CHRIS HAINES DAZZLES LOCAL RACE FANS
by Brian Spaid

May 2, 2008

   Over the years, race car driver come and go. Some become winners and others are simply backmarkers. The winners possess something special. It’s hard to explain why, but winners see to have the uncanny ability and supreme skill to race and know how to win.

   Sandy Lake driver Chris Haines is one of the drivers.

   While many winners cut their teeth racing at an early age, Haines, 37, did not start until late 2006 when he first wheeled his Pro Stock in a few events. In 2007, he was a pure rookie on local dirt tracks.

   He excelled at an incredible pace. He collected several top five finishes including a win at Mercer Raceway Park. He finished in the top ten in points at Mercer and Tri-City Speedway, where he was named top rookie in the Pro Stocks. He also earned the prestigious Western PA Rookie of the Year award. To top it off, Haines decided to expand his horizons, and now he also races a FASTRAK Late Model.

   Where did this guy come from, and how did he succeed so fast?

   “My wife’s uncle is Terry Wheeler,” said Haines in reference to Tri-City’s 2005 Detroit Iron Pro Stock Series champion. “I’ve always been around (Stoneboro-area drivers) Kevin Thompson, Andy Buckley, the Wheelers, and the Shingledeckers. I was helping them all out and I couldn’t take it anymore.”

   Haines first venture on the track actually occurred in a 2003 mechanic’s race at Tri-City. Driving Wheeler’s car, Haines didn’t succeed that night.

   “I actually hit the second turn wall,” chuckled Haines. “After that, Terry told me I couldn’t drive his car again. So, I had to get my own.”

   But, Haines wasn’t going to buy just any car. He wanted to wait until the right car came along. In late 2006, Lernerville Speedway star Bob Egley had a car for sale. Haines knew it was a good one, and he made the decision to purchase it.

   The racing bug bit him badly and Haines’ wife, Christina, knew it. She did not want him to race.

   “She put up a fight, but she knows it’s a losing battle once I make my mind up,” laughed Haines. “We’ve been married for 15 years and we’ve known each other longer than that. It was either this or a street bike. I played that angle and she said my clothes would be on the back porch if I purchased either one. I got the Pro Stock and I’m still living at the house. I think everything worked out alright.”

   Wheeler helped him with a spare engine before Haines was able to get his own equipment together. Once he was on the track, the memories of that wallbanger in 2003 quickly faded.

   “I’m having a ball,” said Haines. “I consider myself to be a quick learner and I’m fortunate that I have a good car. Bob Egley told be that the car handles real well. I know if I bought a car that didn’t handle, I would have struggled real bad.”

   Haines also set high goals for himself.

   “I had big expectations. I wanted to win a few heat races and at least one feature. I started out a little rough and had a good second half of the year in 2007.”

   Although confident, Haines does not come across as arrogant. Instead, he is a fun-loving man that enjoys family, friends and racing. That was evident in victory lane Sunday night at Tri-City after he captured his first career feature at the Route 417 dirt track in his Chevrolet Pro Stock No. 35H.

   “I thought going in that I had a real good chance to win. Without Doug Iorio II and Bobby Whitling there, it makes everyone in the class more confident. Don’t get me wrong. There are a lot of good guys out there still. But when Doug and Bobby got past you, you were pretty much done,” Haines said with a grin.

   Haines also pulled double duty at Tri-City racing his FASTRAK Late Model along with the Pro Stock.

   “I wish I’d known the tracks were going to run these Late Models before I bought my Pro Stock because I would have done the FASTRAK deal right off the bat. I like the looks of the car and the way they go around the track.”

   He weathered some engine problems Sunday night, but Haines is confident that those will be resolved soon and he’ll run better.

   “I’d really like to get some experience at a bigger track like Tri-City before I take my car to Mercer,” said Haines, who is the general manager of Lakeview Fertilizer in Sandy Lake. “We’ll see how the season goes before I decide where to race both cars.”

   Whatever his decision, Haines will do it with a smile and he’ll likely succeed at it too. And soon that feature win trophy case may just include some track titles as well.

   Haines’ sponsors include Lakeview Fertilizer, Jerry Lucas Auto and Sandy Lake Auto Parts of Sandy Lake, Fred Elder Excavating of Stoneboro, Pap’s Place in Jackson Center, General Welding Supply of Erie, MD Racing Engines of Polk, and national companies Dekalb Seeds and Syngenta Seeds.