From his eight-year-old fascination with Legend Cars to actually competing in multiple divisions, Neal Dulin has made his way around the world of motorsports. Despite the demanding schedule as a full-time middle schooler, Dulin is looking to uphold his racing family tradition and win a INEX Young Lions National title this year. Balancing being a part-time Late Model driver and Legend Cars racer, Dulin loves all the memories and connections he’s made in his five years on the track so far.
Hometown: Harrisburg, North Carolina
Division: Young Lions
Car Number: 79
Race Team: 860 Motorsports
Favorite Sports Team: Carolina Tar Heels
Favorite Race Track: Dominion Raceway
Favorite Food: Homemade Baked Mac n’ Cheese
1. What got you started in racing?
I remember I was almost eight years old and I was eating at the Speedway Club with my family during Christmas time and I saw the Legend Cars going around the quarter-mile. I told my dad I wanted to race a Legend Car, we didn’t know what a Bandolero was then, but he said, “Sure, we’ll get you into racing.” He (his dad) did it (racing) as well as my grandpa, so he got me a Bandolero when I turned eight years old for my birthday and I just loved it ever since.
2. How has the journey been since you began racing?
It’s been great. I’ve had a lot of fun through the journey, it’s definitely a difficult one but I believe having the heart for it makes it fun.
3. How has it been transitioning through different cars?
The change from the Bando to the Legend was probably the biggest change. I remember my first time testing the Legend Car, I was so nervous, I kept stalling and working with the clutch. It takes a lot of practice. I think late Models are definitely easier to learn than Legend Cars. Legend Cars make Late Models look so much easier. I think it’s very important that you run at least one year in a Legend Cars just to have a good feel for the Late Models. A Bando to a Legend Car is much harder than from a Legend Car to a Late Model.
4. How is it balancing Legend Car races and Late Model races?
We’re running part-time with the Late Models so maybe like eight to 10 races at Hickory Motor Speedway. With the Legend we’re mostly gonna run the big events like Winter Nationals, Spring Nationals, and Summer Shootout. We’re planning on going to more local tracks, but we’re planning on doing quite a bit of races this year.
5. Is there a reason behind your number 79 cars?
Actually, there is. I remember when I was little my favorite number was 7,900, I don’t know why but that was just the number I liked for some reason. Then my dad was like, “I don’t know if you can have a four-digit number,” so that’s when I was like “How about 79?”
6. What is the best part about racing?
The best part about racing is the competition, with racing it’s just so competitive out there. With how close the times can be and how close everybody is to each other, it just makes it so much more fun.
7. What has been your favorite memory so far?
I remember back in the 2022 Bandolero Nationals I kind of slipped up a little bit in Turn 4 and the 48 (car) got underneath me and we were side by side coming to the white flag. I don’t know how I did it on the outside for almost a whole lap and I barely won by like two feet and when I came across the frontstretch I was like, “Did I win?” and I heard everybody else cheering so I was like, "I guess I won.”
8. Road Course or Circle Track?
Well, it depends really on how many road courses I do. Like for example in the winter I’ve been getting bored doing road courses, I want to get back on an oval but then once I do a lot of oval races, I’m like, “Okay, I want to get back on the road course.”
9. What is your pre-race routine?
I just like to sit around by myself and let myself think. If I’m starting pole I’m gonna think, “What am I gonna do?” If I’m starting more deep in the field, I’m like, “Okay, how am I going to make my way up through the field and try to finish up front?”
10. What does it mean for you to be a part of the 860 Motorsports Team?
It feels great. 860 owns cars from all over the world and I’ve met a lot of new people, and they’re all really nice. The teammates and crew chiefs are great and you can really develop a good relationship with them. It’s also kind of stressful because you don’t want to wreck your teammate, it feels bad to do that.
11. What are the hardest parts of racing?
The hardest part is really trying to get the car as good as you can and learning a new track. Overall, just trying to win the race while learning and driving the car is the hardest part of racing.
12. Do you have a favorite driver?
My favorite driver has to be Josh Williams because he has such a great personality. He’s given me plenty of opportunities and he’s just really a good guy to talk to and he’s really good with kids. He’s really good at coaching and he’s just a good guy overall. I’m gonna drive some of his Late Models this season at Hickory Motor Speedway
13. How it is being a full-time middle schooler and also a driver?
It’s not easy let me tell you that right now. My mom wants me to have good grades, I want to have good grades but I’m trying to do good on the track as well. So, it’s not easy trying to study for tests but I also want to study the track and just do well at racing as well. It seems like I have a good balance but I also don’t have much free time. I also want to have some time to do iRacing as well. Most of my good friends are at the track because we can relate to each other. We know what we’re talking about and I can relate to them more than my friends at school who are into different things.
14. What is your inspiration for racing?
I want to keep the racing generation alive because my grandpa and dad raced and I want to be able to keep the generation alive and maybe one day be able to make it to NASCAR or F1 or anything like that.
15. What are your goals for the 2024 season?
I really want to run for the 2024 [INEX] Young Lion Road Course Championship as well as the Asphalt Championship, but I’m not going to boohoo if it doesn’t happen. That’s a big goal.