LIFE IS THE PITS FOR CHAFFEE BROTHERS

Tony and Tim Enderle -- brothers from Chaffee, Mo. -- sometimes have to pinch themselves. Their dreams have come true, and they're loving every minute of it.

The Enderles, three years apart in age, grew up enamored with cars, particularly the mechanical and body work end of things. Little did they know that their interest in automobiles -- especially ones that go extremely fast -- would ultimately lead them to the major leagues of stock car racing.

Tony, 29, and Tim, 26, have both held full-time jobs for the past several years with racing teams on NASCAR's Winston Cup Circuit. They spend their weekdays primarily helping get their respective driver's cars ready to race and weekends helping out in the pits at various tracks across the country.

"It's pretty much been like a dream for me," said Tony. "When I was 9, 10 years old, I knew this is what I wanted to do, work on cars. I feel fortunate to get to go to the highest level."

Said Tim, "This is like a dream job for me. I've been interested in cars for about as long as I can remember. And to be able to do this kind of work, I feel really lucky."

The Enderles both work out of Concord, N.C., although their busy schedules don't allow them to see each other much during the week. However, when they're at the various races on weekends, they generally find time to at least have dinner together.

"It keeps us both really busy, but we try to make time for each other on the weekends," said Tony. "This kind of work has actually probably kind of brought my brother and I closer together."

Tony, a 1989 graduate of Chaffee High School, currently works for the Michael Waltrip Racing Team. Waltrip finished 20th at the Brickyard 400 last weekend and will run this weekend at Watkins Glen, N.Y.

Tim, a 1993 Chaffee High School graduate, is currently working for the Kenny Schrader Racing Team. Schrader finished 22th at the Brickyard 400 and will also run this weekend at Watkins Glen, N.Y.

Tony began his odyssey to racing's big time at area tracks, including Missouri International Race Park in Benton, Mo., helping out on the teams of various local drivers.

"I always had a feel for cars, I always really wanted to work on cars. Fast cars," said Tony with a laugh. "I would go to the local Benton track with Jim Dodd and (Doc) Randy Stahly, helping them set cars up. I kind of broke away from that and worked in Fredericktown with Perry Tripp for a few races, getting my feet wet in the ARCA series."

Finally, Tony decided to make a serious move. He went out to North Carolina and beat the bushes, trying to land a job.

"I just came out here in 1994 and went around to the shops trying to find something," he said. "Finally a guy called me and told me to pack my stuff and come out. I did. I started off in the Busch Grand National Series working with Tony Stewart. Then I got into Winston Cup about 1996."

Tony spent 1999 with Jeff Burton's team and took part in four victories, including a big one at Daytona. He recently switched to Waltrip, who hasn't been as successful yet.

"They made me an offer I couldn't refuse," explained Tony. "Tire changers out here, they're pretty hard to find. You have to put up with a lot of pressure. But once you show you can do a good job, you can pretty well name your price."

During the week, Tony said he primarily works on the car's suspension. During races, he's a rear tire changer, which he said is totally exhilarating.

"It's a big adrenaline rush when you're in the pits," he said. "There's no drug in the world that can surpass that adrenaline rush. It's the best feeling. It's probably the fastest 15 seconds in your life, but it seems like a long time."

Although the life Tony leads is filled with pressure, he said he wouldn't change a thing. And he'd eventually like to take on even more responsibility as a crew chief.

"This is pretty well what I want to do with the rest of my life, and I'd love to eventually work my way up to crew chief abilities," he said. "It's just a lot of fun. You get to meet a lot of different people, the people you work with are great and the fans are just super. I think it's a great life."

Tim, who also believes he leads a pretty fantastic life, got into his career in much the same way as his older brother. He was interested in cars at an early age, particularly body work.

"I used to help Randy Stahly down in Benton for a number of years and I helped Shawn King a little bit," he said. "I would work on cars during the week and then at the track on weekends."

In about 1996, while visiting Tony, who was then working in the Busch Series and about to make his move to Winston Cup, Tim decided to follow in his brother's footsteps.

"I really thought this was what I wanted to do so I sent out resumes," he said. "I was lucky. I got into it pretty quick and kind of worked my way up."

Tim has been in Winston Cup since 1997 with various teams, and he's been with Schrader's group the past two years. He works on the cars during the week, with a heavy emphasis on body work, then during races he's a rear tire carrier.

Like his brother, Tim feels quite a rush when he's doing his thing at the track.

"It gets pretty intense," he said. "We had some awesome stops Saturday (at the Brickyard 400). Every time we came in, we picked him (Schrader) up about four or five positions. But he just didn't have the right feel with the car."

While Tim acknowledges that the work is rugged and intense, he relishes it, just like his brother.

"It's hard work, but I really like it," he said. "You travel some place just about every week and get to meet a lot of really neat people. And once you go to one race, you just get hooked. It was that way when I would go to Benton."

Both brothers said one of the drawbacks of their job is that they only get to visit their family back in Chaffee about two or three times a year. But they agree that the positives far outweigh the negatives.

And, without revealing their salary, they say the pay is quite good for everybody involved with one of the world's most popular sports. From 150,000 to 400,000 fans routinely pack Winston Cup tracks each week, drivers are treated like movie stars and souvenir stands and shops can't keep stocked with enough merchandise.

"This is really a booming sport, and it looks like it's only going to get bigger," said Tony.

Added Tim with a chuckle, "One good thing about this sport, they do pay you good, and the benefits are awesome. It's such a big business, and they're not afraid to pay the money. We've got guys in here making $1,500 a week and even more, plus you get bonuses, you get a percentage of what the car makes.

"I think it's a pretty neat life."