Let's face it, George Lee is just one nice guy. There is no arguing that fact and you can ask a couple hundred drivers and they'd tell you the same thing. Lee, 43, of Loudonville, OH is not only a popular and talented north central Ohio based dirt Late Model driver, he also manages Mason Racin' in Millersburg, OH where scores of people in the sport have gotten to know and trust George Lee.
Lee, about to enter his 13th season as a driver, has also spent a number of years as crew chief for the Bob Cowen owned Trans Am team and then last year on Cowen's Busch East team in addition to racing his dirt Late Model each weekend. Last year he also took on another project, mentoring and making a part of his Team GLR (George Lee Racing) one Trevor Phillips, all of 18 years of age and a high school senior. But Phillips comes with a racing pedigree.
Lee, who has won in Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania, is used to probably around a half dozen wins a season but last year he was off a bit with some mechanical issues that were finally resolved, still, he nailed down two victories in his Cowen Truck Line, Hague Crystal Clear Water, Bert Transmission, Mason Racin, Braswell, Hoosier Tire - HTMA, Afco Racing sponsored Rocket Chassis/Malcuit Racing Engines #21.
"We're tickled to death with the wins," stated Lee. "The first part of the season didn't start out that well, we hit a low point in the mid part of the season but we then got a full head of steam."
"Winning at Latrobe, I love the place, I really like it. I just wish it were 2 ½ hours closer to home. It's a four-hour tow on a Sunday night and that's a long drive when you get home at 5:00 AM and have to work the next morning. We do it on occasion. They had new owners this year and really worked on the track. We've had a lot of bad luck over there but that night luck was with us. So to go over there and bring home the trophy and money, that was pretty cool."
"The race at Hilltop, that was just awesome. It was a great night. The track ended up coming to us. (Son) Adam was home on leave from the Middle East before he went to his next station at Alaska and that was the last race he was home for before he had to leave so that was special."
Lee's son is a captain in the U.S. Air Force. Lee is married to Sherri and they also have a daughter, Alisa, and three grandchildren, Faith, Hannah & Gavin.
When the 2006 racing season started some changes were made as the team evolved into a two-car team with rookie driver Trevor Phillips joining GLR. Phillips and his father, Jerry Phillips, have become a part of GLR and Lee spent the 2006 season serving as a coach and mentor to the former Mini Stock driver who took the plunge into Super Late Model racing and was able to score the 2006 Wayne County Speedway Super Late Model Rookie of the Year title.
Lee feels Phillips has the desire and understanding to get the job done with laps and time. "I met Trevor here a few years back, we parked next to each other, he was running Mini Stocks then and we took a liking to him," explained Lee. "He has his head screwed on straight. His dad approached us about making a two-car team so we basically changed George Lee Racing to GLR now (laughs). We're just coaching him."
"When I started I had Danny Gardner and it doesn't come any better. These kids starting out need someone like that and these kids need to be not afraid to walk up to these seasoned drivers and ask for advice."
Lee is proud of what Phillips has accomplished this season at not only Wayne County Speedway but also Hilltop Speedway where he won Rookie of the Year honors at both tracks.
"I'm excited," said Lee. "Trevor has come a long way. He's had some bad luck, but I've had bad luck. It's part of it. It just tickles me he is so intense and he listens and does what you say. I find myself a cheerleader out there for him (laughs)! I cheerlead for him and he does the same for me. He is a good team member. He helps me on my car when I need it and we help on his when he needs it. He has come a long way and I'm really looking forward to next year."
Phillips started his dirt Late Model racing career in May of '06 and despite missing a couple races at the beginning of the season was still able to muster an impressive 12th place finish in the final WCS point standings.
"I can't say enough about George," commented Phillips. "He is an excellent guy and I wouldn't be racing a Late Model if not for him. He's been in it so long and knows everything to do. I don't know how to set the car up right now, and he's helping there. He's helping me learn where to run, when to get on the gas, he's been helping so much."
Winning the Rookie of the Year title at WCS holds a special meaning for the friendly young gun. The word legacy comes to mind when one considers Trevor Phillips. Phillips, the son of Jerry & Lola Phillips, grew up going racing. Literally, he had little choice.
His great-grandfather was N.E. 'Pete' Jacobs, the founder of Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, OH and for many years a well-respected car owner. His grandfather was the late Ken 'Jake' Jacobs, a famed star dirt track racer throughout Ohio and the surrounding region during the 1960's and early 1970's. Three of his uncles, Kenny, Bud & Dean, gained fame and acclaim as Sprint Car stars, and his cousins, Lee and Cody, are already forging ahead in their Sprint Car careers.
During the 2006 season Phillips also competed weekly at Hilltop Speedway in Millersburg, OH. At Hilltop Speedway Phillips was able to finish tenth in the final point standings. Phillips also competed at Lakeville Speedway for their 10th Annual American Payroll Advance Big 4 Series event.
"Behind every driver is a crew of people who does not get enough praise for all of their hard work," commented Lee. "I have the best crew anyone could ask for, hands down." Lee's & Phillips' crew consists of Jeff 'Root' Long, Dave Hazlett, Karisa Darr, Aaron Hulett, Mark Hagen and Ed Hagen.
"Picking up a rookie driver (Trevor Phillips) has put a ton of work onto them, and they have responded unbelievable. Going from a one-car team to two cars, a new driver, sometimes meant late night repairs so we could run the next night all while not once asking for anything in return. Priceless!"
"I need to thank everyone who has helped. Mark Richards, Steve Baker, Anthony at Rocket, Scott in the weld shop that builds these cars, he doesn't get the recognition. I'm learning it and they are all helping. Same with (Brad) Malcuit."
As for his 2007 season, Lee and Phillips will be hitting the road in their home state in search of 'big shows'.
Lee has seven total wins on the season so far at three tracks, with five of them coming at Hilltop Speedway in Millersburg, OH and the most recent this past Sunday in his back up car.
"I was talking to Charlie Duncan and I've got more wins today, in June this season, and the most I ever won in one season was four," said Lee. "And we have surpassed that. Everything is clicking. The crew is clicking, our equipment, we're trying to stay on top of it. When you race hard like we have been, you have to stay on top of the equipment which is why we brought the back up car out so we could go through the primary car from A to Z."
"The crew is great, they are walking with an attitude if you know what I mean. The spirits are up and we just want to keep going forward."
"2006 was a year of many highs and lows," Lee reflected. "Sometimes the lows were hard to swallow, but that is what drives us to compete. Rookie drivers and new tracks both build up a team to perform to their best."
Lee is running what he proclaims as a 'Buckeye tour' of Ohio which he thinks will help give his new sponsors, Maibach Ford of Orrville, OH and Valvoline added exposure in a targeted area.
"I think there are something like 28 sanctioned races in Ohio alone with MACS, Lucas Oil, World of Outlaws, Sunoco ALMS, UMP and the IRS," explained Lee. "Plus there are tracks in our area like Wayne County, Hilltop, Attica and Lakeville that will be putting on some extra money special events. It makes sense for us to primarily stay in Ohio with all the opportunity that will be out there this season."
-Prepared by Lehman Motorsports Services
