Mack sees time slipping away as he fulfills dream

Like the Ford he drives, Lloyd Mack is built tough.

The California native has to be. He's one of dozens meandering around speedway garages vying for the attention of team owners and looking for a decent shot at success in NASCAR's big leagues.

At age 25, Mack feels he may be reaching his expiration date in a sport where those respective team owners are in constant search of the next "Young Gun."

Lloyd Mack

Mack can't afford to hold on to the dream forever. He is planning a wedding and has a son to support. If racing doesn't pan out and become a stable source of income, Mack will have to find what people in the average world call "work."

Watching Cup practice at Auto Club Speedway this weekend, Mack said he hopes a second round in NASCAR's diversity program will extend his shelf life.

As a member of the 2008 Drive for Diversity class, Mack will race in the Camping World West Series for Roadrunner Motorsports; his first full-time ride in a stockcar.

Mack, younger brother of former IndyCar driver George Mack, has won two national karting championships and five California state championships.

In 2000 and 2001, Mack raced Super Late Models at Irwindale Speedway recording one win, eight top-fives and 17 top-10s in 22 starts. The following year, Mack started six Modified races at Irwindale, finishing in the top five in all six. In 2003, he made is first foray into the Indy Racing League by testing cars for Sam Schmidt Motorsports.

Mack returned to Modifieds in 2005 and won two races at Irwindale Speedway. He finished in the top 10 in four of the five races he started. He also won two races in 2006 in the King Taco Super Truck Division.

Last year he competed in NASCAR's Camping World West and in five starts finished 24th in points. His 2008 season begins March 29th in Roseville, Calif.

"I'm excited," he said. "You know I'm still searching for additional sponsorship so we can run at a more competitive level. Right now we have just enough to get by."

The Drive for Diversity gives its members financial support, $150,000, which Mack said will fund an estimated five races. He has Jelly Belly for a partial sponsor and his parents, who work at a family-owned Ford dealership, help when they can.

Mack's resume is notable, but nevertheless, he said he's been called overrated and feels overlooked because he is trying to find success in a sport where you're only as good as the equipment underneath you and the sponsors behind you.

"The main thing for me is to just keep my head up, I've been labeled as overrated because people just saw me riding around mid-pack last season, but nobody knew I was under-funded," he lamented.

Mack is far from hanging up his helmet. He has always wanted to follow in his older brother's footsteps and make it to a premier racing series. He saw his brother catch a break in the Indy Racing League with the help of league president Tony George as well as Chip Ganassi, who is a team owner in both the IRL and NASCAR.

"One year he loaned my brother a new chassis so he could run the Indy 500, because he was like two years old," Mack said. "My brother got his break and I'm hoping I will get mine."