Dawson Times

As the summer racing series winds down, two young racers emerge, having faced numerous challenges while gaining much experience and even a victory or two.  Cousins Trey Poole and Chase Elliott have racing in their blood.  Trey’s grandfather and namesake Jack “Hotrod” Poole was burning up the track in Beaumont, Texas in the early fifties.  Currently, his uncle and Chase’s dad, Bill Elliott, mentor the pair and has coached them to victory this summer as they've made the rounds between Charlotte and Atlanta. 

Trey Poole

Trey, 18, hails from Pine Mountain, Georgia where he recently graduated from Harris County High School.  He now makes plans to enter Kennesaw State College in the fall where he will study Engineering.

It’s his second year in racing.  Poole began racing high performance carts in Colorado where he finished second in points in his class.  He is now racing in the Legends Series driving a 5/8 scale 1934 Ford Coupe in the semi-pro class where he captured first place just last week.

When asked if racing was scary, Poole describes racing as “more thrilling than it is scary.”  “I’ve had one really bad accident at Lanier,” said Poole.  “That scared me.  I got caught up in someone else’s melee in the front and had nowhere to go but the wall.  It knocked me out and I hurt my shoulder and wrist a little bit.  I didn’t realize I was knocked out.  Hitting the wall was the last thing I remembered.  I remember seeing the blue sky because I hit the wall in the air and the next thing I remember was waking up dizzy.  A buddy of mine who was under me in the three or four cars that were piled up came over to see if I was ok,” he explained.  The throttle was pinned and the motor was still running strong.  Poole was able to climb out the window and walk away from the wreckage.  “When you don’t know what’s going on, it kind of scares you a little bit; when you first wake up you don’t know if the thing’s on fire or if it’s going to catch on fire.  That was the most frightening hit I’ve taken.”

In the twenty laps the racers are on the track, they must stay focused.  According to Poole, “you have to get what you want done—quick.”  Poole looks at this summer as a great “learning experience.”

In his spare time, Trey enjoys four-wheelers, dirt bikes, the beach and snow skiing.  Trey is a seasoned traveler, visiting numerous NASCAR events with his family.  He also has been on several Caribbean cruises.  Trey enjoys music including Lifehouse and a variety of alternative rock as well as country artists.   He is a former baseball champ at his high school where he experienced a knee injury.  Trey’s dad, Randy Poole, travels with him and spends a great deal of time working on the cars.  So far Trey has been able to balance his racing career with his personal life well.

Trey looks forward to a long career in racing in any capacity whether engineering or driving.  “Hopefully it will be turning the wheel,” reports Poole.  “I want to drive.  That’s my goal.”  When asked about his future, Poole acknowledges, “In five years I would like to be doing something in NASCAR driving-wise -- either truck or Busch.  Obviously the goal is the highest in NASCAR, the Nextel Cup.”  By then Trey will be 23 years old and finished with college.

Trey gratefully acknowledges his sponsor Aaron’s Sales & Lease Ownership and his associate sponsors ABF, Dawsonville Pool Room and The Georgia Racing Hall of Fame, as well as Cindy and Bill Elliott, for helping to make this possible.

Chase Elliott

Chase Elliott, 11, has been racing since he was seven.  “We started out racing in Blue Ridge,” recalls Elliott.  “It was a dirt cart; a go-cart but you race them on dirt.”  The sixth grader is returning to Georgia after having lived for several years in Colorado.  Education is as important to Chase as well as his parents.  The honor student admits, “I work hard to get good grades.  You have to get good grades or you’re not really earning anything.”  When not in school or racing, Chase enjoys “hanging out with friends,” as well as baseball and football.

Chase will have run 15 races this summer under the legendary number nine like his father.  “Dad ran the nine and I always liked the number nine,” remarks Elliott.  A family tradition continues.  Not only does Chase enjoy driving, he also likes the technical aspects of racing.  “I love to work on the cars,” says Elliott, “To me, that’s just fun.”  Though, “it’s not as fun as driving; it’s like working on a house or something, I just think it’s more of a pleasure to work on something to progress things.”

Chase’s plans for the future include hopes of extending his early racing into a permanent career.  “I would like to be a race car driver.  If everything stays as it is now in either racing Cup or someone that has really good racing, I would like to be a race car driver.  I want to stay in racing as long as I keep progressing and doing good.”  Currently Chase is participating in the Thursday Thunder series where he placed first this week at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the Bandolero Bandits division and next year’s plans have not been confirmed.  “We have a bunch of options but we haven’t chosen yet,” reports Elliott.

When asked if his early career in racing has led to friends treating him any differently, he humbly replies, “I don’t really look at it like that. They’re just my friends and don’t treat me any different than anybody else and they shouldn’t.”  Chase enjoys snowboarding and expects to participate in either baseball or football in school if there is no conflict with his racing schedule.

Elliott is sponsored by ABF Freight System/ABF U-Pack Moving and his associate sponsors are Aaron’s Sales & Lease Ownership, Dawsonville Pool Room and The Georgia Racing Hall of Fame.  “I’m very fortunate to have as many sponsors as I do right now,” says Chase.”