Racing A Dream

A NASCAR hopeful from Owasso is working hard to get to the top. News on 6 reporter Joshua Brakhage spent the day at the racetrack and reports Russ Dugger is hoping he is driving the road to success.

Saturday, August 25th 2007, 6:29 pm

By: News On 6

A NASCAR hopeful from Owasso is working hard to get to the top. News on 6 reporter Joshua Brakhage spent the day at the racetrack and reports Russ Dugger is hoping he is driving the road to success. Dugger has invested heavily in his dream. From his spare time and his spare change, Dugger is trying to take his racing career to the next level.

It is the same deafening roar, the same checkered flag, the same competition on a smaller scale in west Tulsa. Russ Dugger has been racing for six years, but says he is ready to take the next step.

"They demand so much perfection behind the wheel that if you don't start somewhere, you'll just be a failure right off the bat," says Russ Dugger.

Dugger did the NASCAR equivalent of audition for a North Carolina racing team. Now it is on his shoulders to become that charismatic celebrity, sponsors would want to throw their money behind. Attracting advertisers would mean punching his ticket from Tulsa to Talladega, Darlington and Bristol.

"I have been to those tracks as a spectator, seen 'em from the outside, seen 'em from the inside, and to even think that the possibility of being on the track in a truck or in an ARCA car is in fact a possibility is somewhat mind-blowing," says Russ Dugger.

Russ has his pit crew, but more important is his cheering section, including wife Shelly, son Dylan and big brother Russell who is already at home in the drivers' seat.

"Russell already talks about, when he sees cars go by, which one he's gonna drive when he gets bigger," says Shelly Dugger.

It is a long way from west Tulsa to Daytona, but Russ Dugger says it will be worth it if he can turn his hobby into a full time career.

"If anybody needs any inspirational device, anything's possible as long as you don't tell yourself that it's not," says Russ Dugger.

For now, the music education major who fired up his racing career in the Air Force says the sky is the limit but his sights are set on the finish line. Racing is not Russ' day job. Right now, Russ Dugger works at an auto parts store, but his goal is to make the jump to NASCAR's Craftsman Truck Series.

For more information about Russ Dugger Motorsports, click here.

Watch the video: Hoping For A NASCAR Ride