The following article was in the Freeps today ...

http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/Sports/Motorsports/2008/07/05/6074121-sun.html

"A family affair at Delaware Speedway

Sat, July 5, 2008

DELAWARE -- The future is now at Delaware Speedway.

You need look no further than the No. 28 car in the Peterbilt super stock division, driven by 16-year-old Kris Lawrence.

It's the same '75 Pontiac Ventura his late father drove to three track championships.

Dave Lawrence, one of the most popular drivers in track history, died in June 2006 of heart failure during his sleep. He was 41.

The outpouring of emotion during a tribute to him a week later at the track was a testament to his popularity. The track honoured Lawrence with a 28-lap

feature in the super stocks that night, three laps more than usual.

"There is some pressure," Kris said last night of driving his dad's car, plus the added fact he's the youngest competitor at Delaware this season.

"There are a lot of memories. It's his car. Every time I'm in it I feel like I'm driving with him."

This is Kris's first year racing with the big boys, but he competes in the Junior Racing League Wednesday nights. That was always a real family affair,

with Dave, his wife Heather, Kris and Jordan, now 13, involved.

Kris, who turns 17 July 25, said Jordan already wants to get into a bigger car after watching older brother.

"He'll have to wait a bit yet," Kris said with a smile. The crew has set up the car so he can handle it, he said.

"As Vic Tebbit, one of our crew guys who's been around forever says, 'even a monkey can drive it.' I'm pretty much the hired monkey," he said.

But given his age and inexperience, "basically the first few weeks we started out to learn how to drive before we got into speed. It was a team decision. I

didn't want to be in peoples' way and cause a wreck. Stay out of trouble with it and keep it in one piece and learn from there."

Lawrence said he learned so much from watching and listening to his father. Dave Lawrence received the track's Spirit of Racing award in 2002, the first

year it was presented.

"I pride myself on my racing, on being a clean driver. As great a driver as dad was, he was a clean driver. I try to make a friend out of any driver. There's

no point in making enemies out here."

The super stocks staged their annual Showdown last night, with a $4,000 purse. Andrew Perkins of London took home the $1,000 winner's share.

The first segment of the showdown proved expensive for Stephen Richmond of Appin.

Richmond, who turned 17 on May 24, was involved in a two-car crash.

"I'm not sure what happened," said Richmond, sixth in points, who wasn't about to put the blame on anyone -- again a sign of the influence Dave

Lawrence had on young drivers.

"We used to hang out at their shop," Richmond said of his association with the Lawrence family and the race team. "Everyone is pretty respectful around

here. If you race them clean, they race you clean."

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Here's hopin' that the Free Press continues to cover racing at the Speedway (like the used to in the past).