When I look back on life, the truth is I can’t remember ever wanting to do anything but race. My Dad thinks it all started at Bowman Gray Stadium when I was three. As soon as the Modifieds rolled out I told him this is what I want to do.
We received a call from the man named Charles Wood that owned Riverside Raceway Park in Madison, NC and we struck a deal for me to represent the kid-karts at his track. On a cold dark day in March, I turned my first laps in a car. We were hooked. The following January we turned to quarter midgets and successfully raced at that level until I outgrew them and moved to Bandoleros in 2009.
The racing seasons of 2012-2014 were tough for me. Our trailer was broken into and we lost just about everything and my Dad had shoulder surgery. We were at a crossroads. We weren’t about to give up. What would we do next?
Through friends we met Gray and Mitchell Coble who had trained drivers like Austin and Ty Dillon and Ryan Blaney. They tested me in one of their dirt modifieds to assess my talent. The results impressed the Coble’s and we purchased a modified.
2017 has been our best year. We have won twice at Friendship Speedway and had numerous top three finishes at both Friendship and 311 Speedways. We also finished 4th at the biggest race of the year, the World Short Track Championships.
I will always remember what NASCAR Legend Tony Stewart said…“If you want to succeed surround yourself with the best people.” Our relationship with Mitchell Coble and Rolfe Schnur Motorsports Marketing makes us a very marketable team. I am so excited about 2018…we are taking the next step moving up to the open UMP modifieds and will be travelling a five state area with the Southeast Modified Racing Series. It provides us with more opportunities to represent our marketing partners.
I’m Slade Parsons…and I’m ready for the challenges of 2018.