Dreams can come true with hard work - one such Billy Ballew Motorsports Crew Members is living that dream, at least on a part-time basis ...

Reprinted with permission from writer and the City of Jacksonville Employee News

By Rachel Davis   He’s a city mechanical inspector by week, but come the weekend, Doug Schloss is living the dream of NASCAR fans everywhere. From tracks in Martinsville, Va., to Dover, Del., to At­lanta and Daytona, Schloss travels with the NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck Series team from Billy Ballew Motorsports.

On the track he’s a mechanic for the number 51 truck driven by Kyle Busch. During the race he catches tires, runs gas to and from the track and waves the sign when Busch drives into the pit. Schloss has worked for the City of Jacksonville for two years and during race season uses his vacation days for those Fridays before race day.

“It’s a nice fit,” he said of the balance of blending a good job with a weekend passion. And how does his boss, me­chanical inspections supervisor Eric Pardee, feel about it? “Oh, he thinks it’s cool,” Schloss said. (Actually it was Pardee who wrote to Employee News about Schloss’ part-time gig.)

For Schloss, racing came naturally. His father owned a speed shop in New Jersey, selling custom parts for street cars and race cars. Schloss bought his first race car when he turned 16.

He and his now-21-year-old son Tighe (named after race car driver Tighe Scott) raced together on local tracks in Jacksonville and further south in Barbersville. But operating his own car got expensive and Schloss opted to enjoy racing from the comfort of his armchair.

Last year Schloss decided to try his hand again at racing, this time for someone else. He was hired on by Billy Ballew Motorsports on the number 15 truck with driver Bill Lester. This year he was promoted to Busch’s team.

“He’s the hottest driver on the NASCAR circuit out there,” Schloss said of Busch. “A lot of people like him and a lot of people don’t because he has an aggressive style. But he’s a good kid. Kyle just lives to race.”

In addition to the adrenaline of the pit, Schloss said he also enjoyed the travel involved with being a crew member. Since he joined the team, they’ve raced at tracks in Las Vegas, Indianapolis, Daytona, Homestead and Charlotte – to name a few. “Just to get to go all over the country,” he said, “it’s just a real neat time.”

For more information about Billy Ballew Motorsports and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series visit www.billyballewmotor­sports.com