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At 81, James Climer will become oldest driver to race at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway

A lot of history has been made over the past few years about young drivers competing at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and other tracks in the area.

NASCAR's most popular driver and 2020 Cup Series champion Chase Elliott raced at Nashville Fairgrounds when he was 13, and so did Chandler Smith, who is now in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Same for Chase Johnson, a rising local star from Mt. Juliet, who is now 15.

There's no denying a youth movement is taking place on the local racing scene and that's what makes longtime driver James Climer's decision to return to the track so unique.

James Clmer, 81, who is in the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway Hall of Fame, will resume his racing career this season at the historic track.
James Clmer, 81, who is in the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway Hall of Fame, will resume his racing career this season at the historic track.

Climer is bucking the trend. He will be 81 when climbs back into his racecar and competes this season in the pro late models division at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.

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Climer, who acquired the nickname "King" because of the many local races he has won over the years, will become the oldest driver to compete at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, according to local stockcar racing historian Donnie Redd. The oldest driver to win a race at the Fairgrounds was Dick Stegall, who was 68.

So why is Climer, who has competed in thousands of races in his lifetime, coming back?

The COVID-19 pandemic was particularly hard on the Murfreesboro resident, who is still very active. Being cooped up in his home took a toll. Now that Climer feels like it's safe again to get out, he's doing it in a big way.

James Climer stands next to the 1955 Chevrolet that helped him win several track championships at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. The car still runs well and is an attraction at car shows across the nation.
James Climer stands next to the 1955 Chevrolet that helped him win several track championships at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. The car still runs well and is an attraction at car shows across the nation.

"I've stayed at home and I've worn my mask anytime I've gone out," Climer said. "That's something you've got to do until we get this stuff straightened out. I don't mind that at all, but I don't like staying at home. I'm ready to get back out. I feel good and I want to race again so why not?"

Climer's first race will be April 2 at Highland Rim. His first race at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway will be April 16. The remainder of his season will be dictated by how well he runs in those races.

"My plan is to run two races to see how things go," he said. "If they go well and I feel good about it I'll stick with it the whole season. I've got a good car, I'm ready and I'm excited because I believe it's going to go well."

Climer began his racing career in 1964 at the Smyrna dirt track. He recorded more than 600 wins competing across the country before his last race in 2010.

Climer has lots of ties to Nashville Fairgrounds Superspeedway. Along with winning many track titles there over the years, Climer beat his son Tommy in a late model sportsman race there in 1995. The father and son are both in the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway Hall of Fame.

In 2002, Climer's granddaughter and Tommy's daughter Brittany became the first female driver to compete against males when she was 13. She resumed racing in 2020 and won a street stock race at the Fairgrounds.

Speaking of Climer's family, they've told him they're worried about his safety when it comes to getting back into the car.

"I had to remind them that when I was 17 I had to jump from a two-story building when I was a roofer and there was a fire," Climer said. "I landed in a mud hole that was 17-and-a-half feet from the building. The only way I was able to make it to that mud hole is because God was looking out for me. He's still looking out for me today. That's what I told my family."

Climer's longtime sponsor Springfield Plumbing still believes in him and is sponsoring his ride again.

Rick Insell gets 400th win at MTSU

Rick Insell ended the regular season by picking up his 400th career win as coach of the Middle Tennessee State women's basketball team.

The Lady Raiders knocked off Old Dominion 62-44 at Murphy Center, giving Insell his landmark victory in his 17th season.

Insell became just the 14th active coach in Division I women's basketball to win their first 400 games as a college coach at their first coaching job.

He now has 1,175 victories, including his time at Shelbyville Central High.

MTSU finished 22-6 in the regular season and 13-0 at home.

Ex-MTSU football player wins Arnold Classic Bodybuilding title

Arnold Schwarzenegger presents the first place trophy to Brandon Curry for the Pro Bodybuilding Arnold Classic during the Arnold Classic at the Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio, on March 5, 2022.
Arnold Schwarzenegger presents the first place trophy to Brandon Curry for the Pro Bodybuilding Arnold Classic during the Arnold Classic at the Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio, on March 5, 2022.

Former Hunters Lane and MTSU football player Brandon Curry won the 2022 Arnold (Schwarzenegger) Classic Bodybuilding title in Columbus, Ohio, for the second time.

Curry also won the title in 2019 when he also won the Mr. Olympia.

Curry won $200,000. Two-time Arnold Classic winner William Bonac finished second.

As a high school senior in 2000 Curry won the Hume Award, which goes to the top Nashville high school football player based on performance on the field along with sportsmanship and scholarship achievements.

He went on to play defensive back at MTSU for one season before leaving the team to concentrate on his bodybuilding.

Murfreesboro golfer is finalist in Drive, Chip and Putt finals in Augusta

Hagen Williams
Hagen Williams

Hagen Williams from Murfreesboro is a finalist for the Drive, Chip and Putt national finals.

The top 80 performers will compete in the event April 3 at Augusta National, home of the Masters.

Williams qualified in the boys 10-11 age group. He competes on the Sneds Tour and his home course is Stones River Country Club.

Tarver named coach of Fisk's new gymnastics team

Corrinne Tarver was named coach of the new Fisk women's gymnastics team.

Tarver, a New York native, attended Georgia (1987-90) where she became the first Black gymnast to win an NCAA all-around national championship and was a nine-time All-American.

Tarver most recently served as assistant gymnastics coach at Pennsylvania. Before that she was associate director of intercollegiate athletes and senior woman administrator at Stockton and was assistant director of athletic compliance at Syracuse.

Fisk will begin competing in the NAIA in the fall.

Litton great Jerry Ballou dies at 74

Litton High three-sport star Jerry Ballou died on March 5. He was 74.

Ballou was The Tennessean 1966 Trackman of the Year after being the state champion in the 100- and 200-yard dashes. He tied the state record in the 100 at 9.8 seconds.

Ballou also made The Tennessean All-City Baseball first team as an outfielder after batting .432 and was a starting flanker on the football team.

He was drafted by the San Francisco Giants and later served in the Army, then spent 30 years with the Nashville Fire Department.

Ballou is in the Metro Nashville Public Schools Sports Hall of Fame.

Belmont women's basketball invites fans to selection show party

Belmont's women's basketball celebrates an OVC Tournament championship and return to the NCAA Tournament.
Belmont's women's basketball celebrates an OVC Tournament championship and return to the NCAA Tournament.

Fans are invited to attend the Belmont women’s basketball NCAA Tournament selection show watch party Sunday.

The Bruins earned their sixth berth in the tournament in seven years by winning the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.

The party will be at the Beaman Student Center on campus from 6:30-8 p.m. The selection show will be on ESPN and ESPN2 at 7 p.m.

There will be free food and a T-shirt giveaway.

Belmont's Rich Tiner calls 1,000th game

Rich Tiner
Rich Tiner

Rich Tiner, voice of the Belmont women's basketball team, called his 1,000th game in the OVC Tournament championship.

Tiner is in his 26th season at Belmont. He also calls the Bruins' baseball games.

He retired in May as a mass communications professor. Tiner had also served as the school's faculty athletics representative.

He is the pastor at The Point Church in Mt. Juliet.

Tennessee Tech is in the WNIT

Tennessee Tech's Jada Guinn (24) drives toward the basketball against Belmont in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament championship at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana.
Tennessee Tech's Jada Guinn (24) drives toward the basketball against Belmont in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament championship at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana.

Tennessee Tech earned an automatic berth in the Women's National Invitation Tournament.

The Golden Eagles lost to Belmont 51-29 in the OVC Tournament championship.

It will be the first postseason appearance for the Golden Eagles (20-10) since 2019 when they played in the Women's Basketball Invitational.

The 64-team WNIT field will be announced Sunday following the NCAA women’s basketball tournament selection show. The matchups, locations and times will be announced the following day.

TSU football starts spring practice Tuesday

Eddie George announced his first spring football practice as Tennessee State's coach will be on Tuesday.

The Tigers will practice a total of nine times in March and five in April leading up to the annual Blue and White Spring Game on April 9 at 3 p.m. at Hale Stadium.

There will be a 7-on-7 legends flag football game played before the spring game at 1 p.m.

There is no admission charge for the spring game and legends game.

Austin Peay spring game will be at Fort Campbell High

Austin Peay will begin spring practice Monday under second-year coach Scotty Walden.

With renovations taking place at Fortera Stadium, the Governors' spring game will be played April 9 at Fort Campbell High School’s Fryar Stadium in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

The spring game will be open to anyone on Fort Campbell Army base or anyone who can gain access to the base, but all on-campus practices will be closed to the public. Two other spring scrimmages will be open to the public and the locations will be announced at a later date.

Former TSU assistant named coach at Oklahoma high school

Mark Hutson
Mark Hutson

Mark Hutson, who spent last season as the offensive line coach at TSU before moving to Grambling in December, is now the coach at Sallisaw High School in Oklahoma.

Huston left TSU to join former Tigers offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, who was hired as Grambling's coach.

Hutson was a two-time All-America offensive lineman (1986 and 1987) at Oklahoma.

Tech's Jason Hinchman is national player of the week

Tennessee Tech's Jason Hinchman was named the College Baseball national player of the week.
Tennessee Tech's Jason Hinchman was named the College Baseball national player of the week.

Tennessee Tech left fielder Jason Hinchman was named the Collegiate Baseball national player of the week and OVC player of the week after helping the Golden Eagles get off to their second-best start in program history at 10-0.

Hinchman hit. 550 in four games last week with six runs scored, three doubles, four home runs and 10 RBIs.

The Winston, Georgia, native leads the OVC with five home runs and 19 RBIs. He tied Chase Chambers (2015-18) for fifth on Tech's all-time career home runs list with 49.

Middle Tennessee Adult Baseball tryouts are Sunday

Tryouts for the Middle Tennessee Adult Baseball Association are Sunday at Rose Park.

There is a $10 fee to try out.

Registration for 18-over is from noon-1 p.m. in the first base dugout and tryouts will be from 1-3 p.m.

Registration for 35-over and 50-over is from 2-3 p.m. with tryouts from 3-4:30 p.m.

For more information visit bit.ly/3Kr5oGW.

The Zone Golf Classic registration is open

Registration is open for the 2022 The Zone 104.5 Spring Golf Classic, which is April 25.

The event will be played at Old Natchez Country Club with two flights at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Food and drinks will be served.

Register at bit.ly/3J6h5mg.

If you have an item for Midstate Chatter contact Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.

Sports on Nashville TV

The five highest-rated sports events locally for the week ending Feb. 28-March 6 in Nashville:

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: 81-year-old is oldest driver to race at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway