FATHER'S RACING LEGACY BRINGS DILLOW FAMILY TOGETHER (THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN BY JIM WALKER, SPORTS EDITOR, OF THE IRONTON TRIBUNE NOVEMBER 7, 2003) (CHRIS PAYNE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ARTICLE AND THE ARTICLE WAS EDITED BY SUSAN DILLOW) Thanks, Dad.  Even though Leukemia took the life of Fred Dillow 13 years ago, his legacy lives on.  And not just in the annual Fred Dillow Memorial Race.  Dillow's son, Steve, has been racing for two years thanks to his father's influence.  And not only is Steve in the racing game, many members of the family have followed suit in some fashion.  "We went out to Grayson (KY), and they let us run 50 laps.  I was thinking I was going really fast and my sister said afterwards, 'You like you were really going slow,' " Steve Dillow said with a laugh.  "But after I was in the car that first time in Grayson, I knew why Dad loved it so much.  It's a rush.  A sudden rush.  You have to hit the corners so hard."  A lot of Fred Dillow lives on in his son's car.  The number 83 on the side of the car is the same number his father used.  It also happened to be the badge number of his father when he worked at the old Ironton Solvey plant.  Steve also has a similar philosophy about his car racing.   "I don't want to conquer the racing world.  Sure, if I could support my family racing, I would, but it's just not possible," Steve Dillow said.  "Dad never took away from us, the family.  If we had a junior high game or my sister had something going on, he always made racing second."  Dillow's First Family of Racing consists of his wife, Michelle, who teaches at Ironton St. Joseph, his mother, Edna, who is a former Powder Puff Racing Undefeated Champion, son Brayden, 2, and daughter, Addison, 3 months.  There's also his borther-in-law Mike Willis, who heads the pit crew.  His sister, Sherri, is a race scorer for Portsmouth Raceway Park, nephew Shayne Willis, and Steve calls his sister, Susan, "our lead cheerleader."  "There are three or four guys who work on the car all year," Steve said.  "Mike's the chassis man.  The last race (we finished second) the car was perfect.  I couldn't have asked for a better car.  I couldn't do it without him."  Being a family racing team has helped Dillow draw various sponsors.  Not only his mother, Edna, who is his biggest supporter, he also gets advertising support from Cost Cutters Family Hair Care, Off-The-Wall Motorsports & Decals, Valvoline, Accent Home Health Care, River's Edge Cafe, Hanes Golf Shop, Fine Line Team Wear , and George Caldwell Performance Racing Engines.  "If not for sponsors and mother, there would not be a car on the track," Dillow said.  "Mom will criticize me.  She'll tell me I'm running too high or that I his that guy.  Michelle came up to me after a close situation on the race track a while back and said, "You got a little anxious back there, didn't you?'"  Dillow has moved along the racing ranks steadily.  After beginning his career at the age of 28, Dillow ranked 14th in points this past season in the Limited Late Model Division, where he ran four out of nine races, including a second place finish, his best ever.  "Last year (2002), we started up front a lot and didn't finish real high.  This year, we didn't start out in front all year," Dillow said.  "Last year we ran every race at Portsmouth and we ran just four this year.  I've increased my race knowledge 100 percent over the last two years."  One of Dillow's highlights this past season was racing at Southern Ohio Speedway.  "One of the places I've always wanted to race was SOS, and we got a chance this year.  A lot of these guys are second generation drivers," Dillow said.  And if imitation is the ultimate compliment, sone has repaid his father several times over.  "I kind of modeled my racing style after dad.  I respect others out there.  I don't put myself in a position to hur myself or anyone else.  But it's not 100 percent safe out there," Dillow said.  "I'm not comparing myself to him.  Dad was just doing what he could to compete.  I just wish he could see his grandchildren."  Memories of his father continue to flow when Steve talks about his family.  He said racing has the family back together at the track and having good, clean fun.  Steve said he remembers his father building a car he got at a junk yard.  "We've had a lot of emotional moments in the last two years, missing dad, thinking about how he's not here," Dillow said.  And just like his father, Steve Dillow will continue to race fo rthe fun it brings to him and his family.  "It would be a dream come true for someone to call and say 'I've got a NASCAR or Busch car I'd like you to race,' but that's never going to happen.  It's more of a hobby.  A very expensive hobby." Steve said.  "I have no doubt in my mind that in four or five years I'll be watching him (son, Brayden) race Go-Karts on Friday and I will race on Saturdays."  Thanks, Dad.

Steve drives a 2004 Fast Trac Late Model Chasis (below) that was designed by Off-The-Wall Motorsports. He competes in both the late model and limited late model divisions at Rocky Top Raceway and Portsmouth Raceway Park.  We're taking the 2007 season off, but will be back racing in 2008!!!

Steve's son Brayden (age 5) and daughter Addison (age 4) presented the trophies during the 13th Annual Fred Dillow Memorial!

Steve with Addison, and Brayden just prior to the start of the 2004 season.

Steve, wife Michelle, son Brayden and daughter Addison.  This photo was taken at the 2003 Fred Dillow Memorial.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS! COST CUTTERS Family Hair Care Off-the-Wall Motorsports Valvoline Echo Dry Cleaners All That Hair and Tanning Armstrong Powder Coatings Accent Health Care Fine Line Teamwear 2Graphic Trading Cards Country Blessings America Lube Showcase Trophies & Awards Sherwin Williams Speedliner M&M Inflatables

Steve scored his first feature wins at Rocky Top Raceway & Southern Ohio Raceway and finished 10th  in the PRP points championship in 2004!

Steve leaving PRP with the kids after the memorial race......