The success of an individual in auto racing cannot always be measured by the number of checkered flags he accumulates. There are other measuring sticks including perseverance, dedication, professionalism, a love for the sport and just plain being a nice guy.
Proof positive is Rick Hoctor, who has been competing at Ransomville Speedway for 35 consecutive years, longer then any other current active driver. Yet, the Cheektowaga driver has never earned a feature race victory there in all those years.
One can bet, however, that Friday night, as always, Hoctor and his ‘Bad Banana’ No. 18 yellow 358 Modified car will pull into Ransomville’s pit area ready for another night of dirt- track racing.
Hoctor is well respected among his racing peers and truly loves climbing behind the wheel each week. His loyalty helps to add to the car count each week at Ransomville. His never-say-die attitude is infectious.
“I started driving in 1975 and I guess I just keep coming back,” laughed Hoctor, 53. “While I have driven different tracks over the years on Saturday nights, I have always kept coming back to Ransomville every Friday.”
Hoctor is the son of the late Bill ‘Doc’ Hoctor. The elder Hoctor drove and owned cars for many years. The two were always together in the pit area until Bill’s death in 2004.
“Growing up we always had the race cars around but my father never told me that I had to drive a race car,” said Rick Hoctor. “I just decided on my own that I wanted to drive.”
Hoctor is a hobby racer who does the best he can on a limited budget. He still builds most of his own equipment in his Buffalo-based shop which sits behind his parents’ house. His mother, Pat, still walks into the backyard shop once in a while to pay a visit.
Hoctor has no plans to retire yet and has no idea when that would be. One thing is for sure. If the determined driver ever snags that elusive feature checkered flag at Ransomville, it will be a victory party like no other. And in true Hoctor fashion, it will center around his family.
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