Family bond grows stronger through passion of racing
CHANDLER, Ariz. - Jeff Korol's passion for racing was fueled by his dad. When he was just a young teenager, his dad helped fuel his passion.
"He sponsored race cars through his business and a good friend of ours had a sprint car and I ended up pitting for him" says Jeff.
And the same is true for Jeff's daughter Chelsea.
"When he was about 15 he and his brother started racing. They built their own car and they raced it," she said.
She started racing at 15.
"We’ve been around cars all my life so street rods car shows rod runs things like that and then we got into drag racing," she says.
Chelsea, her dad and her brother Matthew then built this car.
"My dad said hey it's time to sell our street rod. Let's buy the Beretta so it was a rolling chassis, which means it was not together the frame in the role cage. The body was on it, but nothing else was put together," she said.
In six months they got it built and it took it to their first show.
That's a day Jeff will never forget.
"I still remember that day. I know my son has raced in that car. My daughter has and there’s a lot of memories there," said Jeff.
Memories Jeff continues making — he still races the car — but Chelsea has her own now.
It's a 1963 Buick Special.
"My favorite thing is doing a burnout just kind of getting everything prepped and ready," she says.
She added that the bond shes created with her dad has grown stronger because of racing cars.
"Cars have always been that glue that’s kept us together and kept us close and that’s something that I will forever be grateful for," says Chelsea.
Street Car Takeover happening on Friday in Chandler
Gates for spectators open tomorrow at 4 p.m. for the Street Car Takeover.
The will have drag racing, roll-racing burnouts and a variety of vendor booths.