AFTER
YEARS AWAY, BAXTER IS BACK IN THE FIGURE 8’S
by J.A.
Ackley
The
ever-growing Figure 8’s have a new competitor to greet, a
familiar face from the past, the 1999 Rookie of the Year, Carl
Baxter. Carl
Baxter’s familiar #74 will be back in 2005 and Baxter is
looking to make an impact once again on one of Long Island’s
most historic divisions, the world-famous Figure 8’s.
Carl
Baxter, out of Islip, NY, the birthplace of Figure 8 racing,
began his Figure 8 racing career in 1999, making an instant
impact with Rookie of the Year honors and a runner-up finish
to the championship. The
year after, Baxter had sophomore woes but would finish the
year with a win in only 8 starts.
Afterwards Baxter sold his “school bus yellow” #74
and would wind up helping friend Tony Anello, a former
Riverhead competitor, with his efforts at Thompson
International Speedway in Connecticut.
Baxter’s
return to Figure 8 racing has to do with meeting with a
neighbor down the street from him, Artie Schenk, long-time
Riverhead Figure 8 figure, who in recent years has been
working on the #28 of Roger Maynor.
Baxter never knew Schenk had lived nearby until one day
reading about him on the Jam.
Baxter introduced himself to Schenk at Maynor’s
trailer at Riverhead and offered his help on the former #49
Figure 8 of Chris Young that Schenk had been working on to
restore.
The
relationship led to Artie Schenk’s Blast-It-Sandblasting
funding the power behind the new incarnation of Baxter’s
#74. However,
Baxter is still looking for a few more sponsors to help pay
for tires so he can start off where he left off in 2000.
For more information on you can help sponsor Baxter’s
effort to the checkers, e-mail Carl at figureeight74@aol.com.
After
nearly 5 years away from the sport, Baxter looks to return to
his prime form in 1999. If
his past is any indication of what lies in store for this
upcoming year, be on the lookout as the #74 should be up
front, week-in, week-out.
