Galloway young but in charge

Joey Galloway looked more like an actor for a Colgate commercial than a race car driver last Saturday night at the Emo Speedway as he walked around flashing his pearly whites.
Galloway was happy, and why not? He had just come off the track as the winner of the eight-car feature race for the MOD-A class after having won his heat earlier in the evening.
But even when Galloway isn’t taking the checkered flag, he is always smiling at the speedway where he competes in a sport that has become a love that hasn’t cheated on him yet.
“The rush you get from racing is something else,” he remarked. “I just live for racing. I think about it all the time and what needs to be done on the car, and what can we change to make it better and faster.”
And by the way, ladies and gentlemen, Galloway, who finished in fourth place in the points standings this season, is only 16 years old.
He started out with the go-karts at age 12 and in his first season with the Modifieds, he’s made a statement that has been received loud and clear by his fellow drivers.
“He’s young and has done very well for himself, and I hope he keeps going,” said Vic Larson, the points champion this year and last at the Emo Speedway as well as the 2003 Canadian WISSOTA Modified champion.
“Give him a few more [years] and watch out, because he’ll be fast.
“He’s also a good kid and is fun to race against,” added Larson. “He runs a good line, he’s clean, and will help you out if you ever need a hand. I hope he keeps going because he can only get better.”
Those sentiments were shared by Borderland Racing Association president Dave Allen, who also believes Galloway can only get better.
“I’ve known him for three or so years, it’s probably longer than that, and Joey is just fun to be around,” Allen said. “And as a race car driver, he’s as good as anyone out here, but he had a good teacher in Arpin.”
For three years, Galloway was a pit man for Chuck Arpin and his son, Steve, who is widely regarded as the best racer to come out of Fort Frances.
“I learned everything from [Steve],” said Galloway. “I pretty much got an identical car to his, so I would know what to do. I helped the Arpins and pitted for them, and it was time to move on I guess.
“We were thinking about going to the Street Stock [class] but they talked me out of it,” added Galloway, who obviously hasn’t regretted the decision.
And though the teen has a great deal of respect for Arpin, he doesn’t want to follow in somebody else’s footsteps, but rather make his own.
“Steve is a role model for me, but I still want to make a name for myself. I don’t want to follow in his footsteps, I want to try and set my own path,” Galloway stressed.
Galloway hopes to make a name for himself next season in the United States as he plans to race against more and better competition in a country where racing is given much more attention.
“Here in Emo, I’m not saying the guys aren’t fast, but there is so many more cars down there and you just learn so much more,” he reasoned. “You’ll go down there, and even if you don’t do so good, you’ll still have seat time and learn lots, so it’s still worth it even if you lose.”
“Around here we’re just a bunch of hillbillies,” Allen admitted when asked if he felt Galloway’s decision to race more frequently south of the border was a wise one.
“And he’ll learn a lot more if he goes to the States.”
Galloway already is learning more with each race and constantly is thinking about the sport that is “high-risk” to say the least.
“My friends and lots of people say I’m crazy and say I shouldn’t be racing at such a young age, but lots of people think it’s good to get the young guys coming out and seeing them work their way up.
“And I know that it’s high-risk, but it’s just what I love to do and that’s why I do it,” he smiled, “I just love racing.”