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SUPPORT OUR CONTRIBUTORS

Dirt Empire Magazine is proud to have assembled a crack staff of freelance photographers and writers who blend their passion for the sport with their talent and artistry to make these pages pop. If you see an image that you’d like to own or need a great image for your shop, drop them a line and support them.

PHOTOGRAPHERS FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE

Bill Blumer Jr. - 24jgfans@gmail.com Bob Mays - catsracin@yahoo.com Carey Akin - cmakin@att.net Casey Bollig - caseybolligphotography@gmail.com Dan Demarco - deacon39@me.com Dave Hill - dshill@mchsi.com Greg Stanek - greg_cubs23@yahoo.com Joseph Swann - swannracing066@gmail.com Josh James – joshjamesphotos@gmail.com Michael Boggs - michaelboggsphotography@gmail.com Mike Campbell - mikecampbellphotos@gmail.com Mike Musslin – dirtnut777@gmail.com Mike Ruefer - mikerueferphotos@gmail.com Paul Arch - peanumber10@comcast.net Quentin Young - quentinyoungphoto@yahoo.com Rick Sherer - ricksherer@outlook.com Ron Skinner - ronskinnerphotos@yahoo.com Ryan Northcote - ryannorthcote@gmail.com Ryan Roberts - jryanroberts@ymail.com Tony Hammett - tony.hammett@charter.net Tyler Carr - tcarr95vc@gmail.com Vahok Hill – vahok.hill@cox.net

that’s a

WRAP

Words & Pictures: Greg Stanek

No better way to finish an issue than with a great wrap. That’s a wrap!

AIR FORCE VETERAN Wesley Briggs, a regular at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland Mo in the B-Mod class decided he wanted to do a special wrap for the USRA Nationals and the end result was a beautiful race car commemorating the 13 soldiers we lost earlier this year in Kabul, Afghanistan.*

Briggs served in the United States Air Force from 1993-2002. “It means everything to me,” Briggs said of his time in the Air Force. “I’m glad I served. Those people - they’re way underpaid for what they do and hours they put in. It’s 365 days a year, 24 hours a day on-call.” Briggs was overseas most of his military career, including stints in Guam, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Among his most vivid memories are serving in the desert heat as a transportation specialist and working the aftermath of a 220 mile-per-hour typhoon in Guam

Briggs would most likely have made the Air Force his career but a visit to the doctor in 2000 changed his life forever. A diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis would lead to a medical discharge 2 years later. “When I was diagnosed back in 2000, they didn’t know a lot about MS,” Briggs said. “He said, ’Look, I don’t want to diagnose you. You’re 27 years old and you’re gonna be in a wheelchair in five years and dead in 10.’ I was like, ‘OK, cool.’ I walked out of his office and it didn’t really even hit me.” Briggs returned home after his discharge and got into racing in 2006 as a way to remain physically active. He bought a mini-stock and raced a little at Lebanon Midway Speedway. He joked that “I was getting lapped on cautions.”

Then Briggs bought a Crate Late Model and ran at several area tracks, even taking a shot against better, morepowerful cars in the Show-Me Racing Series. Making features, even as a provisional starter and earning $325, was big for him. Briggs took a few years off from racing, moving to the Kansas City area where he met and married (Lisa Briggs) in 2011. Upon moving back to Lebanon a couple of years ago to help care for his parents - who have since passed away - he got back into racing with the B-mods.

As for his MS, Briggs has far surpassed that initial diagnosis from the Air Force doctor 21 years ago. That’s his biggest win. “I’m doing good,” Briggs said. “I still have my days. I have pain and tingling, my body feels hot on the inside. I get tired a lot. “A win for me is making the feature, loading the car in one piece and not being in a wheelchair. Victory for me is having fun and I love talking to people.”