Steve Lewis has been watching racing his whole life.

His father raced on the dirt tracks of NASCAR’s homeland in North Carolina. As the years went on, he saw plenty of racing in the Charlotte area. Later, he got involved in the sport by opening a driving school. Until 1999, though, he had never driven in a race.

Now, seven years later, the Tallulah resident owns his own car – and he’s trying to get others to join in the fun.

Lewis owns a Bandolero series car, a small and inexpensive model designed to introduce teenagers to racing and allow drivers on a budget to enjoy the sport. He’s on a mission to get other racers involved in the Bandolero cars and hopes to find enough cars to start a series at one of Central Mississippi’s racetracks.

&#8220I’m trying to get awareness, let people realize you can run 70 mph and get on the track. You don’t have to spend $45,000 on a late-model motor,” Lewis said. &#8220Something in my heart won’t let me give up. I have a dream and want to see it through. Plus, I’m hard-headed and won’t give up.”

At just over 500 pounds, and just under 11 feet long, Bandolero cars are small and light enough to allow young drivers to make the next step from go-kart racing. They can go as fast as 120 mph, but normal race restrictions on the car setup usually keep them around 70 mph on the track.

They’re also designed to run on either dirt or asphalt tracks, making them versatile and cheap enough – about $7,000 for a new one – for an older racer who wants to pursue the sport as a hobby.

&#8220Other than changing the oil, sparkplugs, things like that, you can run it for less than $2,000 a season,” Lewis said.

Lewis started racing Bandolero cars in Feb. 1999 in Concord, N.C. – home of Lowe’s Motor Speedway and right in the heart of NASCAR country. He moved to Tallulah in 2004 when his wife took a job with the family business there.

Since then, he’s been trying to find a way to get his racing fix. His Bandolero car is the only one in the area, meaning he’s had to drive to Texas, Memphis, Nashville or North Carolina to race it. He does that several times a year, but longs for a shorter commute.

To that end, Lewis has contacted DaCosa Speedway in Byhalia and Swinging Bridge Raceway in Byram to inquire about staging races. DaCosa Speedway will have exhibition races with the Bandoleros on Feb. 17 and March 10, but the long drive to North Mississippi is a tough trek for a regular series.

Swinging Bridge has offered to stage a regular series – if Lewis can find enough cars, which is the sticking point.

&#8220They want to put a show on, and if we can get enough of the cars we can run a series,” Lewis said of the Byram track.

So Lewis continues his mission, touting the virtues of the Bandolero cars at every opportunity. He’s not sure how long it’ll take to drum up interest, but he’s not ready to give up any time soon.

&#8220That’s going to depend on the people. A lot of it is getting interest in it. It’s low-budget racing,” Lewis said. &#8220It’s fun and safe. Safety was a part of developing this car, because it’s designed for teaching kids how to handle a car on the track.”