Fri, 4 Dec 2009, 03:58 PM Second Generation Candies Completes Licensing at Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School

Courtesy of Kathy Fisher

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- With a background in drag racing that spans back to his early youth, one may find it odd that Paul Candies, Jr., son of Paul Candies of Candies and Hughes funny car fame, had never raced himself.

"It was my mom that kept me from driving," explains Candies, Jr. "It was probably the only thing that I ever listened to her about. Before my dad was with Hughes, the guy that drove dad's car was killed in an accident. My mom was pregnant with me at the time that happened and then always had that fear that something might happen to me should I ever race myself."

What changed for Candies, Jr. was a chance to buy either the Dodge Challenger stock car or the Ford Mustang Cobra Jet. After applying for both programs, he was fortunate to be selected to purchase one of the only fifty factory produced 2010 Cobra Jets.

"When the deal came along that we were going to be able to get a 2010 CJ, I thought are we just going to buy it and park it or race it? Do we get somebody else to drive it or what are we going to do with it? I got to thinking, you know what? I'm going to go race this thing myself for a little bit," Candies Jr. continued. "We chose to go with the super stock option on the CJ and that's the class I'm going to run."

Now that he was getting the car, he would first need a competition license.

"I didn't want to try to get a license on my own and have a bunch of different people tell me all kinds of things to do. I wanted to go to the professional and do it right from the start. That professional is Frank Hawley," Candies Jr. said.

"Even though I was involved with drag racing all my life, although I never competed, I still went to the school with the true novice attitude. If Frank were to tell me I was doing something wrong, then I was doing it wrong. And if I was doing something right, then I must be doing a good job paying attention like the other students in the class. I wanted to learn to drive properly right from the start and I knew I would learn the correct way from Frank at his school."

Experiencing drag racing from the driver's seat at Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School was a whole new sensation for Candies Jr.

"Wow, it was great," exclaimed Candies Jr. "Even though I got my license during the regular class part, I decided to make an extra run at the end. I'm somewhat of a thrill-seeker and I could have sat there all afternoon and said "Put me back in the car and let's go again". At some point I want to do my crossover license in their dragster, too. My plans are, down the road, to build a Top Dragster and compete in it."

"Frank's class was super all the way around. If you do not learn something from attending his school, you were either asleep or just did not listen to anything that was said during class," he added. "Whether you want to learn to race the right way or just want to experience drag racing from the driver's seat and the thrill of speed, Frank Hawley's Super Class will do both."

Shall the Candies' family history of drag racing success repeat itself, the Super Stock class could certainly have their hands full with one of the classes' newest drivers, Paul Candies, Jr come 2010.

For more information on all classes available at Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School, visit their website www.frankhawley.com or call 866-480-7223. Also on MySpace and Facebook!

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