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SNS Driver Looks at Life Differently Now

KENLY N.C. _ Wilson’s Gary Gardner, because of developments the last several months, realizes life’s daily simplicities can’t be taken for granted.

The 30-year-old race-car driver finds himself more appreciative of the functions he’s able to perform.

Ironically, Gardner’s revamped approach to his life and his passion for racing has resulted in unexpected 2001 success in the Super Stock division at Southern National Speedway.

Gardner enters Saturday night’s feature as the division’s points leader. He steered his Monte Carlo to a runner-up finish in the opener, claimed third in his second start and celebrated in Victory Lane after his last outing.

“This is what it is all about,” the jubilant Gardner said following his late-April run to the checkered flag. “This is what you come out here for. It surprises me we are able to do as good as we do with what we have to work with. It’s even better when you can win.”

Gardner pondered not racing in 2001. His life changed abruptly and radically when his wife, Wendy, 10 days after she had given birth to the couple’s first child, suffered a stroke.

The Gardners recently received encouraging news that Wendy is not in danger of suffering another stroke. She continues to recuperate but Gary Gardner’s responsibilities are many.

He remains in the capacity of service technician at Lee Motor Company but, at home, he cares for his wife and their 7-month-old child. Gary Gardner is the cook, the babysitter, the shopper, the house cleaner, etc. You name a domestic task and he does it.

Gary Gardner is grateful for the assistance he has received from his and her parents, his and her family members and friends. He adds Lee Motor Co. personnel have been wonderful and extremely understanding.

“It takes all my time,” he said with a smile and in an upbeat tone. “I told her I was not going to race. But I had to race to keep my sanity.”

But Gardner insists he races with the intent of staying out of trouble and keeping his ride in one piece. He and his brother, Bill, who races in the Late Model Sportsman division, are provided cars by their father, Joe Gardner.

The Wilson driver has stayed with the game plan the first three races. In the opener, Gardner raced with bumper-to-bumper with Elm City’s Ron Langley but never seriously attempted to get around Langley’s Cutlass.

In the last race, the situation was similar against Kinston’s Gary Davis. This time, Gardner made the pass and raced to his first victory.

“I didn’t have a lane against Ron,” Gardner said. “I had a lane against Gary; he couldn’t keep it on the bottom. I am not tearing up anything. It’s not worth it.”

Life slowly returns to normal for the Gardner family and, as it does, Gary Gardner hopes to challenge for the first division championship of his racing career.

But, as he said, “very carefully.”