After both raced in the factory stock division at State Fair Speedway for more than nine years, Joey and Dustin Buntin decided to try something new.
They wanted something faster, something more competitive, something more rewarding. So they upgraded. They will race the 2008 season in the champ sprint division.
"We have always wanted to make the change,” Joey said. "We just never took the plunge. Over the winter, my dad and brother bought Dustin's car, so we just decided to do both at once.”
Champ sprint cars reach speeds in excess of 95 mph on a hard track, while factory stock cars top out at about 70 mph.
"I get chest pains on the first lap because it is so much faster,” said Dustin. "It is indescribable.”
The champ sprints are more expensive than factory stocks. But while the added cost of racing champ sprints is high, the added thrill is priceless.
"The competition is so much better,” Dustin said. "The thrill and the competition..”
The Buntins said the handling in the champ sprints is the most difficult adjustment.
"I still try to drive it like a factory stock car,” Dustin said. "You can't do that. We are going to start in the back for a while so we don't get in anyone's way.”
Starting in the back of a heat or feature race is not something the Buntins are accustomed to. Dustin won the factory stocks championship in 2005. He won three A features last season.
"It's hard to go from winning all the time to just trying to figure out what you're doing,” he said. "These guys mean business.”
The Buntins are adjusting quickly. Joey qualified for the A feature Friday, the opening night of the points season, and Dustin finished 15th in the A feature last week during American Sprint Car Series Spring Nationals.
"I can't even explain it,” Joey said. "It's so much fun. ”
•Fiery start:Eddie Guinn started the 2008 season on fire. Literally. On turn two of the fifth lap of a super sprint heat race, Guinn's car flipped and caught fire. Guinn scrambled out of the car and rolled across the track to try to put out flames on one of his legs. Paramedics extinguished the fire — on Guinn's leg and his car — before Guinn's father, Ron, took him to the emergency room. Paramedics said Guinn suffered second-degree burns on his right ankle and lower leg. Drivers at the Oklahoma City track are required to wear firesuits.
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I am glad to hear that Eddie Guinn escaped with only minor burns. The lag time in the response from the track crews was pathetic. The race officials like to ride around on their 4-wheelers and 4X4 trucks, but forget what they are there for. They think it is more important to sit on the stage flashing on their lights than actually be in a posistion to get to the aid of a raceer. I hope they review their placement of emergency teams so no driver in the future has to suffer like Eddie Guinn.
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