SPOTLIGHT ON SPEED: CODY AGLER

В В ItвЂ™s a story that has a familiar ring to it.В В A young kid in Emporia starts out in Motocross and then switches to stock cars, dreaming of making it in NASCAR.В В Clint Bowyer made that happen a few years back and now one of his young protГ©gГ©s, 18-year-old Cody Agler, is trying to do the same thing, running as a rookie in the Modified class this season at Heartland Park.В В вЂњI did get him started in racing, but it was on two wheels,вЂ™вЂ™ Bowyer said. вЂњI used to work for his father and we raced motorcycles and they wanted to get into it. HeвЂ™s about like me. He got started racing and all of a sudden he wants to drive NASCAR.В В вЂњI think heвЂ™s doing a really good job. He started in a Modified which is tough to do, especially around here. Modified racing in this part of the country is the best Modified racing in the country, period.вЂ™вЂ™В В Agler said heвЂ™s learning more and more about Modified racing every week.В В вЂњI raced Motocross for 14 years, I think,вЂ™вЂ™ Agler said. вЂњThen I came to do this and this is my first (year) ever doing this.В В вЂњItвЂ™s all right. ItвЂ™s going pretty good. I just wish I could start winning like I did in Motocross, but weвЂ™ll get there someday.вЂ™вЂ™В В Agler misses Motocross, but said it was time to make a switch.В В вЂњI loved motocross and I still wished I was doing it, but Motocross just got too dangerous,вЂ™вЂ™ he said. вЂњThis is a lot safer. All in all itвЂ™s a better opportunity.вЂ™вЂ™В В Now the key is to take advantage of that opportunity.В В вЂњIt seems like IвЂ™m meeting new people every week, making new friends and everything,вЂ™вЂ™ he said. вЂњAt first nobody liked me because I didnвЂ™t know anything, I just left it wide open. But now IвЂ™m learning a lot and everybodyвЂ™s been helping me, so itвЂ™s good.В В вЂњI wish I could be finishing in the top five, but like everybody says, thereвЂ™s people that have been doing it for 25 years and they donвЂ™t even finish in the top 10 sometimes.вЂ™вЂ™