Pubdate: Sun, 10 Apr 2005 Source: Lexington Herald-Leader (KY) Copyright: 2005 Lexington Herald-Leader Contact: http://www.kentucky.com/mld/heraldleader/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/240 Author: Ryan Alessi, Herald-Leader Staff Writer Say no to drugs and say it fast Harlan Boy, 14, Puts Anti-Drug Logo On His Race Car CORBIN - No license. No worries. Fourteen-year-old Nathan Vanover simply slammed his foot on the pedal, gunned the engine and took off. His only concern was whether he was going fast enough. Vanover, a Harlan County resident, took to the Corbin Speedway yesterday to prepare for the track's opening race in his '80s-model Camaro. From the stands, it's impossible to tell that Vanover is two years away from being legally able to drive on the roads. On the track, he's just another racer in the stock car Pure Street division. But his white #33 car does stand out from the orange, blue and black blurs of the other Camaros with their car dealer and auto parts store logos. Vanover's car sports the blue and gold emblem and 1-866-OP-UNITE number of the anti-drug Operation UNITE program -- short for Unlawful Narcotics Investigations, Treatment and Education. "I just like to help people," said Vanover. He said he and his friends at Evarts Elementary School, where Vanover is an honors student, have recently become aware of the drug prevention message that UNITE touts. "They think it's a good thing for Kentucky because we've got a lot of people doing drugs," he said. "In Harlan County where I'm from, it's everywhere." So after Vanover and his father, Paul, spent the winter fixing up the Camaro that they bought last fall from Corbin Speedway's owner, Nathan insisted on having an anti-drug message displayed on it. Through Harlan County magistrate Chad Brock, the Vanovers got in touch with UNITE to offer a free billboard. "I was so excited when Chad called and said Nathan was interested," said Karen Engle, UNITE's executive director. "It's the perfect audience. It's the kids we need to reach, and it's everything we need to get the word out." Targeted advertising is particularly essential for UNITE because it's been around only since 2003. U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, a Somerset Republican, helped create it and has since steered $24 million in federal funds to the program. In addition to anti-drug education, UNITE covers treatment for addicts, runs follow-up programs and funds undercover investigations and prosecutions of dealers. "These kids are going to look up to him far more than some program," Engle said of Vanover. "If we can identify the key youth like Nathan, they can really carry the message that there are cool things to do that don't involve drugs." Roughly a quarter of the few hundred Corbin Speedway fans on any given Saturday night are age 17 or under, said John Davis, the track's owner and general manager. "It's a great thing that they're doing that," Davis said. "I don't know of any other car that has had anything of that nature on it." As for Vanover's age, Davis said he's had half a dozen drivers on his quarter-mile track in the last two years who were younger than 16. One even managed to win a truck race last year. Each division averages 12 to 20 vehicles. "It's a really tough learning curve," he said. "They're kind of starting out with their backs against the walls. There's some tough competition out there." Paul Vanover said his son has always been competitive and has improved since making his debut in a couple of races last fall. "What he basically needs is seat time," said Paul Vanover, who used to race on dirt tracks. "Basically, if this is what he wants to do, I'll help him do it. There's a thousand other things he could get into that are much worse." In a preliminary run early yesterday afternoon, Vanover overcorrected on a turn and spun into the infield. His next time out, he smoothly handled the curves. And in his first go-'round with other Camaros from his division, he hung with the others on the straightaways, then cautiously slowed down at the turns. "This stuff doesn't come easy," Paul Vanover said after his son returned from those laps. "It's a lot different getting out there with the other cars than it is doing it by yourself." But the younger Vanover said he's looking forward to improving, loves working on his car and the rush of the racing. Some NASCAR drivers even get discovered at tracks like Corbin's. "But I know I've gotta work for that," he said, then gave a wide grin. "Hopefully, I'll be famous some day." - --- MAP posted-by: Derek