Funny how quickly 37 years can pass, as John Cougar Mellencamp once sang........."18 has turned 55........I'm surprised we're still living........." (or something like that). This past June, as I sat on the starting grid at Hammerdown Speedway, all strapped in my coupe, helment, gloves on........my racing life flashed before my eyes. A lifetime had passed, I had out-lived my dad, I had re-created my childhood hero's car, and I was seconds before pulling it onto a dirt track to drive in my very first stock car race, in the car of my dreams! God is good, and sometimes grants the desires of the heart.My mother had once said......"I NEVER want to see your name written on a race car!" Well, mom, my name wasn't on the car, "Earl Moss" was emblazoned on the roof, but I WAS the driver. My dad's stern warning resonated in my head, but at that moment, there WAS no turning back, after 47 years of watching, sponsoring, and working on race cars, I was about to DRIVE one........in a race! Of all the race tracks, I'd seen, my debut was happening in Robeson county, North Carolina on a tiny 1/4 dirt bull ring, on a Friday night. How appropriate!I wan't nervous, butterflyish maybe, but not nervous. I'd seen it done all my life. I knew what it was about, I'd just never done it. The green waved, I nailed the gas, and headed for turn one. It was like Richard Petty often described, everything was happening so fast, there wasn't a lot of time to think, just react. After a couple laps, the transmission jumped out of high gear, and I had to keep my right hand on the shifter, and steer with the left. Quickly running out of talent, my friend and fellow vintage competitor, Jim Wilmore, soon passed me for the lead and went on to the win. I like to say that I finished SECOND (which on this inaugural vintage night) was also LAST. All too soon, it was over, the checkered flag was waving and I headed for the pits. WOW!But, IT had happened. I'd driven in a race! Everybody has to have a first time, and I'd had mine. The only thing missing was my dad........but I think he'd understand.