Brandon Sprint Racer Travels Just For Fun Of It
Published: May 24, 2007
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Brandon's Charlie Ladner goes to great lengths to enjoy his asphalt sprint car racing.
"Chargin'" Charlie, as he is known to the fans of the local Tampa Bay Area Racing Association and the Georgia-based United Sprint Car Series Asphalt Thunder Tour, has been driving sprints since 1986.
Now traveling with the TBARA full time and making the USCS Asphalt Thunder Tour tracks when possible, Ladner enjoys the travel, the fans and his competitive success.
"It's gotten tougher each year," stated a relaxed Ladner, 44, before this week's Senoia Speedway USCS visit. "The youngsters keep getting younger, and the wins come fewer and farther between, but I'm still finishing on the lead lap, getting top fives and enjoying every minute of it."
The 2005 Central Florida Wingless Sprint Car Association Champion is also owner and operator of Charles' Auto Glass in Brandon.
After the first three stops on the 2007 Asphalt Thunder Tour, Ladner was 10th in the point standings, but four of the nine drivers above him did not run this week's event in Senoia, Ga. His fifth-place finish will move him up into the top six. Plus he picked up the Top-5 Award and was the hard charger of the race, moving from his 20th starting position all the way to that final top-five spot.
Despite logging many laps in his career, Ladner is not apt to slow down in the near future, he says.
"I still enjoy the friendships and travel, the competition and commitment we all have for both series," he said. "I hope they're around for a long time and I'm right here enjoying every lap I can."
The USCS Series is the last Southern-based traveling group that runs both asphalt and dirt races. Ladner never ventured onto the dirt side of any series and thinks he'll continue to stick to the asphalt in the future.
"I love asphalt racing so much, that I'm flying out Thursday to go watch the Little 500 in Anderson, [Ind.]," Ladner said. "Several of my fellow racers will be entered."
AREA RACING NEWS: The Goodyear Challenge Series Limited Late Models return to DeSoto Super Speedway this week for a 100-lap event. Track owner John Sarppraicone expects a "larger than usual" field of racers as his regular LLM racers will be joining in to run for the added purse.
The next local visit by the TBARA will be at DeSoto Super Speedway on June 23.
Auburndale Speedway is still running smoothly under its new ownership. This week's show includes a family ticket package for two adults and two children costing $25.
Citrus County Speedway in Inverness has the Pro Figure 8 racers in action with seven other classes on the schedule.
East Bay Raceway Park welcomes the Limited Sprints for their May Special, plus Late Models, Limited Late Models, Street Stocks and Outlaw 4's. There will be a special Out Of School Party for Hillsborough and all the surrounding counties' students to celebrate the end of another school year.
