David Gough’s racing career began in the mid 70s racing go-karts. For 20 years he used the go-kart circuit to refine his racing skills, winning over 200 races and a dozen championships.
In 1997, David moved to the ultra competitive world of national midget racing, winning “Rookie of the Year” honors in the United Midget Auto Racing Association. David was the first rookie to set fast time in the association’s history and spent most of the year running in the top five in points, eventually finishing seventh.
In 1998, David set more records by finishing in the top five eleven times in fifteen races with two feature wins enroute to the UMARA National Championship in only his second year.
From 1999 through 2001, David ran select events with sanctioning bodies USAC, NAMARS, UMARA, and ARCA midget associations, picking up valuable experience against some today’s top drivers including Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, Jason Leffler, Kasey Kahne, Mike Bliss, and J.J. Yeley.
2002 brought new challenges, running four USAC Silver Crown events at Nazareth, Pikes Peak, Richmond, and Indianapolis Raceway Park. David also picked up five feature wins in the UMARA national midget division. Although they only competed in 10 of the 15 events, the team ended up third in the UMARA championship points battle.
The 2003 season started with a win in February at the RCA Dome in Indianpolis, IN. David competed in all of the USAC Silver Crown pavement races along with 34 national midget races, picking up two more wins and several top five and top ten finishes. 2003 was also David’s first year of running a full dirt schedule. The team proved they could compete with the Badger Midget Auto Racing Association by claiming preliminary race wins along with five trophy dash starts and one fast time award.
2004 was an impressive year for David and his team. He won nine out of ten UMARA features, finishing second in the other, culminating in his second UMARA driver championship for owner Glenn Windstrup. He also finished seventh in BMARA points, won a USAC National Midget feature at Anderson Speedway in Anderson, Indiana, and competed in five USAC Silver Crown races on pavement.
The 2005 season was highlighted by three UMARA feature wins. David raced a USAC Silver Crown car on dirt at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, and proved himself to be a strong contender in pavement winged sprint cars, with two top five finishes in his first five starts.
David was the winner of the Anderson/Carter Classic at Grundy County Speedway in 2006, a season which also featured a top ten finish at Phoenix International Raceway. David set a track record with the winged sprint car at Hawkeye Downs Speedway in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a record which still stands today.
The team took home their third UMARA National Championship in the 2007 season, scoring six wins including the Illinois State Championship, co-sanctioned by USAC.
In 2008, David ran the full BMARA schedule, finishing in the top ten in points and scoring a best finish of second at Charter Raceway in Beaver Dam, WI.
David recorded a fifth place finish at 2009’s Last Stand at Joliet Memorial Stadium, an event close to David’s heart because of his history at the venue, which no longer hosts auto racing. The season closed with a third place finish on both nights of competition at the Rumble in Fort Wayne. David and his team are currently hard at work putting together a new car for the 2010 Chili Bowl, and look forward to seeing you at the track!
