The words "Iron Man" bring to mind a blockbuster movie with Robert Downey Jr. but in the Deep Dixie Racing world it means something else. It represents a driver who is at the track any and every where. The driver can put himself to the front in any given situation and never gives up. He does what's necessary to get to a race each and every week. Brian Hansford has been the epitome of what an Iron Man is. He can be found at a race track every week and no matter how near or far to his house he loads up and hits the road. Brian has true grit and resolve to follow a dream that was realized through a love of the sport given to him by someone he loved dearly.
Humanity requires of all of us to sympathize with the others we meet on the road of life whether we share a story with them or whether we come from a different book all together. I share a story with Brian, and my humanity has caused me to identify with him because of this commonality. Brian had a hero like myself. A person who gave us things in life that can never be forgotten. The men we call our fathers. Brian was brought to the race track by his hero, his father, and was given a gift by him. A gift of a love of racing. It was something they loved to do. A way for father and son to bond and spend all important time together. Brian's dad was the one to put him in his first race car 4 years ago.
A street stock that he ran his first race at Cottonwood, Alabama in. It brought the father-son team together even more. Brian began to see success as a driver and won a track championship in his first full racing season at Smokey Harris Speedway. It was looking to be a spectacular future for them until a couple of years ago things began to change. Brian's dad was diagnosed with a cancer that gave him little to no hope and he was given 6 months to live. It devastated Brian. How could he carry on when his hero was so sick. His father never gave up and beat it for a year and a half making it to each and every race Brian was in even when he was too sick to get out of his vehicle he would still be there at the track just because his son was there racing.
A year and a half he spent with his son, encouraging, cheering for, and loving his son until the cancer returned and he succumbed to the disease. As someone who has lost a father I know the pain Brian carries. It makes his story a little more personal for those of us who have lost someone we called our hero. Brian has kept his and his dad's dream of racing alive by continuing to race. He has won two more track championships since then at Cottonwood and North Florida Speedway. He carries on with the help of someone we have all seen at each and every race with him. His wife Krystal. Brian will tell you he could not do it without her. While he's at work she can hold down the house, the family, and will (and I'm not lying) change out the motor in the car and make any changes needed to the car. She has been his rock and there with him through everything on and off the track. Krystal is a true racer's wife.
Winning 17 races last season he also couldn't do it without the help of some great sponsors like, Ryan Fowler Race Cars, Outlaw Race Parts, Lajoie Seats and Arnett Septic. These sponsors have been there to help Brian become such a success this past season. They will carry him through this season where he will be racing in the Nesmith Street Stock Series and regular shows around the area. For his future Brian sees an endless sky of racing potential. Deep Dixie sees nothing but success in his future too. It's why he's the winner of this award. He can get to the track and get the job done along with the help of his wife Krystal who will be there making sure Brian has everything he needs to follow his dream and there will always be the extra member of the crew who is with Brian every time he hits the track, his dad. Now that I know more of Brian's story and know there is a shared life experience I will always look at him as more than just a driver, but as a man who is racing every race for his hero, who is an Iron Man because one man gave him a love of a sport and the iron will to get to the front and every time Brian does, I imagine there is a big smile in heaven somewhere with nothing but pride being sent to victory lane and someone saying "that's my son". Congratulations Brian, I know your dad is proud of you.
