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(Photo by Mike Howard Photos)

Inside Line Promotions – LUBBOCK, Texas (Jan. 6, 2014) – Graves Motorsports began in the early 1980s when Jerry Graves began to race cars himself.

Graves piloted stock cars, modifieds, sports mods and sprint cars during a career that lasted nearly 30 years before a devastating injury made him rethink everything.

“I always wanted to race, but as a business owner I knew I couldn’t get hurt,” he said. “My business is a third-generation business.”

Graves stopped driving in 2011 after a bad crash, which broke his sternum. At that point he went from owner/driver to owner/crewman, which was a transition that wasn’t as difficult as some may think for the veteran who enjoyed numerous championships and victories behind the wheel.

“Before, I did everything myself and now it’s a lot easier with more help,” he said. “With all the years I raced it was me and my wife, Donna. We’d get the car ready and I’d race it. With this team deal it’s a lot easier because we both work on it.”

Enter Kolt Walker, who had known of Graves since Walker was a child.

“I first got to know Jerry from going to the races around the Lubbock, Texas, area,” Walker said. “My dad raced in the late model division for 26 or 27 years and Jerry was also racing some divisions then. I got to know him at a younger age going to the races and hearing his name. He was kind of the top dog around the West Texas area.”

Walker even competed against Graves in a couple of 305ci sprint car races in the mid-2000s before the opportunity arose to drive for Graves following the injury.

“I am really grateful for Jerry and Donna providing me the chance to drive for them and for sticking with me,” Walker said.

Graves, whose oldest son, JD, will join the team as a crew member this season, said his favorite class of race cars is sprint cars. That was the division he favored from 2006 until his crash.

“I liked the sprint cars the best,” he said. “They are more easy to work on and more drivable. They are just more racy. A sprint car can be a little bit off and you can still win with it. A stock car, when it’s off it is off.”

MEDIA LINKS –

Website: http://www.KoltWalkerRacing.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kolt.Walker?fref=ts

PARTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES –

Graves Motorsports is searching for additional partners to be able to compete for the ASCS Lone Star Region championship in 2014. For more information about supporting the team, e-mail Kolt at KoltWalker@gmail.com.

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Vortex Wings

Vortex Wings is co-owned by Lynton Jeffrey, who is a sprint car veteran. For more information, visit http://www.VortexRacingProducts.com.au.

“I want to thank Lynton Jeffrey and Vortex Wings for all of the support and for building the best wings out there,” Walker said.

Graves Motorsports would also like to thank A-Rock Materials, Advantage Homes, John and Stefanie Haley, Briley Trucking, Wilson Wrecker Service, Lubbock Wrecker Service, Two Hands Down Massage Therapies, FK Rod Ends, Winters Performance Products, King Racing Products, BR Motorsports, Day Motorsports, Astro Titanium, Wilwood Brakes, ART Speed Equipment, Sparco, Shell Shock, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, KSE Racing Products, A-Line Auto Parts and Brown & Miller Racing Solutions for their continued support.

INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –

Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations and media management for motor sports teams. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and the return on investment for your sponsors.

To meet the media relations needs of your program and to join Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or InsideLinePromotions@gmail.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.