Racers able to slow down life in fast lane
By TRAVIS BARRETT
Staff writer Sunday, July 1, 2007
from the Morning Sentinel

LOUDON, N.H. -- With the eardrum-shattering screeching of tires and race
engines surrounding him in the garage area at New Hampshire
International Speedway, Scott Zipadelli speaks of the surreal serenity
of hunting trips to western Canada.

Chasing the high prestige of a regular gig in the NASCAR Nextel Cup
Series, Ward Burton continues to escape into the natural world whenever
there's time in a busy racing schedule.

Richard Childress created a racing empire, fielding cars for the late
Dale Earnhardt, a seven-time Cup series champion, while working big game
hunts across the globe into his schedule. He has three drivers in
today's Lenox Industrial Tools 300 at NHIS -- including Daytona 500
winner Kevin Harvick, 4-time NHIS winner Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer.

For all of these men, and for countless others working at all levels of
NASCAR, being an outdoorsman takes on added challenges. Finding the time
to spend in the woods or on a lake, helping preserve the same
opportunities for others and, perhaps most importantly, ensuring that
world exists for the next generation top the lengthy to-do list.

"It used to be a hobby, but it's more of a lifestyle now," said
Zipadelli, an East Haddam, Conn., native and crew chief for the Wood
Brothers Racing Busch Series car driven by Kelly Bires. "When we were
kids my dad took my brother and I trout fishing and hunting all the
time. It's something you look forward to -- getting up early with your
dad, having breakfast together, going hunting all day. There's just
nothing like it.

"It's more the adventure part of it, the camaraderie. All the pictures,
the laughing, having fun. Sleeping in a cabin for a week, not shaving,
roughing it a little bit. Life's so short, you've got to spend time with
your friends and family, you know...........
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