Driving toward a dream

CONCORD, N.C. --- The two race cars sitting in Grant Enfinger's little shop have different paint jobs. His toolboxes and other equipment don't match -- or the cars.

His cars have No. 83 on the doors. His toolbox has No. 82. The cars are red; the equipment is blue.

Enfinger's racing career has been pieced together part by part. Everything is a hand-me-down, refinished and rebuilt by a handful of volunteers who share the same dream to make it big in stock car racing.

Some parts are bought second-hand. Others are rented. And some are borrowed.

It's a life that brings both satisfaction and frustration to a young driver who desperately needs, and probably deserves, a big break. And it's a life shared by thousands of other drivers looking for a way to move up.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do," the 24 year-old driver said. "But I'm going to keep on trying until something happens."

Like so many others, Enfinger still works the local short tracks to build a résumé. He works on cars during the day and does anything to put enough money together to make a selective start in some of the lower-rung series like ARCA.

He last raced at Rockingham Speedway on Oct. 11 in the ARCA season finale. He got some money from his father's law firm in Montgomery, Ala. The rest came from old friends chipping in enough to buy tires.

"We won $2,200 for finishing seventh and that was enough to buy five tries," Enfinger said. "Every little bit helps."

Enfinger made seven starts in ARCA last year and he had a respectable four top-three finishes. For now, it's still not enough.

Years ago, car owners searched local short tracks for drivers. Now they look for a package that includes sponsorship.

"The best way to make it is to have a sponsor," said NASCAR car owner James Finch. "This has gotten so expensive a driver has to bring something to the table. I wish it wasn't like that, but that's the business we're in right now."

Making sales pitches for million-dollar funding is harder than anything he's ever done. Enfinger's proven to have the talent to be a full-time driver in ARCA or the NASCAR Camping World Truck or Nationwide series, but he's still lacks something important -- luck.

"It's pure math," NASCAR driver Tony Stewart said. "There's 43 guys that run the race every week here (in Sprint Cup). There's probably nowadays close to one million drivers in the United States, so do the math."

And once you get the big break, car owners generally don't have a lot of patience. Success at the top level must be immediate and lasting.

Drivers like Erik Darnell, Cale Gale, Landon Cassill, Bryan Clauson, J.J. Yeley, Brad Coleman and Josh Wise got a chance, but it proved to be fleeting. Even being the son of a famous driver -- Jason Jarrett, Justin Labonte and Steadman Marlin -- doesn't earn any special favors when it comes to finding a ride.

"I get asked this all the time, and there's no set way to get noticed," Greg Biffle said. "You have to be willing to do whatever it takes -- even if that means creating your own way."

Enfinger hopes to put together enough money for the season-opening ARCA race at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 6. He's got other offers, but all require him to bring some level of sponsorship with him.

Until then, he will spend his time and money on things more important than making his cars and equipment look the same. He will spend it on getting to the racetrack until somebody notices.