Trip to Charlotte solidifies Ettinger’s dreams for the future

KENNETCOOK: Luke Ettinger got a taste of what it’s like to race on a road course inside a world-famous short-track—a taste he hopes to experience again in the future.
Ettinger won the INEX Canadian Bandits Championship based on results from bandolero races at INEX-sanctioned tracks, with those being Speedway 660 in Geary, N.B., near Fredericton, and Scotia Speedworld in Enfield. The bandits class is for those under 12-years-old, and Ettinger is eligible for this division again this year.
He received his award during the INEX Championship banquet, held Jan. 20-22 at the Speedway Club at one of the prestigious tracks on the NASCAR Sprint Cup series, Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.
“I think it’s pretty cool, not many kids get the chance to do it,” said a proud Ettinger of winning the title for the 2011 season. “I’m thankful.”
The 11-year-old described what it was like as he and his dad drove towards the track. Luke’s dad Stephen said his son’s eyes were open wide in amazement at the track.
“On our ride in, dad pointed it out, and I couldn’t quite see it through the trees,” he said. “As we got closer, it’s a lot bigger than you would ever imagine. You think a short-track it’s going to be small, but it’s big like the size you think Daytona is. It’s got a lot of seating. It’s big on the inside and the outside.
“I was excited. It was ‘we’re actually in Charlotte, N.C., dreams have come true.’”
The Grade 6 student at Cobequid District School in Noel said his motivation to continue to race is he wants to eventually make a career out of racing.
“Hopefully one day to make it to NASCAR,” he said. “It’s a one in a million shot, and I’ll have to work really hard to get there, but that’s my motivation.”
He reflected on his 2011 season in the Hydraulics Plus Bandolero class where he finished fourth in points 26 points behind third place Adam Meehan of Rawdon Gold Mines.
“We have a little bit to work on to run towards the front of the pack, and get a better engine,” said Ettinger. “I certainly have to do a lot of work on my driving to win a championship, but we’re getting there, we’re getting nice and close.”
He knows what he has to work on in order to have success in the no. 62-Kennetcook Trucking-Vance Hanes Auto Parts-Cobequid Mountain Sports-System Care Truro-Lisa’s Web-D’Tox Car Crushing-Tide View Farms bandolero.
“I have to work on getting into the turns a little easier and getting back on the gas at the correct time, letting off and getting back,” he said.
While Ettinger was at Charlotte Motor Speedway he met two NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers, and came close to a third driver from the developmental NASCAR Nationwide series.
“I went to all the race shops,” he said, adding the drivers were Hendrick Motorsports’ Kasey Kahne and Michael Waltrip Racing driver Clint Bowyer. “It was really exciting. They were awesome. We almost got to meet Ricky Stenhouse Jr., he walked within three feet of me, but I wasn’t looking.
“It was exciting to meet them because they started in bandoleros and legends and worked their way up through, before making it to NASCAR. I got to talk to Kasey and Clint a little bit; they were both pretty busy at the time. We wished them good luck and told them about our INEX Championship. They were happy to hear about that. It was a pretty quick conversation.”
The Kyle Busch fan got a couple memories to cherish as he had his photo taken with Busch’s M & M’s no. 18 and outside at the sign saying Kyle Busch Motorsports.
He is looking towards 2012 with an open mind.
“I’m hoping to get two or three wins, get my first feature win, get on the podium as much as I can,” said Ettinger, “but I’ll settle for what gets served on my plate.”
He is looking to race in Miramichi at a new track that is re-opening, and in Peticodiac where there’s an open series for bandolero cars during the next year.
Ettinger did get to take to the track, on limited practice because of weather.
“We didn’t do too bad in the three or four laps of practice, we spun out a lot but that’s to be expected the first time on a road course in a bandolero on a half-wet track,” he said. “(In) the heat race we didn’t do too bad. We were getting up to speed, and then we came through the chicane (the last turn), I got spun out on the third or fourth lap.
“I went out in the feature. I was on the first lap, entering the first turn and there was an accident t in front of me. I avoided it, but went off into deep puddles and water came into the car, and the throttle acted up, so I pulled it into the pits as I would just be a danger out there. I had a great time.”
phealey@enfieldweeklypress.com