To do what Greg Wilson does — compete in the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series as an owner and driver — one needs to have a passion for the sport. Wilson takes on the Goliaths of the sport nearly 90 times a season with his family-run team, which is based in the Findlay, Ohio, area, and does it all with an always upbeat attitude and smile on his face.

Wilson has been around the sport for most of his life. He cut his teeth on the tracks of his home state of Ohio. Following several years of competing successfully with the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions, which included winning a couple of titles, Wilson set out to fulfill a lifelong dream of racing full-time with the World of Outlaws in 2016. Prior to that, he won his first Outlaws race at the famed Eldora Speedway in his home state in 2015. Wilson picked up Outlaws win No. 2 in his rookie season at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in Concord, NC.

“As far back as I could remember, all I ever wanted to do was drive a Sprint Car for my uncle Bob (Hampshire) and I got to do that,” Wilson said. “You develop a love for the sport. I tell everyone it's almost a sickness. You try to get away a little bit and you start missing it and it draws you back in. I’ve been blessed and am pretty fortunate to have figured out a way to make a living at it. With my wife and kids being involved, it’s a lot of fun.”

Wilson, who calls Benton Ridge, Ohio, his home, will embark on his third full season with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series in 2018. The veteran driver carries more than his fair share of the load when on the road. In addition to wheeling the race car, he drives the toterhome, which pulls his race car trailer, and does a majority of the maintenance and setup work on his No. w20 himself.

"I had never given up on anything in my life and darn sure wasn’t going to this time."

Other than when he is around the Ohio area and has family and friends helping out, Wilson usually has just one crew member. Meanwhile, he is competing against teams who mostly have three full-time crew people, in addition to the driver.

“It’s definitely not easy and that's one of the things we are working on this winter,” he explained. “I know I am doing too much, and it’s too much on me and my family to do what we are doing. But that being said, I’m fortunate to be in the position I am in and to have our own team and be on the road and be halfway competitive most of the time. 

"The biggest thing I feel like we struggle with as a growing team is that we are undermanned. I’ve been involved with great companies who are affiliated with the sport and people across the country who have helped us out to keep this thing rolling. It’s a lot of work and probably not the smartest business venture to be in, as far as the work versus reward in terms of financials. At the end of the day, you have to love what you do in life and I love what I do.”

When racing as much as Wilson does, emotions and fortune can go from one extreme to the other in a blink of an eye. A prime example was last June, when he led laps and was in contention for the win in the Jim Boyd Memorial at Beaver Dam (WI) Raceway. The next morning he was stranded in the parking lot of a grocery store when the axle on his trailer broke. Wilson spent the remainder of that day welding the axle back together and then was back on the road to hit the next track on the circuit.

“That was probably the closest I have ever come to quitting and going home for a little bit at anything I have ever done in my life,” Wilson said. “I called my mom and she said a couple of words and said, ‘Maybe you should just give up and come home for a couple of days.’ When she said, ‘give up and come home,’ that was like lighting a fire under me. 

"I had never given up on anything in my life and darn sure wasn’t going to this time. You have to have enough faith and determination to keep plugging away. I think our team does that every day and I am proud of that.”

Relationships define Wilson and his team. First and foremost is the partnership he has with Hercules Tires, his primary sponsor. Wilson makes numerous dealer visits for the brand throughout the course of the season and even during the offseason, spreading the word on Hercules Tires.

“Hercules Tires had never really done in-consumer marketing like they are doing now,” Wilson said. “When we approached them it started off one way and kind of changed directions. We have a great working relationship. From the team side, we make sure that they see some return on their investment. Hopefully they have positive feedback from their dealers. There are little things that been done across the board that have really helped. You try intertwine things and make it good for everybody. I work real hard to do that and we do it as a team. Hopefully we do a good job for them.”

Wilson travels the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series circuit with his wife and two young daughters and wouldn’t have it any other way. While racing and earning a living is the main objective, having family time to sightsee and enjoy their togetherness helps balance work and life.

“I’ve said it a million times, but the day my wife and kids can't go with me, that's the day my schedule changes,” he said. “They are the glue that holds all of this together. I don't know if they even realize how important that is to me. In today's world with how things are, I think it's important for us to have our kids with us and for them to know their mom and dad. The things they get to see and do, while on the road, are a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

While he didn’t visit Victory Lane in 2017, Wilson improved on his overall stats during his sophomore season with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series. 

He had a couple of more top five finishes and a handful more top 10 showings en route to finishing 12th in the series standings. In year three with the Outlaws in 2018, Wilson looks to up those numbers yet again.

“We planned and structured this all along for halfway through the second year and third year to get to where we are stabilized to have the equipment and help we need,” Wilson said. “Hopefully by the time the season rolls around we are better prepared. My goal has been to win three to five races a year and end up in the top 10 in points. I think that's an attainable goal. 

"The series is getting more and more competitive every year. I’m a realistic person and I know it’s not going to be easy and it’s going to take a lot of work. We'll keep working in the shop and we’ll be ready.”

Wilson will open the 2018 season in the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park in De Leon Springs, FL, with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Series on Feb. 9-11.

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