10 seasons. “Any time something like that happens, it is a tragedy, no doubt. The fact I’m still racing 25 years later is the most amazing part to me.”

Rampy’s bond with Young first developed when Young, who was from Carrollton, Ga., just west of Atlanta, came to race at an event in Alabama years ago.

“The day we parked beside each other, and he offered to help me a little bit, I never dreamed it would have turned into what it turned into,” Rampy said.

Young captured consecutive Winston world championship titles in 1984 and 1985. During his final race, Young had just won a second-round race, but his front disc brakes appeared to lock at the finish line. Young's dragster veered sharply to the left, crossing behind his opponent, and slamming into the guardrail and support post. Officials said he was thrown from the vehicle and died instantly.

Rampy was watching from the starting line when his best friend suffered his tragic wreck.

“We had talked about something like that happening and it was weird that it happened,” Rampy said. “It would have been different if we had never talked about it. Naturally, when something like that happens, it’s definitely shocking, and it takes a little while to sink in. I know life isn’t fair and things happen and you do not understand why they happen. The hardest thing for me when Don was killed was that I felt like he was the guy who was always there when I had a problem or when things were not going good, he could always straighten me out. So, I just kind of felt lost when he died.”

Despite Young’s death, quitting racing was never an option for Rampy.

“I never even gave it any kind of thought, that I didn’t need to be racing anymore,” Rampy said. “This is what we had talked about, and now this has happened, and I’m supposed to go on and keep racing. I’ve never really been concerned about it. I’m a Christian and whenever it is my time, it’s my time and I don’t worry about it too much. I just go out here and race. I had a good teacher (Don Young), and I’ve always been fortunate enough to have good people around me. I’ve also always been really blessed to have good financial help from different people and different sponsors. I’m going to keep racing as long as I’m able and as long as we have sponsorships. I’m not a rich man, so when the money goes away, I’m done.”

Rampy was testing at Silver Dollar Dragway in Reynolds, Ga., Tuesday in preparation for the upcoming 30th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals Friday through Sunday in Commerce, Ga.

“I’m going to race Comp eliminator and stock eliminator and see what I can do,” Rampy said.

Which will likely be win in Rampy’s case.