By Cheryl Licklider, Staff Writer

At the tender of age of 5, when most boys occupy themselves with fantasies of racing while pushing their Hot Wheels in the sand box, Jon Herring Jr. already was competing in International Kart Federation (IKF) go-carts at tracks across the state.

“I started racing at Clinton, but I’ll never forget beating the tri-state champion at Dodge City,” said Herring. “I had a lot of fun, my dad even opened a go-cart track in Woodward for several years and I can remember weekends when we had 120 cars there.”

This young hot shoe chased checkered flags in the IKF series for nine years before he climbed behind the wheel of his first modified at the legendary Garfield County Fairgrounds track. It is only natural Herring feels at home in a race car as this third generation racer carries on the Herring family tradition. His father Jon Herring Sr. has been a regular at Enid Speedway Park for the past 22 years. His grandfather Jon Herring has owned and sponsored race cars for nearly four decades.

“Racing is awesome,” said Herring. “I can’t wait for Saturday nights. I love the adrenaline rush. I race every chance I get. One vacation, I raced nine days straight. It was tough because it was over a hundred degrees every day, but I had a blast.”

This 19-year-old driver has logged a great deal of seat time and experience over the past four years competing at tracks including Enid, Dodge City, Oklahoma City, Elk City, Beaver, Liberal and Clinton.

Cars are an important part of this young driver’s life. He started fabricating bodies for race cars when he was only 14 and has built 12 cars from the ground up. Herring is serious about pursuing a career in motorsports. He is a second-year National Technical Honor Society student in the Automotive Service Technology program at High Plains Technology Center in Woodward. His goal is to continue his education at the NASCAR Technical Institute in Martinsville, N.C., next year where he plans to major in mechanical engineering.

“I enjoy the modified, but it is starting to feel slow,” said Herring. “I’d like to race something faster like a sprint car. I’m going to be in North Carolina, who knows maybe I’ll get an opportunity to race something really fast.”

This talented contender disclosed that he has benefited by actively seeking out successful mentors in the track’s premier division.

“Mike Roach has been really great,” said Herring. “I stop by the body shop and ask him questions all the time. Jason Hughes has helped me a lot this year, too. I talk to him at least twice a week and he has been extremely helpful. Jason races at least six times a week and knows a lot about racing. I spent about an hour with Eddie Martin recently and learned a lot from him too.”

Herring’s quick No. 96 modified sports a Shaw Racing Chassis and is powered by a Dunsworth Machine motor which was assembled by his dad. Herring manufactured the body. Sponsors include DWL, Duggins Equipment, MRP Power Supply, Thompson’s Welding, Herring Services and his grandfather. His parents, grandfather, sister Natasha, Devin Cobalt, Ryan Harris and Dean Warner serve as loyal crew members.

“They are awesome,” said Herring. “I couldn’t do it without them.”