Dedication, patience and discipline: Driving forces in Airman's racing Published Sept. 14, 2010 By Airman 1st Class Jessica McConnell Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Engines are revving and he's strapped in, ready to go. If he wasn't wearing a helmet, one could see the sweat dripping down his face in anticipation. He's nervous and excited. Right now, nothing else matters. It's just him and the track. He's ready to race. This is the feeling Tech. Sgt. Cameron D. Sogge, 5th Maintenance Group Weapons Standardization Team squadron lead load crew chief, said he gets while waiting for the green flag to drop, signaling the start of the race. "I think I got sick a couple of times before my first race," said Sergeant Sogge. "My stomach was in knots. I was both nervous and excited. There's so much to think about and pay attention to. There's more than just going fast and turning left." As a weapons trainer in the Air Force, Sergeant Sogge trains with dedication, patience and discipline. All important Air Force values he lives by, both at work and on the track. Sergeant Sogge is a member of the NODAK Race Club and a circle track dirt racing enthusiast, racing anywhere from 15 to 25 races a year. "It's your local guys and gals wanting to go out and have a good time with cars," said Sergeant Sogge, speaking about circle track dirt racing. "It's like a less expensive form of NASCAR, only with a dirt track rather than asphalt." Sergeant Sogge grew up in Glyndon, Minn., a small town not far from Fargo. He said he remembers driving by the race track in town on his way to and from school. It was there that he spotted his first race car, marking the beginning of a life-long hobby. "We lived three miles away from the track in Glyndon," said Sergeant Sogge. "My parents would always take me to the races there. One day I saw this car for sale. My dad told me I could get it if I came up with the sponsorship. So I did and that's when it all started." He's come a long way in the racing world since then, now driving a 1934 Ford Coupe with a 1250cc Yamaha engine. The sergeant takes pride in his Air Force career, evident in his decision to number his car 'B-52'. "Yes, I picked that number because I am a weapons loader on the B-52!" he said with a proud smile. Sergeant Sogge said that with dedication comes success, something else he learned while being in the Air Force. "If there isn't anything wrong with the car, I'll spend up to three hours a week working on it," said the sergeant. "I've spent hours and hours on my car, and our races only last a few minutes. So you spend all this time on the car for a few minutes of fun. But it's worth it." Sergeant Sogge said that his wife, Rachel, and sons, Declan and Blake, are all supportive of his racing. He said his parents are also huge fans, as they were one of his first sponsors when he began racing in 1995. "Both of my boys are my crew chiefs," said Sergeant Sogge. "My oldest does my tire pressure, helps me get set up and turns my in-car camera on, so it's really cool. My little one helps around the house and washes the car." Aside from familial support, Sergeant Sogge said that racing takes patience and discipline. Values he said he learned while being in the Air Force. "Patience and discipline directly influence the way I act on the track," he said. "I'm always representing the Air Force. Attention to detail is another Air Force value I can apply to my car. Every little thing counts when you're working on a plane. It's just the same with a car and my racing." Sergeant Sogge won the Best Appearing INEX Legends Car at the 2010 NODAK Speedway Mall and is currently third in the nation in the INEX Legends semi-pro class. He plans on going to River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D., Sept. 17. Dedication, patience and discipline are Air Force values Sergeant Sogge lives and plays by. It is through his success in racing and working that others are able to see just how the Air Force values can help pave the way to success.