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Modifieds of Mayhem: With Father, Late Mother Close to Heart, Never Lonely for Only-Child Crocker

By Chuck Corder

Assumptions, fair or unfair, are often made about only children.

Outsiders might negatively label only children as loners, spoiled and entitled. Others might admire their independence, gratefulness, generosity and how they’re loyal to those closest to them.

Modifieds of Mayhem driver Donald Crocker falls into the latter group. The 24 year old knows the only reason he’s pursuing his racing dreams is because of his father, Don Crocker.

“I couldn’t do anything I do now without him. I’ve learned everything from him,� the younger Crocker said. “It’s a tight relationship. He’s always a bigger person that I am. When we start (arguing), he’ll tell me ‘You’re right,’ even though he and I both know I’m probably not. Without him, I sure wouldn’t fool with racing.�

Five Flags Speedway fans will once again get to witness this special father-son relationship in action Friday night when the Modifieds of Mayhem return for the first time since May.

On that night, Crocker won the second of two 40-lap features for his first win of the season on the fledgling series that tours the south’s top short tracks.

“That was pretty fun,� Crocker said of the twin 40s. “I wouldn’t mind doing it again.�

He also added another Modifieds of Mayhem feature victory in Montgomery (Ala.) Motor Speedway last month.

This week, though, the Modifieds will be racing one 50-lap feature and share the night with the Faith Chapel Super Stocks, Butler U-Pull-It Bombers and a The Dock on Pensacola Beach Sportsman Spectacular feature that will possibly boost its laps from its traditional 25. Gates open at 4 p.m.

Admission prices have once again been slashed to honor our rabid fans. Adults only pay $10; seniors, active-duty military and students $7; children ages 6 to 11 $5; under 6 get in free.

The bond between Don and Donald Crocker extends well beyond the racetrack. Donald works for his father’s automotive business, D&T Automotive in the Crockers’ native Citronelle, Ala.

And when work days are over, the Crocker boys burn the candles at both ends, looking for any angles that put the No. 5 Modified ahead of their rivals.

“Daddy hates losing,� Donald Crocker said. “We always work real hard at it. You have to give these things a little ‘TLC.’ If you don’t work on it, it shows when you get to the racetrack.

“Daddy does everything. He does all the motor work. He makes it run down the straightaways and I make it turn left through the corner. That’s always been our deal.�

It has been that way since Donald Crocker was a spry kid carrying an insatiable need to follow in his father’s footsteps.

While never climbing behind the wheel himself, Don Crocker has owned cars for as long as Donald can remember. Veteran Okie Mason was one of Don Crocker’s most accomplished drivers.

When the time came to add another driver to the stable, Don didn’t look far. Donald hopped into a go-kart around age 10 before quickly vaulting into Legends and eventually to Pro Late Models as he hit his teenage years.

While another shot with late models could still be in the cards, Crocker loves the challenge and speed of the Mods and, specifically, enjoys the camaraderie of the Modifieds of Mayhem series.

“Racing the same people every weekend, you get comfortable and you don’t have to worry about getting wrecked,� said Donald Crocker, who sits fourth in Modifieds of Mayhem points after only competing in three of five events this year. “You can lean on each other, but none of us are ever trying to tear everybody’s stuff up. It’s a class Daddy and I have enjoyed.�

But don’t mistake the Crockers close-knit bond for rainbows and unicorns. Donald Crocker admitted the two often spar over setup and how the No. 5 should be wheeled.

“It can definitely make it tough that way,� he said. “We’ll be arguing 24/7. He loves racing just as much as I do. But that’s what makes it fun. In the end, there ain’t anything to it — just aggravation at the racetrack. We’ve endured a lotta arguments, but enjoyed a lotta celebrating.�

When they did disagree, Trela Crocker knew it was her job to calm down the men in her life.

Trela, Donald’s mother and Don’s wife, always had a knack of keeping the bigger picture in perspective. Love is what she preached.

Trela Crocker died in 2012.

“She loved racing more than me and Daddy did,� Donald Crocker said. “If me and Daddy were fighting, or just mad at each other, she was the one that kept us together.�

Since Trela’s passing, Mark Biles has taken on the role of peacemaker when necessary. Biles started as Donald Crocker’s crew chief, but more recently served as his spotter come race nights.

“We have a real good bond, and it’s easy to bounce ideas off of him,� Crocker said of Biles. “It makes things a lot easier. We have a good team, with a bunch of people that come over every night to work on the car.�

And that car has certainly seen its share of highs in recent years. In 2013, the same car that Crocker will bring Friday to Five Flags captured three straight checkered flags.

After wrecking it at the Modifieds Snowball Derby later that year, the car was recently rebuilt where it quickly regained its winning formula.

“We’ve had a great car about every weekend,� Crocker said. “We were fighting a run of bad luck, but that’s been coming. We had so many years with success and great luck, now we started to catch some bad luck.

“We made some changes, and I feel like we’ve got a great car again. We’re finally getting everything to come together, I believe.�

Only child, sure, but Donald Crocker knows to create a winning formula he must depend on the support he gets from his team and, especially, his father.

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