| Superfan Wicks Loves To Keep Track | By Claude Lewis
 She is the unofficial "First Lady" of Florida short-track racing. At any given race, she can be found hugging drivers, crew members, track officials and other fans at every turn.
Her knowledge is impeccable -- she hosts an Internet racing program through the Karnac.com site. (Inside Florida Racing)
Her home track is Charlotte County Motorsports Park, but she'll travel across the state to see a good race. She is all excited about a big Super Late Model race next weekend up in Lake City.
When she is in her "reserved" seat at CCMP, you know there is a good racing card scheduled that night at the Punta Gorda 3/8-mile paved oval.
Port Charlotte resident Carol Wicks is all of the above. The 65-year-old grew up around racing, got away from it for a good stretch, but is back in the middle of it these days.
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Born in Boston, Wicks watched her father George race midgets across New England and New York. Even when she was im her 20s, Wicks recalls driving to races in Massachusetts.
"Women weren't allowed in the pits," she said. "There were tailgater parties after the races, and I got a chance to meet drivers and people around racing."
Wicks got married and moved Florida in 1973.
"My husband wasn't into racing, so I didn't see much racing for over 20 years," she said. "I was doing things like hunting, fishing and scuba diving."
After her husband died, Wicks attended a Marshall Tucker Band concert at Charlotte County Speedway. It wasn't long after that she started going to the races again.
"I was addicted to it," she said. "You meet a lot of interesting people at the track."
Wicks, a big Tony Stewart fan, knows many of the drivers across the state.
That plus her enthusiasm for the sport made her a perfect host on the Inside Florida Racing Internet program, which airs 7-9 p.m. on RealRacinUSA.com.
"When I was in school, I was scared to death when the teacher asked me a question," she said. "Now, I can talk on the microphone before thousands and it doesn't bother me a bit."
Wicks will be at Charlotte County Motorsports Park tonight ... must be some good racing on the bill.
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