LUCAMA, NC – While racing is a hobby, not a full-time profession, for Chris Floars, he still hopes to come away with the track championship in the INEX Legend Cars division at Southern National Motorsports Park – a quest that resumes on Saturday night, August 19th.
Floars, 17, from Clayton, is a sophomore driver in the Legends division, with racing being one of his many hobbies. On the track, he’s been the most successful driver in the division this season with two wins and a two-point lead in the division championship standings over defending champion Chris Stancil.
“Yeah. It’s been a good year,” Floars said. “We rebuilt the car completely after a wreck at Wake County Speedway last year. We just came back and Dillon Spain helped me a lot during the offseaso and even this year. I’ve learned a ton from him and it’s helped me come back this season stronger than ever. I haven’t been putting a ton of pressure on myself, just trying to enjoy the year for what it is. I’m ready to finish out the season strong.”
While Floars doesn’t burden himself with immense pressure when racing, he still has every bit the desire to win races as his competitors. Now, he has a desire to win the track championship where he finds himself in control of his own destiny.
“It’s not that I’m not pressuring myself to win,” Floars remarked. “I do want to win the championship, it’s what I’m focusing on this year. I think that’s been my prime goal this year and that would be a big accomplishment. I haven’t been pressuring myself for national points.”
His father, Kevin Floars, is a longtime racer who has competed in Legend Cars, vintage car club racing and Super Late Models, is the main reason Chris Floars leaped into the racing scene. For father and son, racing, and working on cars in general, is a way of bonding.
“One of the reasons I wanted to get into Legends car racing is because it’s what my dad started in when he was younger,” Floard commented. “Cars in general for me and dad, that’s how we connect, through cars during the week. We have a shop at the house and work on cars together. It’s a big thing for us.”
While the competitors in the Legends division are laid back and more relaxed at Southern National, they are still competitors. The drivers often spend the days hanging out in the pits, laughing and having a good time, but when the green flag flies, it’s every man for himself.
“Honestly, to be down there in the pits, me, Chris Stancil, Dillon Spain, Zack Brown, Zach Lightfoot, it doesn’t push me harder or any less,” Floars explained. “We’re all down there having fun and we all help each other out through the day and, at the end of the day, may the better man and car win. I’m having fun. I want to win and I race my hardest every single race but I don’t let it tear me down if I don’t get the win that week.”
On top of racing, Floars also performs with his worship team at the C3 Church in Clayton and has taken up a hobby in photography while taking online college courses.
“I do a lot of music stuff and photography,” Floars said. “Those are my other hobbies. I play in my worship team at church. Photography has been a big focus for me this summer.”
When asked if he was interested in moving up the ranks, Floars said he just wanted to have fun, but might eventually want to compete in a Super Late Model, following in his father’s footsteps.
Floars will continue his defense of his points lead in Saturday night’s Solid Rock Carriers Fan Appreciation Night presented by Whelen Engineering. In addition to the Legends division, Late Model Stock Cars, Pro Late Models, Chargers, Mini Stocks, Any Cars and Bandoleros will be in action. The races start at 7pm.
For more information about Southern National Motorsports Park, check out SNMP’s website at www.snmpark.com, “like” Southern National Motorsports Park on Facebook or “follow” @SNM_Park on Twitter.
