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by Camisha Miller

One-on-One with Sharon Symoens

How did Joe and you meet?

We met on a blind date. My cousin was going out with his best friend and she set us up. That was over 33 years ago. We’ve been married 30 years.

How many children do you have and do any of them race or help out?

We have two children. Our daughter April is married to Chris. They have a son, Chase, who will be 3 years old soon. April comes to the races when she can. She works at Six Flags Great America and works most weekends in the summer. When we told her that Joe was retiring she was sad. She had planned on bringing her son to the races this year. Our son Joel married Anne last May. Joel and Anne came to a number of races last year. Whenever Joel comes to the races, he always helps out. Joel actually raced the car one night when he was a teenager. Joe had gotten hurt and couldn’t race the rest of the year so he let Joel drive. But unfortunately Joel was involved in an incident and the front end of the car was broken.

What is your favorite racing moment and worse racing moment with Joe?

Of course any win is a favorite, even when it was a Heat race win. We were always a low budget team and paid for a good part of our expenses ourselves. If Joe wasn’t so frugal all of these years, he probably would have had to retire sooner. We also got some help from Art’s Town Tap in Waterford. He has been sponsoring Joe for the last twenty-eight years

I have to say that there were a couple of crashes that were bad. The one that stands out the most is the one from Dodge County where he hit the wall in turn 3. You could see it was a hard hit and a fire broke out. That is the one thing you fear most is a fire. It was put out quickly and Joe did not get burned but he did injure the nerves in his right shoulder and could not race the rest of the year.

How many races do you think you have attended in Joe’s entire career?

I have attended almost every race. There were a few that I couldn’t make because of work but over 30+ years that’s a lot of races.

What makes you a Diva?

If getting dirty at the track every week is considered a Dirt Diva, then I guess I’m one. I’ve spent most of my summer weekends getting dirty. I also work in a coal fired power plant so I usually get dirty during the week. My main wardrobe consists of blue jeans, t-shirt, flannel shirts, and work boots.

Joe is retiring this year after a long time in the sport- how are you dealing with that?

When I came home from work, Joe told me the doctor recommended that he quit racing. He asked my opinion and I said that he should follow the doctor’s advice. I really enjoy watching Joe race but you have to consider the consequences if he was in another incident. We will wait and see what happens. He raced for 33 years and to have to stop not because you want to but because you need to takes a little getting used to.

How was traveling with the IRA? Do you have a travel buddy per say?

I enjoyed traveling and going to the different tracks. It would have been nice if we would have had more time to do some sightseeing. We spent a lot of time in the truck.

My sister Sue use to come to most of the races with us. The last year or so she has been busy with her own grandchild. Her husband John has been on the pit crew for most of the years that Joe has been racing. When our kids were younger, we would pile them all into my sister’s station wagon and go to the races. After the kids were older, it would usually be me and Sue in the pits taking times and getting the line ups. When the pit crew help was short, we would pitch and help with whatever was needed like changing shocks, changing gears, fueling the car and even changing out the front end or the rear end.

What are your plans now that you will not be traveling as much with him retiring?

I’m thinking that our yard and garden will get a little more attention than it did in the past. We will probably catch a couple of NASCAR races and visit a few other places that we’ve been holding off of because of the race schedule. Also, I think my daughter may take advantage of us being home more on the weekends for babysitting. I would still like to see some IRA shows, but I’m not sure Joe would want to go without being able to race. He doesn’t make a good spectator.

What aspects of the racing do you think you will miss the most?

I will miss going to the different tracks and watching the races. After going for so many years, you get to know the different driving styles of the drivers and it’s interesting to watch them on the different tracks.

Your favorite race track?

I like Cedar Lake, especially when they had a 2 day show. The food is good and so is the racing.

Favorite racer besides Joe?

There are a couple of drivers that I like to see do well. I like Bill Wirth. Bob and Nancy Wirth are just nice people. I always hope Dave Uttech does well. I also enjoy watching Donny Goeden and Todd Daun.

I have watched Sharon support Joe for as long as I have been going to the sprint car races. She is truly an inspiration to all of the wives who support their husbands in the racing community and are not afraid to get “dirty “once in a while. Having both of them at the race track has always been a privilege and they will be MISSED!! I want to state that NO MATTER WHAT TYPE OF NIGHT THEY WOULD HAVE- THEY BOTH ALWAYS HELPED EVERYONE ELSE OUT AND TRULY ENJOYED EACH AND EVERY FAN THEY HAVE- let me remind you that those type of people now a days are hard to find!

I recently had the opportunity to visit Arts Town Tap with one of my family’s dear friends, Tom- who really got to know Art, and I must state the Tom is the world’s biggest “Smokin Joe” fan- with a close second being my step-daughter!! With that said, this interview is dedicated to Tom J

Joe & Sharon: as your life takes hold of a new chapter, we wish you all the best! “Smokin Joe” you have been involved in some of the best racing we have ever seen over the years, and THANK YOU both for being incredible people and God bless!

One-on-One with Nicole Fassbender

How did Lance and you meet?

It was on Labor Day in 2000. I was at the Rubicon Oasis which was a bar that Lance's brother Kent owned. I was just sitting there and he walked through the door and after awhile he came over and talked to me. We talked for a while and then he said to me, want to go see my race car and we have been together ever since.

How is it having four children, a husband that races two-three nights a week/weekend and having him the President of the MSA Board?

About the president thing I didn't agree with it at first because I thought it would affect his racing but it hasn't. The kids are a hand full, but racing is such a big part of their lives they get mad at me if I say I'm going without them, so they came along. Going racing is the easy part J

What do Lance and you do for fun- just you two?

Lance and I go to my mom's bar and do karaoke. I don't, but Lance sure can sing. I just listen and dance. It's so fun. Or we like to go out to eat and talk without the kids yelling mom or dad.

You’re best racing moment and worst moment with him in a race car?

The best moment was when Lance won the championship in 2005. I was so proud to be a part of that. The worse moment was when he ran a 410 sprint car down at Wilmot and hit the wall in turn 2 and didn't stop until he was in turn 3. It was the worse flip I had ever seen. But he was fine-thank God!

What makes you a Diva?

I don't think as myself as a diva. I just do what comes natural to me, and I enjoy everything I do. I am very much honored to be recognized as a Dirt Diva!

Favorite racer besides Lance?

"Only Dirt" My favorite race car driver would be Scotty Neitzel and Joey Saldana they are fast and fun to watch.

Do you think any of the children will race?

I do, but I don't know which one. Kristian likes racing but doesn't want to race. Noelle is quiet but if she gets on anything with wheels she is crazy. Jolene likes to hang out all the time with her daddy; she may be his crew chief??!! Lilly is too little yet to tell.

Do you want to ever race- will Lance let you try?

I would like to try it just to see what it would be like but I would never want to race. Lance has been saying that I can drive it on a practice day but it’s never happened. I think he's scared of what I might do. HA HA!!!!!!

Your favorite movie?

Wow there is so many, but I think my favorite movie is Beetlejuice.

Most embarrassing moment?

I really can't think of one thing. But I do know I get embarrassed when Lance talks about me when he gives speeches.

Lance and my family go way back- his father was an awesome racer that my dad and Uncle really enjoyed watching and Lance and my uncle a few times raced against “back in the day.” I could tell you numerous funny stories about Lance, but one that we still talk about today is that he used to come over to my parents house to play Nintendo “Crusin the World” and my sister and him used to battle all night against each other- I usually didn’t last too long in that game and anyone that knows my driving-knows why …LOL J My sister usually would win- but he ALWAYS wanted a rematch! When Lance met Niki-we were so excited for them- she is the PERFECT fit for him. I tell her all the time that I enjoy just watching her at the races with all of the kids- more than I like watching Lance race. She sits in the stands EVERY WEEK with her four children to support her husband and that really is something to watch! They both are such thoughtful people that have become highly respected in the racing community J

One-on-One with Mandy Pittman

Your father used to race- does he still?
Dad has not raced since the WOO show at Riverside in 2007. He is now "officially" a car owner. Tim Crawley drives the #88 sprinter around the mid-south with USCS and the national ASCS tour.

How did Daryn and you meet?
Daryn and I first met at Riverside Speedway aka "The Ditch" in the summer of 1997. Our trailers were parked side by side. Daryn rode on the four wheeler with my dad to the driver's meeting and asked, "how old is your daughter?" Dad responded, "WHY?" After the races we began talking and the rest is history!

You recently became a mother- how is it going with Daryn traveling, etc? Do you attend with her?
Being a mother is great! Taylor is 9 months old now and doing something new every day. It is truly amazing to see the world through the eyes of a child. Taylor and I attended all the races from May - Nov. Taylor does really well and usually falls asleep when the sprint cars are on the track.

What happened with Titan Racing?
When we returned from Australia last Jan. we were fired from the Titan ride. It was very hard for both of us especially me. We basically started the business and Reeve was like our family. It is no secret that our results in Australia were horrible, but to say we were shocked is an understatement. We did not end on bad terms because Reeve allowed our family to make a great living doing what we love for 4 years and we are very thankful for that opportunity. At the beginning of July a business opportunity presented itself and we bought all of the assets of Titan Racing. We have currently sold all of the racing equipment. We are still in contact with Reeve and remain friends.

Will Daryn's family own another WoO team someday and/or what are the future plans?
I do not think Daryn's parents will ever own another sprint car team. Daryn's family provided the stepping stone he needed to get to where he is today, and for that we will be forever grateful. They helped their child follow his dream - that is something that I truly hope Daryn and I can also do for Taylor.

We are driving for Jesse and Lorraine Keen in the #17 sprinter in 2010. We will travel to Florida to begin the season and then hit and miss All Star, WOO, and local shows. They are great car owners and we appreciate the opportunity to drive for them. As far as future WOO plans: Would we like to be back with the WOO, of course, if the right opportunity presented itself.

Do you miss traveling with the WoO Series?
Yes, I do miss traveling with the series. The non-stop traveling of being in a different city each day is just a life style that once you get use to ..you miss it when it’s gone, but I probably miss the friendships the most. People on the road become like family and when you are not around them ...you miss them. (You all know who you are!)

Your favorite win with Daryn?
We have been fortunate to win a handful of big races, but my favorite win would be the 2008 King's Royal. Daryn was having a low year and to pull off a win at the King's Royal was huge. Actually I think the Historical Big One was even bigger than that since we were a HUGE underdog and we had a flat tire on the last red flag. The boys put fix a flat in the tire and it held!! Some things are just meant to be!!

Your greatest win with your dad?
Short Track Nationals in 2000. The Short Track Nationals was his biggest race of the year and the race ended at 3:00am in the morning!!

Your favorite track food?
I love the pizza at Williams Grove!!

You are heavily involved in the business side of things with Daryn's racing- can you explain all that you do?
I was really a lot more involved when we were at Titan because I basically handled all the paperwork side of things for the team and Daryn. I do all the merchandise, PR, business paperwork, and any other thing that needs to be handled.

Your favorite race track?
It is hard to pick a favorite. I love driving into Eldora Speedway for the King's Royal when you can see motor homes and people everywhere. I love the racing at I-55 Pevely, MO because it is a small high banked track that if you blink you can gain or lose several spots. I love Chico, CA for the atmosphere. I love "The Grove" because the racing is so competitive and since it is our new hometown track!

What makes you a Diva?
Well, I looked up the word Diva and it says a woman with attitude and personality! Sounds like me! Everything I do... I do with all of my heart! I am an outspoken person and sometimes I find words coming out of my mouth before I have thought it through but that is just me!!

I have known Mandy & Daryn for a long time and both of them were great to me while I was traveling with the WoO Gumout Series and while I worked for the WoO Sprint Series. Mandy and I had shown off our modeling skills a few years ago and had to model some attire for the WoO Sprint Series. We had so much funJ the photos and commercials actually turned out- how could they not- she is beautiful, but we laughed and we recently reminisced about that fun time in Florida! There are a lot of reasons I really enjoy talking with Mandy but one of them that has always stood out to me is that she is extremely knowledgeable about “what it takes to race” and she truly has a passion for it!

One-on-One with Amy Clearwaters

How did Jerry and you meet?

Jerry and I actually met for the first time at Kelly’s Pub in Speedway. I was there with a friend who also was a driver and Jerry walked up to our table. I knew who he was, but pretended I didn’t, I didn’t want him to know! I had been around racing a long time, so I was familiar with him, but thought it was better if I acted like I didn’t know who he was, I didn’t want him to get a big head! J We started hanging out a couple weeks later and have been together ever since. We are getting married March 20^th!

How is it waking up everyday next to Jerry knowing it has been said he is one of the "greatest non-wing drivers of all time?"

At first it was kind of cool knowing what people thought about him from just being around the racing community. I mean, to me, he IS one of the greatest non-wing drivers of all time. If I said that to him he’d get humble and tell me that there are many better, but just look at what he has accomplished. It’s great because we can wake up and talk about racing or wake up and not talk racing all day. We both have an unbelievable drive to be the best so it works with us. But honestly, since our relationship has evolved, to me he is just Jerry. He is a wonderful man who goes out of his way for anyone and the best dad I have ever witnessed. And that’s the stuff that really matters most. To race fans he’s Jerry Coons Jr. Triple Crown Champion, to me he’s just Jerry, and to our son he will always be just Daddy. Cale will hopefully understand and respect what his dad has accomplished, but in his eyes, Jerry’s role of daddy will always be the most important. Whether Jerry wins, or doesn’t make the race, Cale gets a huge smile on his face after the race when he sees his dad!

How do you manage traveling, work, kids, etc?

That part can definitely be tough. I want to be at every single one of Jerry’s races. It’s what we do and it’s our life. Unfortunately, there are always going to be time conflicts in our lives. Our son is almost a year old and goes to 99% of the races I go to. He’s been going since his first race at a month and a half at Manzanita Speedway. He does great at the races and already enjoys it. I have the best job I could ever ask for, hands down. I work for the Lucas Oil Racing NHRA drag race team part time. The hours I work allow me to go to many of the races, not to mention they are flexible knowing how the racing industry works. Unfortunately, I don’t get to make it to all of them, however. We take our motorhome a lot which makes it easier to have our son and our dog at the track. Racing is such a family sport and Jerry and I love that it’s something we get to do and enjoy as a family.
Where do you see the sport of non-wing sprint car and midget racing headed in the next 3-5 years?

This is a hard question. We have all heard about car counts being low and attendance being low. I think the economy is playing a factor in this but hopefully, just like all economic factors, it’s cyclical and will turn up. I know costs are driving some people out, which is very unfortunate. As many people that bash USAC, I think it too will get better. It was in a bad place and I know actions are being taken to try to improve it. To me if you want the best non-wing spring car and midget drivers, you look to those that are running USAC, and hopefully they can build back some of their prestige, I mean, look at some of the drivers who have risen through the USAC ranks.

What is your favorite win with Jerry?

This is a tough one….There are a lot of special things about a lot of wins. One that sticks out to me is his first Silver Crown win ever. I wanted so badly for him to win a silver crown race and I knew he wanted it even more. Eldora is my favorite track and his win came at the 4 crown in 2007. He was quick time and started on the pole I believe. He led all 50 laps with Dave Darland on his tail. Anytime Dave Darland is in 2^nd in the Foxco silver crown car you can’t feel comfortable! That is by far the most nervous I have ever been at a race track. Not nervous about a wreck, but nervous something would go wrong. The 50 laps felt like it was 200 laps, it took forever. I have never been one to “freak out” but I did have to walk to the bathroom under a yellow just to try to calm myself down. I was very proud of him for that one for sure. He was on the fence running an amazing race. It was also great that my whole family was there to see him.

For some reason Las Vegas in the midget this year sticks out because it is the first time Cale was in a victory lane photo with his dad! He slept through the entire thing, including victory lane, but it was great knowing it was the first time he got to be there when his dad won. It was a tough race, I was also very nervous there because people were blowing right rears like crazy and a TON of people changed tires under a red but Jerry chose not to and was able to hold on for the win, he is so good at conserving tires it’s ridiculous.

Oh, one more, Richmond in the Sprint Car in 2008. We had just told his Sprint Car and Silver Crown teams we were expecting so that made it memorable in itself! And then Jerry and the Hoffman team went out there and absolutely spanked them on the pavement. People have said Jerry isn’t as good on the pavement but that night he showed everyone what he can do!

I know there are more, we go to SO MANY races together, and he has had some great wins. Anytime he wins and Cale is there it is special to me because I know its one more victory lane photo we will get to show Cale when he’s older.

Tell us something funny about Jerry that most of us would not know?

Oh gosh, if the normal race fan could see Jerry at home you would be appalled. He is literally the biggest goof ball you will ever meet. When it comes to our son, he can act sooo silly. Which I’m sure is the main reason Cale is such a daddy’s boy. They sing songs (which typically Jerry doesn’t know all the words) read books, talk racing (jerry talks, Cale listens), crawl around, play outside, go to the race shop, and all kinds of fun things. Jerry has no problem changing diapers (even dirty ones) making bottles and doing anything he needs to for Cale.

One funny story happened while I was pregnant. I told Jerry that the baby could hear and that he needed to start talking to him while he was in my belly. I literally had to lay there for 20 minutes while he gave our unborn child a lesson on stagger, what it does, and shocks and rebound and compression and what they make the car do. It was then I knew my kid doesn’t stand a chance; this racing thing is in his blood.

Your favorite racetrack to watch Jerry at?

Eldora. The evolution of his racing ability at Eldora gets better every single time we go there. When you watch a race you can tell who the best are instantly. The best can put their car on the fence on an incredibly fast race track. You can watch Dave Darland, Tracy Hines, and as he has proven, Jerry, run around that place in a way that would scare any of us to death. The Hoffman’s, particularly Richard have helped his ability so much there in a sprint car and when he is hooked up, he runs great there.

As far as the midget, Sun Prairie is my favorite. He just has that track figured out and anyone he races with there will tell you. He puts the car in places on that race track no one else can. He and the Wilke’s have definitely had something special there. I have seen him win numerous races there and it’s just a great facility and a great track for the fans and the drivers.

Do you have a favorite food at the track?

I wouldn’t say that I have a favorite. I am very accustomed to track food however! If a track has loaded nachos, I’m in. Jerry would definitely say PIZZA BURGERS at Eldora…I’m not into that, but I have no problems eating a good track burger on race nights!

What makes you a Diva?

Me? A Diva? I’m a diva in a different sense. I’m a Diva who is not afraid to get a little dirty at the track. I’m a diva who feels best pushing my kid in a stroller through the mud J. I’m a diva because I have what it takes to live a crazy life, on the road, following a man who races over 100 times a year!

I have had the opportunity to watch Jerry many times at several different race tracks including Sun Prairie which is one of my favorite places to go on Sunday in summer, and he always puts on a show (that is pretty much everywhere he goes)!!! One of the things that I enjoy about Amy is that she is just as humble as Jerry. When you talk with either of them after a race, if they had a bad night- you would never be able to tell-and that speaks volumes to me! I have enjoyed getting to know them both over the years. Amy certainly explained why she is a DIVA and I second that! I also enjoy watching my sister cheer Jerry on. She is one of his biggest fans and really it is fun to watch her bet at the races and take him and that usually means she wins! She and I agree that it is always great to visit both of them because they are very kind and both of them are always happy to see the fans!

Camisha Miller: camisha@highflyerspr.com

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