Signal Mountain's Tim Totherow put his racing on hold in 2000 when his dad,
Herb Totherow, was diagnosed with cancer. Since then it has been one family catastrophe after another. But he is determined to get back behind the wheel at Boyd's Speedway soon.
Herb began racing in 1967 as a car owner to local standout Johny Dill. Not satisfied as just an owner, he built his own and began the 1968 season in the legendary Mopar #39, which became known as the "Mayflower". He was one of the "ones to beat" in this area, as he was sucessful enough to have many wins and be profitable at racing.
Tim Totherow says, "My father's racing put a love in my heart for cars, engines and speed. I began driving for my dad at the age of 18 at Rhea County Raceway in a Chevelle that we bought used. I drove for him for the next several years at Cleveland, Boyds, Winchester, Duck River and others. I then moved to Memphis and drove for my two brothers, Mike and Jarvis. We ran at Memphis Motorsports and Riverside in West Memphis for a couple of years. I then rejoined my dad's team up until his health forced him to retire completely. The last race I drove for him was in 2000."
While in recovery from the cancer, his dad, Herb Totherow, suffered a severe heart attack. Then, while Herb was recovering from that, he was involved in a car accident which left him with a broken vertebrae in his neck along with a broken hip and arm. If suffering through all of this was
not enough, the cancer returned. Herb succumbed to the cancer in September of 2006.
Before the passing of his father, Tim suffered a debilitating injury of his
own. Tim fell from a ladder onto a concrete surface while doing building construction - his career of the last several years. Tim's injury, called an L1 burst fracture, left him with permanent spinal cord damage. He is classified as an incomplete paraplegic. He has undergone extensive therapy at Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation.
Tim said he has not let all of this get him down. He plans to carry on his father's legacy and return to auto racing - the sport they both loved so much.
With the help of some adaptive control systems, Tim will be making his
return to racing within the next few weeks. He says, "We are putting the finishing touches on the car, and I have been practicing getting in and out in case of emergency. I think I can get in and out faster than I did before my accident."
He adds, "I have had a great deal of support from my family, my church, and people I didn't even know prior to this. I want to be back in a car more than anything right now, and I know that moment is near."
Tim, who just turned 40, married his wife, Shanda, on Dec. 2, 1990. They have two daughters, Shanoa, born February 4 1994, and Mckenzie, born March 5, 1998. Tim was baptized along with his daughters on March 5, 2006.