John Higgins has risked life and limb to save lives as a Bangor firefighter for the last 18 years.

So what does the Bangor native do to relax during his leisure time?

Drive stock cars.

“I like going fast. I’ve always liked going fast,” chuckled Higgins, who began his racing career at the ripe old age of 39 in the Mini-Cup cars.

After three years and three races in the half-scale Nextel Cup replicas, he has jumped into a full-size Chevy Monte Carlo in the Limited Class at Hermon’s Speedway 95.

He was third, sixth and fifth in points in his three full Mini-Cup seasons and he is currently running fourth in points in the Limiteds.

He said fire fighting and driving race cars both involve an adrenaline rush.

“The similarity is the risk taking,” said Higgins. “As a fire fighter, you want to be the first one to react, the first one to go inside.”

And, as a race car driver, you want to be the first one to cross the finish line, he said.

Fire fighting is more dangerous, according to Higgins.

“You may not have total control in a race car but you have no control in a fire,” said Higgins.

Higgins said driving the Mini-Cup cars “helped me out a lot” when he made the transition to the Limiteds.

He explained that a driver has to be fluid and steady in the Mini-Cup cars because any little movement or action impacts the handling of the car. And brakes aren’t used very often.

“Driving the Mini-Cups makes you a smooth driver for whatever series you go on to,” said Higgins.

The Limiteds are much different.

“You have so much more speed and power in the Limiteds,” said Higgins.

Limiteds run in excess of 90 miles an hour while the Mini-Cups run between 65 and 70 miles an hour, he explained.

Higgins got his first taste of auto racing when he was a youngster and his brother, Barry, used to race at Speedway 95.

“It seemed like a huge money pit to stay away from,” said Higgins.

But when his nephew, Nick Higgins, got involved in the Mini-Cup cars, it sparked his interest.

He enjoyed his time in the Mini-Cup cars “but I wanted to race a big car.

“I wanted to go to Pro Stocks but everybody thought it was too big a step and that Limiteds would be a better step for me,” Higgins said.

He admitted he was intimidated by the car when he climbed into it for his first practice “until I spun it out. Once I did that, I was able to find the spot to where I got out of control. Once I found it, I was able to go faster and faster.”

The 43-year-old Higgins said being an athlete from a sports-minded family has aided his racing career. Higgins, the 10th of 13 children raised by Leo and Hilda, played baseball, football and basketball at Bangor’s John Bapst High School and played on the slow-pitch softball team he sponsored until he began his racing career.

“I’ve got that huge competitive [spirit] from all the sports I’ve played,” said Higgins, who lives in Glenburn.

Racing is very much a family affair for the Higgins’.

His wife, Kristy, is his tire specialist.

“It has been a learning process for me, for sure,” said Kristy. “I’ve gotten a lot of help. I ask a lot of questions.”

Her father, Kerry Wilson, and her brother, Keith, comprise the crew along with John’s brother Mark and friend Mark King. John and Kristy’s sons, 5-year-old J.J. and 2-year-old Wilson, are also interested in the sport and could be future stock car drivers.

Higgins also said Pro Stock driver Gary Smith and Smith’s son and crew chief Jesse “have been a tremendous help.”

Higgins’ paramedic training as a fire fighter has come in handy throughout his career as he has jumped out of his car on several occasions to attend injured drivers until the paramedics show up. On one occasion, he helped an injured ambulance attendant.

Howland’s Francis Bernard was involved in a Mini-Cup tour wreck and had pain in his back and legs.

“It knocked me out and when I came to, John was talking to me and checking me out. He knew what he was talking about and seemed to know what he was doing,” said Bernard.

“That’s part of his nature,” said Kristy.

Higgins has yet to win a race in his career and that is one of his goals for the remainder of the season. He is “very happy” with his season and after attending the Oxford Banknorth 250 this year, he said he’d liked to try to qualify for the prestigious race next year.