Jay Lyle of Warrensburg sails around the track at L A Raceway. (Dan Hickman/L A Raceway track photographer)

I know I have been quiet the last few months, but family problems seem to do that.

So I thought I would fill you in on the status of a racing veteran, who raced at Sportsman's Speedway in its booming days.

Jay Lyle of Warrensburg began racing a super-modified in the 60s and since then has driven street stocks, late models, sprints, modifieds and other cars on dirt tracks around the state.

The past few years he has settled into a street stock and runs the J66 at L A Raceway on Friday nights and Central Missouri Speedway on Saturday nights.

Lyle has been manning the wheels of racing machines for over 40 years and makes racing around a dirt track look like a "cake walk."

Last Friday night he showed the "young guns" the way around the track in his heat race. He sailed through the turns like he had wings and walked away from the pack down the straight aways -- never hiccupping or even, slightly hesitating.

He took the heat race by storm and showed his experience in the feature event.

Lyle battled for the lead with Troy Reasoner of Urich (No. 25JR) at L A Raceway Friday, May 23. Reasoner and Jay swapped leads around each corner until Lyle headed for the pits with just three laps left in the feature event.

Lyle routinely runs at the front of the pack with all the younger drivers attempting to remove him from his throne as the leader.

Jay's son, Chad, has the same makings and easygoing attitude driving a car around the track and it shows as he charges to the front in his division racing his No. 96 modified.

If Lyle gets his car in running order, the "young-guns" at L A Raceway will definitely have their hands full.