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Williamson Has History Of Success

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By BILL GREEN

Tribune correspondent

Published: July 17, 2008

Starting in the Kids Club at Auburndale Speedway in 1996, 10-year-old Aaron Williamson drove the first race of his young racing career. A dozen years later, at 22, he is a crafty veteran with a Mini-Stock championship, two Southern Sportsman championships and a shot at the local Late Model classes.

"My dad, David, started racing in 1990," said Williamson, a Mulberry native. "I watched until I was older, then I helped on the car and finally got the Kids Club chance in 1996, but that was with a co-driver at first."

As Williamson showed the Kids Club the kind of talent he had, he was relieved of his co-driver after just three races. In his last Club year, the 14-year-old dominated the senior class. But his best year was yet to come.

"In 2001, I was just 15 and my dad and track owner J.T. Beard went to bat for me," he said. "Getting a judge's signature and special insurance so I could compete, I got to race in the 4-cyl Bombers."

Williamson won 17 races in the class on the season, not an easy feat when the previous week's winner starts last in the next race. One string during that run saw Williamson win 13 races in a row on his way to being one of the youngest championship winners in Florida history.

"It was an incredible year," Williamson said. "So in 2002, my dad built himself a new street stock and I got the old one. I finished second in the points that year."

His next move would prove to be even harder. Taking the street stock his father had given him, Williamson traveled in 2003 to the tracks the Southern Sportsman Series would visit in 2004, preparing for his move into the traveling series. He figured the street stock style cars in this class offered the best experience for the money spent.

"My first year in the Southern Sportsman Series, all that groundwork the year before paid off," he said. "I won the championship. I repeated as champion in 2005. I almost got a third in a row, but had to settle for second in the end."

Williamson has the stats to show for his talent, but he realizes to move into the bigger, more attention-getting Late Models will take big money. Sponsorship is hard to come by in local racing, now more than ever as gas prices soar and entry fees rise.

"My family has helped me so far, but there's just no way to expect them to give up what they would have to for me to move up," Williamson said. "I know I can do it, I've just got to get the right chance."

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