Interview with John Allen (part 2)

Click here for part one of the interview.

Q: In 2006 you started driving for David Harrison. How much do you attribute your success in the last three years to him?

A: It’s been huge! David is one of the nicest persons you will ever meet. He has a great family who loves racing. His son Toby is a lot of help at the races and we really enjoy having him be a part of the team. David has a great perspective about things, and the way he treats people is incredible. He gave me the opportunity to really have good equipment and not worry about racing taking food away from my table. David has been a real blessing for the team. He lets me run the program likes it mine. We make decisions together and in three years, I don’t think we’ve ever had a cross word. He has the confidence in me that I will take care of thinks like it’s mine. He backs me on whatever decisions I might make when he’s not around.

Q: How much is David involved in the racing team?

A: He is real involved. I own the truck and trailer and he owns everything else. When a decision needs to be made, I always ask him what he thinks we should do. I rely on him a lot but ultimately he lets me decide what I think is best.

Q: Any chassis builder would love to have John Allen racing their cars. Why did you choose the Hughes chassis?

A: I drive Jason Hughes cars because they fit my style of driving. I’ve driven a lot of different chassis. There are a number of great chassis builders out there. I’m not driving a house car. We buy these just like his other customers. I really appreciate that when I need to bounce ideas off somebody, Jason is at the level where we can talk and I can learn something. Jason is a superman in the race car. He’s got more raw talent then anybody I know. We don’t talk that often, but when I need to communicate with someone about the race car, Jason is there for me. That means a lot to me. I help my customers in the same way when they have questions and want to bounce ideas off me.

Q: You showed me another roller that’s not a Hughes in your shop. Can you share with everyone one of the things planned for 2010?

A: We are putting together a car to run some of the big IMCA races in 2010. It’s a Big Dog chassis and a beautiful car. The engineering on it is really good and I’m looking forward to working with those guys. It’s a perfect fit since they are in the IMCA market and I felt that’s where we need to be. They needed someone to endorse their car and it’s a great opportunity for us. We haven’t run it yet and don’t know what to expect but the team is exited about the program. We might run only ten races so this is not anyway any competition between them and Hughes. We will not be sharing information between the two teams.

Q: Is there a chance we might finally see you at a Boone super nationals?

A: It might surprise some that I have never raced at the nationals. If things go like we planned, Boone might be on the 2010 schedule. Winning the super nationals at Boone is similar to winning Daytona in NASCAR. Kelly Shryock has won the USMTS championship nine times, and yet has never won the super nationals. It’s been said that if you’re going to go down in history as a top notch dirt track racer, you need to win the super nationals. I don’t really buy into that but it’s the biggest attended modified race every year.

Q: You're 40. How many more years would you like to race?

A: Quite a few. I think you got to be 40 to drive these cars. I feel that I’m as good now or better then I’ve ever been. I was racing a lot when I was 18 and 19 years old but also learning. During that time, I made a lot of bad decisions that caused crashes, but now more often I’m making the right one and going to the pay window each night. The only thing that would stop me from racing many more years would be maybe getting hurt or health problems.

Q: In the 2006 Stock Car Racing magazine interview, you commented that you would love to drive in the NASCAR truck series. Have you ever had a call from someone that might have given you an opportunity to race at a higher level?

A: No.

Q: Never?

A: A lot of that goes back to where we started out. If it didn’t make sense financially we didn’t do it. We had an opportunity to race at Indianapolis Raceway Park and get some TV coverage and do different things when I was younger. We weren’t in the position at the time and dad didn’t want to gamble on that. I think that’s the difference between me and some of the younger drivers coming up today. Yes, I was racing a lot when younger but there wasn’t the grand plan for me getting to NASCAR.

Q: If you were 21 and had the skills you now have at 40, do you think it would be different?

A: Oh, yeah! Times have changed. Today, there are more opportunities to race at the higher level. I race with guys now that would be very good at the higher levels. These guys are the toughest racers you’ll ever meet and could definitely get the job done. One example is Clint Bowyer. I raced against Clint and he’s a tremendous race car driver and you could see the potential there. His family did a lot of things to get him exposed in the right markets. They had a good plan and knew if they could get him to the right races, someone’s going to notice his ability in a race car. In their case, the plan worked and I’m so proud to have been able to race against someone who is now racing at that level. Clint is a nice young man and I think he’s going to be in NASCAR a long time. I can’t speak for his family, but when Clint comes home, I feel his family shows a lot of appreciations to the people that helped get him to where he is now

Q: In all your racing accomplishments, which one are you the proudest of?

A: It’s not really the races I’ve won. I feel it’s the networking we’ve done with the fans, other competitors and people across the county. It just makes me feel good that I have just a broad base of friends. When I’m through racing, I would like for people to look back and say John did a really good job of racing, and he did it right. He wasn’t the guy that would cheat or run over you just to get a win. I’ve always tried to race that way. There are going to be instances on the race track and things don’t work out like you think it’s going to. We’ve won a lot of races. When I’m retired from racing, I hope the fans, fellow competitors and others think I won them fair. If that’s there feeling, it would be my biggest accomplishment.

Q: Is there one big disappointment during your racing career?

A: That would have to be in 2007 season when we finished 3rd in the NASCAR weekly racing series. I had never been in a position to race for $160,000 championship. We lead the series all summer long. We won more races then anyone else, but they ran a handicap system based on points for how many cars started the “A” feature. I really thought that I was going to do something one of my hero’s Larry Phillips had done many times. We were close but it just didn’t work out.

Q: You have a great fan following. How important is that to you?

A: It’s big! I mean, because what good is all this if you can’t enjoy yourself and the people around you. When I was little, it was great when you got to talk to a race car driver. If one of them would just spend a little bit of time with me, I felt special. I try to take a little extra time with kids. I thank them and their parents for coming to the races. If we don’t have people in the grandstands, none of this could be possible. We have some of the greatest fans in sports, and I am very proud that some of them come to see me race and cheer when I’m in the lead at the checkered flag.

Q: When you’re not working or racing, what other activities do you enjoy?

A: Spend time with my wife and kids. I don’t hunt or play golf. We have a lot of pick up basketball games at our house with family, but the majority of my free time is spent with Dawn and the boys.

Q: What plans and goals has the team set for 2010?

A: We are still working on that. I will know more probably in the next week or so. We plan on running ten of the bigger IMCA events and maybe like I said before the super nationals.

Q: Is there a possibility that either one of your sons will keep the Allen racing tradition going?

A: I think so. The only thing that’s holding them back is me. I don’t have the time or resources to have them race go carts. The have done some testing in mini sprints and both of them did well. Were not in the position to do that now, but if we do something we will not do it halfway. We have talked about my dad running the mini sprint team and the boys driving, but we haven’t got anything put together yet.

Q: Would you like to make some last comments about anything?

A: There are some individuals that have helped me and made a difference on how things turned out. The first year David McGowen helped me with an engine. He didn’t do it because he thought I was going to be a champion. He just did it because he was friends with my dad and thought it would be fun. Van Gemmill taught me a lot about how to handle situations and get things done. Mike Clark was huge. That was the turning point for the whole racing program when we formed a partnership. The late Tom Spence from Weld X, used to own an IMCA car. When Tom decided to shut his team down, he threw in with us and was a big part in winning our second and third NCRA championship. David Lahey who was a great friend of mine and a successful Kansas racer that helped me out with a lot of different things. He would call me almost every day to talk about race cars. I really miss him and think about him a lot. Phil Harold from Hillsdale storage is a current sponsor and one of the biggest race fans your ever met. He goes all over the country to watch us race and I’m happy he’s part of our team. I have to thank my great race team. Greg Reed, Jeff Fehr, Kyle Day and Steven Lucke are here every night to make it happen. It’s their hard work and dedication that makes this team what it is today.

I would be amiss if I didn’t mention how gracious John was during my visit to his shop. When John finally hangs up his helmet, he will be remembered as one of the great dirt track racers from Kansas. I feel if John had his choice on what he would like to be remembered by, it might be that he was a racer who won with class and an ambassador to a sport that he was fortunate enough to be a part of for so many years.

Thanks John!

Visit John's website for schedules, pictures and more.

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