Nathan Tupper is a name you might be familiar with around the track at Dinosaur Downs.
Many saw him racing on the July 1st long weekend, his wife cheering him on from the sidelines.
After a 20 year break from the racing world, Nathan, now 46, has decided to pick up where he left off, with one exception: he has chosen to race on dirt tracks instead of with the street stock classes as in the past.
Tupper first became interested in racing at the age of 20 because of his love for speed. It offered him a break from the pressures of work and he enjoyed the friendly on-track competition. Now, he is once again behind the wheel with his former crew chief wife, Heather, and has formed the Heathan Racing team.
Rebuilding his truck was a labour of love. The overhaul started with a 1988 Cutlass chassis, adding a 2007 Sierra truck body and installing a 350 Chevy motor.
Investing $12,000, it took Tupper and his pit crew, consisting of his brother-in-law, his eldest son and his wife, approximately two years from nose to tail to produce the lime green stock class truck.
The average cost per season is around $20,000. “It’s a very expensive sport. We are fortunate to have some great sponsors,” he said. “IMCA (International Motor Contests Association) helps to keep costs down with membership fees that are reasonable at $100 per year. IMCA also keeps the racing at a professional level.”
Last year Tupper finished 13th in Canada. He enjoys racing on the Drumheller track. “There’s a lot of pressure when racing in front of your hometown crowd,” he remarked, “but it just helps you go faster.”
The drivers look forward to the fans joining them in the pits after the races. Kids of all ages can ask questions, meet the drivers and take pictures up close with their favourite racer and the racers get close to their fans because, after all, fans are the reason they race.
You can see Nathan Tupper, along with other racers, on Saturday, September 10 at Dinosaur Downs Speedway, as they reach speeds of up to 120 mph on the dirt track fighting for the checkered flag.
