hplandmark.com SPORTS the highland park landmark | April 23, 2015 | 39 fastbreak Highland Park’s David Levine making a mark in stock cars Kyle Pokrefky, Staff Writer season is a great run and I’m real proud of the team.” When it comes to stock First catching the racing car racing, you don’t typi- bug after going go-karting cally think of the North with his father over a de- Shore as a breeding ground cade ago at what is now K-1 for prominent names within Speed in Buffalo Grove, the ranks of the sport. Levine put in plenty of hard However, Highland Park’s work to work his way into own David Levine is prov- the driver’s seat in the racing ing that’s not necessarily world in what was certainly true. no easy journey. Currently turning heads But, with racing history in the ARCA Racing Series dating back to the inception — a Toledo, Ohio-based of NASCAR running in his Jamie Bradley/22CM stock car series that has el- blood, it was almost destiny evated the careers of mul- for the 2011 graduate from tiple drivers currently in the Lake Forest Academy to NASCAR ranks — Levine wind up in the seat of a race 1st-And-3 presently sits fourth in the car. Stars of the week overall drivers standings and “My dad and his whole is leading the charge in the family being from Atlanta, 1. Devin Davidson rookie of the year standings we definitely had the racing (ABOVE). The High- David Levine, a Highland Park native, has begun to make a name for himself in the ARCA after three races. bug,” Levine said. “Going Racing Series, which has launched the careers of multiple drivers now in the NASCAR land Park freshman Driving a No. 59 Gary back, his great-grandfather circuit. PR outfielder drove in a Yeoman’s Ford (a Daytona experimented with Indy- run with an RBI dou- Beach, Fla.-based dealer) Car and running moonshine nia. After impressing with expectation and a realistic “It’s fast, it’s fun and the ble in her team’s sponsored for when NASCAR was start- his performance in class, goal,” he said. “Obviously, racing is great,” Levine said loss to Mundelein at Lira Motorsports, Levine ed.” Levine was asked to race in we’re two races into the of the sport. “With short home on April 15. collected his best-ever career The journey into racing the IMSA Continental Tire season so we’ll see how it tracks like this like the ma- ARCA finish, a third-place for Levine, however, proved Sports Challenge, racing a goes.” jority of the ARCA schedule, 2. Grace Quirk. High- result, in the April 11 Troop to be a challenge considering BMW 3-series in 2012 be- With the ARCA Racing you can come up into the land Park’s seniro Aid 200 at Fairgrounds the location of his upbring- fore racing a Ford Mustang Series based in the Midwest, stands and you can see abso- goalkeeper made Speedway Nashville, a half- ing. for 2013 and 2014. hometown fans of Levine lutely everything. numerous difficult mile oval just south of Music “I definitely had that rac- The 21-year-old’s move have plenty of chances to see “Even if you don’t like saves during her City. ing bug in me, but it’s kind into was their driver in action with racing or watching it on TV, team’s loss to Mun- “We had a heck of a car of hard to start racing in gradual as he made a lone five races on the remaining if you can’t get hooked on all race long,” Levine said Chicago,” he said. “There’s start in the ARCA Racing ARCA schedule being four TV, come to the track and delein. minutes after climbing out really only one or two go- Series in 2011 before mak- hours or less by car away you’ll definitely love it — 3. Ben Casey. The of his race car. “Our Gary kart tracks. [Chicagoland ing three further starts in the from Highland Park. especially with the ARCA Highland Park Yeoman’s Ford Fusion was Speedway] wasn’t built until series in 2013 — including a If you’re not a follower of Racing Series. Most of our runner emerged just wicked fast all day long. after I had started racing and start at Chicagoland Speed- stock car racing and to you tracks are in the Midwest so victorious in the I believe we’re rookie of the obviously at that point I was way in Joliet. it’s just “that sport where it’s maybe a six-hour drive 800-meter race dur- race too and I am beat tired too young to use it.” Now a full-time driver in they drive around in circles at the worst to come and get right now. That was 200 laps Levine’s major break- ARCA, Levine’s goals for all day,” Levine adds that if 200 laps of great racing.” ing a meet at Wolt- of hard racing with a lot of through into the auto rac- the season are simple — to watching a full race on TV Levine will be in action ers Field in Highland great guys out there. ing world came in the form win rookie of the year and to won’t change your mind on next in the Federated Auto Park on April 15. “To come home top-six of sports car racing after finish as high in the points as the sport, being present at Parts 200 at Salem Speed- with my best-ever ARCA attending a sports car driv- he possibly can. the track on race day cer- way in Salem, Ind. on Sun- finish three races into the ing school out in Califor- “I believe that’s a realistic tainly will. day, April 26.

Listen Up tune in Index “Dan’s our No. 1. He pitches like that every time he comes out. Boys Tennis: The Giants will welcome CSL 35 - Baseball Crossover opponent New Trier to Highland Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to put together seven innings Park. 33 - Athlete of the Week for him.” • Highland Park hosts New Trier, April 21, Fastbreak is compiled by Editor Jamie Bradley. Dan Casey ­— Highland Park baseball coach on Dan Wagner. 4:30 p.m. Send any questions or comments to jamie@hpland- mark.com.