James Beane: Five things you need to know about pro stocks driver

Published: August 15, 2008

1. He's a racing veteran.

Beane raced at State Fair for the first time in 1978, and started racing full time in 1985. He raced street stocks, pro stocks and factory stocks. He's also raced a semi-late car at Quartz Mountain near Altus. Beane started racing at I-35 Speedway in Goldsby in 1978.

2. He's never won a points championship at State Fair Speedway.

Beane won a points title at Arbuckle Speedway in 1989 in the pro stocks division and won a title at Claxton Speedway (now Brill Motor Speedway) in the pro stocks in 1994. "It would really be special this year, because I don't know how many more years I'm going to race” he said. "I don't know how long I'll be racing for Don Strawn, and Michelle (Decker) could win the two-barrel sprints, so that would give Don two titles.”

Beane is currently in second place, 30 points behind Steve Smith.

3. He's lost 150 pounds since 2006.

He had gastric bypass surgery two years ago at Oklahoma Weight Loss Options, and now the doctors who performed the surgery are his sponsors.

"The doctor's husband runs the office, and he likes racing and asked what he would have to do to put their name on the car,” Beane said. "I told them it takes money. They sponsored me every year since 2006.”

Beane said dropping weight has helped him on the track. "It sure makes it easier to get in and out of the car.”

4. He's a bricklayer.

Racing isn't Beane's only job. He's been a bricklayer for 30 years, and currently works with Masonry Services in Yukon.

5. His wife introduced him to racing.

Beane's wife of 30 years, Clydene, took him to his first race in 1977. Clydene's brother raced a street stock at I-35 Speedway.

"I just kind of fell in love with it when I saw it,” James Beane said.

Beane drove a race car for the first time that year, and built his own the following season. The rest is history.

By Ray Martin

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