Veazie native Dale Averill has the best of both worlds.

He is a gifted artist who designs vinyl graphics for race cars, pit signs, and banners and then, on weekends, he is the spotter for Andy Santerre’s Busch North team.

Cherryfield’s Santerre won the Busch North points championship a year ago and is very close to sewing up another title this season.

Santerre’s Aubuchon Hardware/Brickmill Chevrolet, the Johnson Lumber Ford driven by Mike Johnson, and Mike Stefanik’s Burnham Boilers Chevy are three of the Busch North cars bearing Averill’s designs.

There are cars in several other series also sporting his artwork, including the Busch Grand National and Craftsman Truck series.

After owning his own design business in Concord, N.H., Averill moved to Concord, N.C., last June to work for Corporate Image.

“They tell us who the sponsors are and what the colors are and we take it from there. I don’t have a set plan when I attack a design,” said Averill, a 1983 Bangor High School graduate. “Basically, they give me something to accent. [For example] if there are stripes in the logo, I’ll play off that a little bit.”

“It’s not rocket science, that’s for sure. But you try to be creative with what they give you and you try to produce an exciting logo,” added Averill.

He said late model racing is very popular in North Carolina and the company is “delving into that scene.”

He said he loves what he’s doing and that going from being a self-employed do-everything designer in New Hampshire to a corporate graphic artist in North Carolina “is the best transition I’ve ever had.”

On weekends, he trades in his computer and drawing tools for a headset as he assumes the role of spotter.

Concentration is the key to being a successful spotter, Averill said.

“You need to have one eye on Andy’s car and the other eye eight to 10 cars ahead of him. It’s hard to do,” he said.

“You need to be smart. You have to make the right call at the right time,” said Averill, who is married to the former Stacy Damboise of Old Town.

“If you screw up at all, you can screw up the race for your driver,” Averill added.

Spotters need to be able to tell his driver things like how many cars are on the lead lap, who is a lap down, and what his lap times are, according to Averill.

He also said he has to “count him into the pit stall and tell him exactly where he needs to turn to get into his pit stall.”

He likened his job as a spotter to “playing a video game” and said it is important for the driver and spotter to have a healthy relationship.

He and Santerre have been close friends for several years, and Averill also used to work for Newburgh’s Ricky Craven.

“They have to trust you. They’re putting their lives in your hands,” said Averill, who has also been a pit crew member among other racing-related jobs and hobbies he has held beginning with his days at Hermon’s Speedway 95.

“Spotting gets me off pit road. I wouldn’t trade this for the world,” said Averill, who was once told by car owners Mike and Pam O’Connor that he shouldn’t be working in the pits “because I make my living with my hands” and he shouldn’t risk injuring them.

Averill’s artistic career began when Earl McGraw of Hampden saw some drawings Averill brought into a warehouse when he was a delivery driver for R.J. Bennett Flower Co.

McGraw was impressed, and when he bought a screenprinting company, Maine Shirtworks, he hired Averill.

Averill’s auto racing career began when he worked on a crew for his girlfriend’s uncle, Moe Blanchard, who raced at Speedway 95.

He has worked on several crews in several different series.

In time, Santerre eventually convinced him to move to North Carolina.

Averill hopes to spot for Santerre again next year, but Santerre isn’t sure what the future holds.

“I hope to stay with Andy, but I don’t know what his plans are. If I don’t spot with him, some Busch South [Grand National] teams have made some overtures. I would fly in on race day and fly out that night. It’s a great deal and you get paid pretty well,” said Averill.

Rowe, Santerre seek crowns

Ben Rowe of Turner and Santerre will look to sew up series championships this weekend in Connecticut.

Rowe has a 93-point lead over Dale Shaw of Center Conway, N.H., entering the Pro All-Stars Series race at Thompson International Speedway Saturday night.

Santerre has a 173-point lead in the Busch North series over Mike Stefanik of Coventry, R.I. They will race Saturday at Stafford Motor Speedway.