By Doc Lehman

As a kid there was never any real doubt that Doug Drown would someday be a racecar driver. It's in the family and it's in the blood. For the Drown family, dirt racing has been a way of life and Doug Drown grew up in that life and never gave anything else much thought. He knew, as a young kid, that someday he would be racing on the dirt just like his father, Jeff, did and for the youngest of Jeff & Nicki Drown's three sons that is exactly what he did, starting in 1999, and he hasn't looked back.

Doug Drown, of Wooster, OH, was a 17-year-old high school student in 1999 when he first raced in a Limited Late Model at Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, OH. By then his father, Jeff, was out of the driver's seat and fielding cars for drivers like Tom Patton and Charlie Duncan. Jeff put his son in an old Bullitt Chassis and, despite missing several races early in the year, captured the track's Rookie of the Year honors in the Limited Late Model class and a top ten point finish.

That's all it took and when 2000 rolled around Doug Drown has quickly became a ‘super' Late Model driver.

In what started as a promising dirt Late Model career in the spring eventually became a full blown success story as a then-18 year old Doug Drown, a Triway (OH) High School senior, launched his career as a dirt Late Model racer and went on to win the coveted Wayne County Speedway Rookie of the Year title after finishing fifth in season points at the ultra-competitive race track in Orrville, OH. Drown also added an exclamation point to his rookie season by scoring his career first feature win on August 4 at Lakeville Speedway and coming away as a Co-Rookie of the Year at Lakeville Speedway along with Jason Flory.

"Man, I didn't know what to really say about winning the Rookie of the Year at Wayne County and Lakeville," stated a bashful Drown. "It was a goal that we set out to get and we did it. But to win it against some other good drivers, and to finish fifth in points at Wayne County against all those veteran drivers, it really feels good. We wanted to see if we could handle it, racing dirt Late Models, and I guess we proved we can."

And so he did. Drown's 2000 season saw him compete at four different racetracks in Ohio in 26 events. Out of the 26 events he scored one win, 17 top tens and nine top fives in his #12 Rocket Chassis. And besides his August 4 career first feature win at Lakeville Speedway, Drown came back the following week and established a new track record (16.904) at Lakeville, further enchancing his reputation as a keeper and future star of the sport.

While Drown made Wayne County Speedway and Lakeville Speedway his two main tracks during the 2000 season, he also ventured out and tested the waters at Muskingum County Speedway and Cannonball Speedway. Drown also entered his career first MACS Late Model and UDTRA/Hav-A-Tampa events during the 2000 season.

Drown's consistency also led to a fifth place finish in season points at Lakeville Speedway for 2000. "It was a pretty good year," understated Drown. "We not only met our goals but we exceeded them so we could carry that momentum into next year. I just wanted to make the top ten at Lakeville and I wasn't really expecting that at Wayne County Speedway. It was a real honor. It was a great feeling, especially being so young and new."

During 2001 "The Kid" experienced good times and bad times. During that season he totaled out his Rocket Chassis #12 and within days had one of Mark Richards' Rocket Chassis house cars in the Drown Racing shop. Despite losing a car and a motor, Drown scored two wins in 2001, including the lucrative first-leg of the TRIPLE CROWN SERIES race at Lakeville Speedway. The unsanctioned, 40 lap event paid $4,000 to win to Drown who won the race in dominating and convincing fashion. Drown won over Kyle Brown, Keith Berner, John Mason and Ryan Markham.

"It was an awesome win," exclaimed Drown, a senior at Triway (OH) High School at the time. "I was just hoping for a top five finish because I knew they paid pretty good in the top five spots. It's hard to explain because it was really unexpected. We had some good drivers behind us, like Kyle Brown, Keith Berner, Ryan Markham, John Mason, Randall Chupp and Charlie Duncan. I was expecting one of them to come up and make a run at it but they never did."

In mid-April 2002 Doug announced the signing of a new sponsor for that season, Longhorn Steak House Restaurants, and his intention to run for the 2002 Mid Atlantic Championships Series (MACS) Rookie of the Year title. The then-19 year old break-out Central Ohio star was looking to upgrade his career, profile and team with a run with the MACS series that season.

"The series is all around fair, they seemed to treat everyone the same," stated Drown. "I have ran some of the other series, especially one, and they definitely have their favorites and it doesn't matter who you are, they only care about the ‘Big Dogs', and it gets me because it's people like us who just show up to try and make the race that helps pay for the purse. I feel the MACS is well ran."

While Drown came up short in his Rookie of the Year bid, he did score a fifth place finish in MACS points and earned their Hard Charger of the Year Award.

During 2003 Drown set out to do what many, many drivers talk about doing each winter, with a vast majority not accomplishing it: going out on the road. Then 21, the dirt Late Model racer, with an extremely limited budget, set out on the road with the Renegade Dirt Car Racing Series (RDCS) when the "northern" tour started, signing on for the Rookie of the Year chase. While Drown fell short in that respect, he still came out with an impressive 11th place finish in RDCS final point standings and accumulated a vast fortune in terms of knowledge and experience.

Not to mention respect from his competitors.

"That Doug Drown kid, he's pretty darn good," stated Chub Frank, four-time RDCS champion and currently a regular on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. "He struggled a little at the end of the year but at the first of the year in only the second or third time out he was leading the race. He was running good."

The 2003 racing season couldn't have started off any better for Drown than it did last April 5 at Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway's season opener when he made his first start of the season pay off big time with a stunning win at the Monster Half-Mile over veteran championship racer Lynn Geisler, one of the best shoes in the business. Drown was genuinely thrilled with the win, which was his fifth career win for the young throttle-stomper.

Despite not breaking into the RDCS win column Drown isn't complaining about his season with the series.

"It was a lot of fun, but it was very tough at times to keep going when you know the odds of us finishing in the top 15 of the races were pretty slim," offered Drown. "I am very glad our team ran the series this year because the other competitors were a lot of fun to talk to and learn from."

One constant from Drown throughout the season whenever a reporter would speak with him was his respect and admiration for his fellow RDCS drivers and the camaraderie that they had.

"It was great, everybody respected one another and it was even more cool to me because I grew up watching these guys and a lot of them I cheered for and still do," commented Drown. "It's funny because when I would go talk to Chub I would congratulate him on what ever it was he did and he would ask me if I was another driver or more of a fan of his."

Drown was asked what he learned from being on the road with RDCS.

"A lot, I never realized how much I didn't know about a racecar, how the car works, what changes to make and when, which I'm still not sure but I'm getting better," revealed Drown. "That is why I ran the Renegades though I wanted my team to grow and be better. I knew running local show we might have won more races but I definitely don't think we would have learned as much as we did and we wouldn't experience some of the things we did this season."

So was it worth it? And if it was, what did Doug Drown and his team come away with?

"I feel it was worth it because I knew going in that it was going to be tough and a little rough," said Drown. "I only had a goal to go to as many races as I could and to make the shows. If I really wanted to worry about the Rookie title then I wouldn't have raced the series this year since I was already behind by not going to Florida. By running the series though I was able to gain a lot of seat time and I feel became a better driver, not only behind the wheel but also relating to my crew members and what changes needed to be made to better the car."

The following year Drown decided to be an ‘independent' and run within a four state area. Finances dictated that a commitment with a series wasn't in the cards but he still had a good season with thoughts of returning to the road. "We were thinking about running MACS in 2004 but we felt that if we want to do it again we will have to have two cars and two motors and get all our ducks in a row," explained Drown. "Before we ran it because we wanted to get the experience so we can learn a lot quicker. Before running local you only learn as much as your competition so that's why we did it. But we did it and I'm glad we did it. I probably ruined the rookie thing but I'd rather win the point championship than the rookie deal. I won the Hard Charger award but no one remembers that. Winning the championship, that's what everyone remembers."

During 2004 he continued to pick up wins and once again scored another victory in Lakeville's annual Triple Crown Series/Big 4 Series. One night in 2004 he scored yet another of Lakeville's special events and set a record as the driver with the most Triple Crown Series/Big 4 Series victories. "It felt pretty good I guess cause when we're going up against Charlie (Duncan), and he's known as ‘the man' of that track, he's just awesome," commented Drown. "And all his wins are in a Late Model. Its really good to us and our team to know we can run with them and do good." Drown won against a stout field. Following Drown at the checkers were Corey Conley, Scott Peltz, Ryan Markham, Charlie Duncan, DJ Cline, Eric ‘Spud' Myers, Mark Gardiner, Rick Bond and J.R. Gentry.

It was during the latter part of 2004 that Drown decided that in his best interests he should return to the road and hit high-profile, better paying events. Again, finances played a part in that not happening but Drown was unfazed and he knew what had to be done. "I knew that go on the road and hit the sanctioned show sup, and get to a lot of the TV races, I would need a budget and that meant staying off the road for a year and try to accumulate as much equipment and money as I could," said Drown. "So we, as a team, went to work on that."

"I started a business making bodies for cars, we sold some old equipment and put two cars on the track for 2005 in hopes of making additional money, which we fortunately did.

In 2005 Drown put fellow second-generation driver J.R. Gentry into his second car. "I also felt that as long as we were staying off the road, more or less, tan we should set a goal as a team to try and win the Wayne County Speedway track championship. While Drown competed at a variety of tracks within a four state region, he called WCS home and came away from the 2005 season with the championship.

"Its awesome for us," proclaimed Drown on wrapping up the 2005 Wayne County Speedway Late Model track championship. "I'm just excited for the team and everyone who put anything in to this. We've been waiting and waiting to say we finally won but I guess it took awhile to sink in."

Drown's championship came against a lethal field of dirt Late Model stars including former champions like multi-titled Ryan Markham, Dave Wirt, George Lee, J.R. Gentry, Clint Coffman, Dave Hornikel, Eric ‘Spud' Myers, veteran multi-titled champion Blaine Aber and defending WCS champion Charlie Duncan.

Drown's championship at WCS makes him the second youngest person to win a Late Model title, the first was Racin' John Mason in 1975. "That makes it even better I guess," said Drown. "These guys we've been racing against a lot of them have been racing as long as I have been alive. It's definitely an accomplishment and shows how fast our team has come together and meshed. It's been awesome and we've had a lot of help to get us to this point."

"We're all a bunch of younger guys on this team and I think that's what makes it that much more fun, we're all at the same level and everyone just has a good time. Like I said at the beginning of the year, get with good people and good things happen. This is the team I wanted to put together. And I got Ken (Moser) back and he knows exactly how I feel and it's nice to know he's back here to help out as crew chief. The whole team puts in a lot of time and effort."

Another benchmark with this title is it makes Drown and his father, Jeff, a multi-titled former driver, the third father-son duo to win track championships at WCS during the past 40 years joining Roger and Took Wiles and Wayne Sr., and Wayne, Jr., Maffett. "That's an awesome deal," commented Drown. "It's been exactly 20 years since my Dad won his first championship and I think that's an accomplishment. My Dad was always known as a winner and I never knew if I would be able to be what he is so I think we're getting closer."

With a championship under his belt and a year and a half of smart business decisions and saving, Drown found himself ready to make a three-year commitment to race ‘on the road' in 2006 & 2007 and that is exactly what he doing. While he decided to not follow a series in 2006 but the then 23-year-old young gun ran an extended schedule of high-profile events including non-sanctioned races as well as those sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, World of Outlaws Late Model Series, Mid Atlantic Championship Series (MACS), UMP and Sunoco ALMS.

Drown and his wife, Courtney, spent the off-season working hard at marketing and signed a number of new sponsors for 2006 and currently Drown competes in his Wooster Glass Co., Mason Racin, Bert Transmissions, Genesis Racing Shocks, Hoosier Tire-Mid Atlantic, Hyperco, Wrisco, Farr Motorsports, Slavic Custom Shirts & Decals, Lehman Motorsports Services sponsored Rocket Chassis/Malcuit Racing Engines #12.

Crewing for Doug Drown Racing in 2007 is co-owner Jeff Drown, crew chief Scott Delaney, Dan Drown, Jim Boreman, Scott Drown, Shane Hites, Ken Moser, Jason Flinner, Steve Hershberger.

For 2007 Drown is chasing the MACS series championship as well as a wide variety of other sanctioned and non-sanctioned races.

On a personal level Drown has a solid partner and relationship with his wife, Courtney, an integral part of the team. Doug & Courtney were high school sweethearts and began going steady when Courtney was a freshman and Doug was a sophomore. When they attended their high school prom Doug drove Courtney up to the front door in his dirt Late Model (the photo appeared in Dirt Late Model). After graduation and when Doug began attending the University of Akron they soon became engaged and were married on December 20, 2003.

The new family expanded recently with the birth of Doug & Courtney's first child, Cale Douglas, who was born on October 24, 2005. "He's the most amazing thing that's ever happened in my life!" exclaimed the new, proud Papa, Doug. "Just looking at him you can see what our love has created. I have so much love for him it's unbelievable. I never thought I could be more excited than winning a race, but to actually give life is just such an indescribable experience - it truly is a miracle. He's just so awesome!"

Mother Courtney shares Papa Doug's enthusiasm for the new addition. "Cale really is a dream come true," said the proud Mom. "It is so neat to have a little family and Doug is such a good daddy! This year when Doug was racing, right before the feature would start, Cale would start kicking like crazy - it was like he knew what was about to happen and you knew just knew he was taking over mommy's role of being daddy's number one fan!"

"We have had several people tell us how Doug is going to have to slow down his racing program with the birth of Cale, but we talked long before having him, how exciting it will be to have his son helping him on the car someday, and eventually maybe even take over the driver's seat. We are very blessed to have such a great little boy and couldn't be any more excited about him!"

So now the talented, popular and focused young man known as Doug Drown has the total package: a devoted wife and son, a dedicated crew, a strong contingent of sponsors and a burning desire to reach the top of dirt Late Model racing. You don't hear Drown talk too much about NASCAR racing, for him, if he could someday be considered on the same level as a Chub Frank, a driver who's team and business plan Drown emulates, then he would consider his career an overwhelming success.

And that would be good enough for the talented, modest and caring driver that is poised for more and much bigger success.

You can count on it!

You can find more on Doug Drown at: www.dougdrown.com

-Prepared by Lehman Motorsports Services