A young kid from Jonesville, Virginia discovered a love for fast cars early in life. The son of James Yeary, the kid had the gear-head mentality throughout his childhood years all the way up to present day.

His name is Jim Yeary. Jim loved to watch the local drag strip and eventually built a car of his own with the help of his brother, Justin Sidel. He raced his 1979 Chevrolet-Camaro Z-28 until he realized that he had a love for the ovals too. He tried oval racing on pavement in many different places from up north at South Boston and back down to Lone Pine in Virginia. At South Boston in a two year period he drove for Charles Wright and was able to win a race and came close to a championship with his best points finish being a fourth place in the late model division. He also won a race at Lone Pine but when he hooked up with the Estes family he discovered his true love in the form of a high-banked dirt track in Cave Springs.

With the help of Greg Estes and Yeary's Classic Car friends he drove over to the edge of the track and dropped down on its banks. "When I first dropped in that place I was so taken away. I knew that this place was special and I loved it from day one." He soon discovered that he was addicted to its speed and excitement.

Jim's favorite moment so far was driving around the Taz and realizing while exiting turn four that he finally had gotten it right. He gives a lot of credit to Greg Estes who's advice getting around the Taz has been instrumental. He added, "Greg helped me figure out this place and told me where I could find more speed." His pursuit of taming the Taz is ongoing as he still has yet to find victory lane but he knows its not all about Jim Yeary winning at Tazewell. "I was so very happy to see Greg have success and when he got the pole for the Tazewell Late Model race, I was as happy as I could be because it makes me feel good to see him succeed after helping me so much."

Jim kept throwing his efforts at the Taz and his Classic program and kept improving until his worst moment at the track happened on July 3rd, 2010. While enjoying his best ever run he rounded turn one and saw a car had spun in turn two. He watched a couple of cars have close encounters while trying to avoid the car and had to decide what to do himself. The car turned to head in the right direction and at that moment he decided to go high and pass him on the outside. He missed colliding with the car but found a greater danger when he drifted a little too high and contacted the wall. The open front wheel of his Classic car climbed the wall and began the series of flips and somersaults that finished with the race car in the infield on the top of a truck.

This night started out the same for Jim as it usually does but before the race Greg leaned in and said, "Give 'em heck Jim." Jim looked back and replied, "Its checkers or wreckers tonight." Jim laughs now and says, "I probably shouldn't have said that."

Looking back to all the people that helped get him to that point in his life he has to thank Greg Estes, Richard Cox, Bill and Sue Curl, Parker Estes, Candace Cox, his wife Summer and the entire racing crew at Estes racing because without their help his dreams of even being on the track at the Taz could not have came true. Sure he wanted the result of the night to be different as he was having his best ever run but he also knew that he was living his dream.

Following his crash he was taken to Claiborne Hospital for an additional check-up. Summer told him that he was not able to "ever" get in a race car again but after the doctors reassured them that he was going to recover she asked the Doctor how long it would be before he could go back to racing.

Summer also loves racing and hopes to someday race a four-cylinder. Jim and Summer have a family consisting of four kids; Megan (19), Joey (15), Tyler (8) and Aiban soon to turn four years old, all race fans too.

Jim's story is like a lot of racers all over the country but what most people don't know is that he has pursued his dream with an unseen roadblock in his way since last November. He was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer and told by some of the best doctors in the world that he had only 3-6 months to live. He knows that God led him to his new local doctor, Dr. Miller. His cancer was one that usually doesn't show up in a 38-year old, otherwise healthy man. He was referred to Dr. Laura Goff at Vanderbilt's Ingram Cancer Center, where he is currently being treated. His treatment began with hormone treatment but after it wasn't being effective they moved on to chemotherapy. It is given to him in a two week cycle and they can now see that the cancer is shrinking.

When I approached Jim about doing this I promised him that we would tell his story with the hopes of highlighting the urgent need for people to continue giving to the organizations that are fighting to find a cure for all the types of cancers out there. But as important as the medical side is, he wants people to know that there is another side to focus on.

When he talked to Dr. Goff the first time he asked her, "Do you believe in God? I know you can do lots with your medicine but God can do great things and he is gonna help me beat this." Together, progress is being made but Jim believes that his faith in God is the larger more important part of his recovery. He wants everyone to know that cancer will grab your throat and squeeze at first taking away all hope but there are things bigger out there that will help you become stronger and hopeful once again; faith in God can help you overcome anything.

Jim and his wife plan on doing the things they have always done. They will continue to coach the little league teams and enjoy life to the fullest. Jim says he is comfortable either way the future leads but he intends to let everyone see him fight as hard as he can to whip this thing. Down the road he so desires to be racing with Greg Estes in the Tazewell Limited class while watching his wife race in the Four-Cylinder feature and to see his son race along with the other Tazewell Speedway Classics. He goes on to say, "To all my Classics buddies that I race with and to all the people at Tazewell Speedway... thanks." Listed below is several places that are fighting hard to find better treatments and hopefully a cure for this disease.

Susan G. Komen
ww5.komen.org
1-877-465-6636

Jimmy V. Foundation
1-800-4jimmyv

American Cancer Society
(Relay for Life)
www.cancer.org
1-800-227-2345

With God's help, if we keep throwing a dollar at this problem eventually one of those dollars is going to make the difference....Jim Yeary

If you know of a local legend you would like to have featured in the Claiborne Progress contact Allen Earl at pitchadude@hotmail.com or call 423-526-3480.