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Greg Goins is the son of Mary Campbell and Greg Goins. He used to watch his grandfather Rodney Brantley race and Brantley became his biggest role model.

Goins said, “I always wanted to be like him and I told myself that I would have a car of my own whether I was 18 or 30 years old.”

His first car was an old beat up Monte Carlo that never saw track time. “There was just so much to do on that ride that my papaw just told me to get rid of it so now I’m in a 2008 Stinger late model, ” said Goins.

Goins is an upstart racer who will race on the track for the first time this spring. March 20 is the tentative date of his debut on the clay.

He has no wins, no top five finishes and no championships but he desires to win races and eventually compete for a championship.

Goins has current help from his grandfathers Rodney Brantley and Tim Chittum along with his girlfriend Jennah Cox and a good friend Trent Cooper.

He will have the financial help of several sponsors including Horticulture Lighting Group, Cox Farms, Deizelwerks, Pro Cut Home Restoration, Dale Seals Logging, Claiborne Fitness, Tyler Moyers with Southland Realty, Gatos Tacos and Powerhouse Diesel.

His favorite part of the sport thus far was hearing the engine fire up in his own race car.

Going back and redoing things time after time are the moments he hates most but in the end Goins knows it’s needed and just a part of learning.

Greg Goins is a rookie with a lot of promise and he knows if he will be a success it’s because he has the help of several people and he wishes to thank them, “I’d like to say a special thank you to my girlfriend Jennah Cox, my papaw Rodney Brantley and Tim Chittum, my mom and my dad, Austin Neely and everyone else that’s helped me get started.”

Goins gave this advice to others considering racing, “If you want to chase your dreams don’t let anything or anyone stop you. Racing is a money pit but you don’t have to have all the nice fancy things to go have fun.”

You will find Greg in a purple and black race car on the high banks of Tazewell Speedway in a sportsman class, car number 000. It’s a significant number to him as his grandfather raced 00 and he wanted to give a nod to his racing legacy.

Goins is truly turning wrenches and chasing his dreams.

 

By ALLEN EARL

allen.earl@claiborneprogress.net