FORESTVILLE — When Tim Fitzpatrick began his racing career 27 years ago, he forgot about one thing.
When you win, people notice.
“My dad used to bring us here when we were kids, and we loved it,” Fitzpatrick said last Friday night at Big Diamond Speedway. “The minute I turned 16, I had to do it.”
But Tim did not tell his brother Shawn.
“He read my name in the paper,” Tim said. “That’s how he knew I was up here. He said, ‘Who’s this Tim Fitzpatrick that won up at Big Diamond?’ ”
These days, there’s an entire clan of Fitzpatricks walking through the pits at Big Diamond, but just one is leading the points.
That’s Tim, who has turned a steady season into his possible first-ever track title in the sportsman class.
“I’ve been racing a long time and never have done it,” he said. “The truth is, at this point, I’d like to get a win or two. I like victory lane better than the points.”
Fitzpatrick has won five heat races, second among the sportsmen to Mike Mammana’s seven.
But Fitzpatrick hasn’t had the opportunity to talk to Big Diamond announcer Tim Pitts in Victory Lane over the past two seasons.
“We’ve been so-so and we just keep on trying something different, trying to get what we need for the feature,” he said, mentioning different weight configurations, springs and shocks.
Yet sometimes, he said, the points have to come first.
He said, “Last week, I went out with a not-so-good tire and there was a top (cushion) up there, but with the tire, I didn’t feel confident in the car so I stayed in line and took a fifth place instead of taking a chance of getting out of the groove up top and losing 10 positions.
“So I guess you do think about it a little bit.”
At least, there are plenty of opinions about setups around Fitzpatrick’s car. On any night featuring the regular divisions, there are many cars and drivers in three divisions coming from the Branchdale shop.
“Truthfully, we live through the bush about 500 yards (from the track), so closeness for us is the key,” he said.
In addition to Tim, there are brothers Shawn, driving a modified, and T.J., piloting a roadrunner. There’s also Tim Fitzpatrick Jr. in another roadrunner. Buck Run’s Jesse Krasnitsky also stores his roadrunner with the Fitzpatricks.
“Whoever needs help, we’re all there to help each other,” Tim Fitzpatrick said. “We’re here together on a Friday night, but we’re usually together a couple of nights a week.
“How many people can say they’re here with their brothers, three, four times a week, or five times a week? It keeps us close. We’re a close family.”
Tim Fitzpatrick has driven a sportsman for the past four years after he and Shawn both competed in the modified ranks. Both have modified wins at Big Diamond.
“It’s very expensive, even for the sportsman, but it’s a little cheaper than trying to run the modifieds,” he said of the sportsman. “Plus, I don’t think we like racing against each other too much.”
Tim has settled into the modified-style cars with sail panels and their challenge of following his brother Shawn on the track.
“The bottom line for the sportsmen is it’s after the modifieds run and the track’s pretty used up,” he said, “so we’re trying to get that car hooked up to the track after there’s not much bite left in it. That’s the toughest part for the sportsmen.”
But Tim Fitzpatrick has mastered the track enough that solid finishes in the 2015 season have become routine.
And yet ...
“A good season for me would be to stay on top of the points and sneak a win or two in there. We’re running out of time, though. We’ve got to get it together soon.”
But succeed or fail, don’t expect Tim Fitzpatrick to be anywhere else on Friday nights in the summer.
“I love the adrenaline of it. I’m an adrenaline junkie, no doubt about it,” he said. “I’m 43 now and I still love that rush.”
Today’s races
Where: Big Diamond Speedway, Forestville
When: 8:15 p.m. Gates open at 5:45 p.m.
Program: 358 modifieds, sportsmen, roadrunners and Pennsylvania Mini-Stock Series; Also mechanics’ races for all classes.
Admission: General admission, $15; Senior citizens, $12; Children ages 12 and under and active military with identification, free.
Note: Military veterans who present official military identification will receive free meal tickets.