{"id":3582,"date":"2014-02-22T10:00:23","date_gmt":"2014-02-22T18:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/?p=3582"},"modified":"2017-08-01T14:02:31","modified_gmt":"2017-08-01T21:02:31","slug":"dave-mason-jr-looks-ahead-after-rocking-his-rookie-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/dave-mason-jr-looks-ahead-after-rocking-his-rookie-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Dave Mason, Jr. Looks Ahead After Rocking His Rookie Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"DaveMasonJurGeneralTire\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Sure, Pro Buggy off-road racing looks as safe as flinging a life-sized, splayed-leg spider crab with wheels off a cliff. But you can\u2019t deny the fun! Or the skill required to run these exoskeletons with canvas at high revs over high, high hills.\u00a0 Dave Mason, Jr. can tell you a little bit about that fun \u2013 he\u2019s having a ton of it as a rising star in the Pro Buggy class. And his dad, former Baja racer David Mason Sr. was the one who first showed him how it\u2019s done.<\/p>\n

Dave, Jr. has been racing since he was 12 and was riding dirt bikes and quads since he could walk. Starting off in the Trophy Kart class, Dave quickly moved on to small off-road trucks, then VW limited-power buggies, and now runs a pro buggy.\u00a0 \u201cMy dad has been racing for over 25 years \u2013 in Baja and all over the U.S. I loved going to his races when I was a kid,\u201d Dave Jr. says of the origin of his interest in off-road racing.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s been a huge inspiration!\u201d<\/p>\n

Dave is also a hands-on participant beyond driving. He started out working on his dad\u2019s race cars during the summer, and learned from that experience. \u201cEvery step of the way, I\u2019ve done the work on every vehicle at every stage of my career,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n

Dave moved into the Pro Buggy class this past year as a rookie, with sponsorship from LoanMart, and as with the other classes, Dave, Jr is giving everyone a run for his money.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I\u2019ve been pretty successful,\u201d Dave says without false modesty, but with a true reverence for the sport, and for the skill and luck he possesses. \u201cWe\u2019ve had a really great couple of seasons.\u201d\u00a0 That\u2019s a bit of an understatement \u2013 last year\u2019s run in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series saw five 2nd<\/sup> place finishes, and a 2nd<\/sup> place finish in the Challenge Cup in his LoanMart Pro Buggy.<\/p>\n

This season, Dave is aiming for the championship, and despite his talent and skill, it will be a challenge. Not only a dedicated racer, Dave is also a college student. His week is comprised of training, racing, school, and work, including wrenching on the race car \u2013 a full time task in of itself. \u201cAfter each race, the buggy gets torn down to the frame. We rebuild tranny. The whole car is brand new after each race.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a lot of work, but Dave, Jr. is committed. \u201cI love everything about the sport,\u201d he explains, \u201cworking on your stuff, the driving aspect, duking it out with the best in the business. I love the competitiveness and the teamwork.\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019s going to school for his business degree, while currently working for his dad\u2019s construction company. \u201cOdds are, I\u2019ll end up working for my dad after college,\u201d he says, \u201cBut I\u2019d really like to make racing a career. It\u2019s all about hard work. You have to put in the time, as well as having the passion for the race it order to win. I strive to be fast and clean on the racetrack with a good reputation.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his rare free time, Dave does a lot of dirt bike riding, snowboarding and shooting \u2013 exciting hobbies for a committed thrill seeker. But the rest of the time, he\u2019s focused on moving forward, and moving that buggy forward fast and furious, with speed and style. \u201cI owe everything to my team, my dad, and to LoanMart racing and Mickey Thompson Tires, our tire sponsors.\u201d<\/p>\n

To catch Dave Mason, Jr. and others in this Off-Road season, check out the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series schedule here: http:\/\/www.lucasoiloffroad.com\/schedules<\/a>.<\/p>\n