It’s a Tim Taylor dream come true. Sitting in the corner of ADS Truck and Performance Center on Highway 80 in Demopolis is a shiny barstool on wheels with a small motor attached to the bottom.

“I guess if you can make something go fast, there’s someone out there who thinks they can make it go faster,” said Blake Willis, manager of the new business.

Willis said ADS owner Adam Greene, who runs Automotive Detail of Selma (ADS), saw the barstool racers at a bike rally in Myrtle Beach, S.C. and “just had to have one.”

“He talked with the guy there and made a deal to get one,” Willis said.

The stool in the local store sports a red padded seat with the bold number 8 in black. The stool sits on a wide frame with small wide tires and another, smaller wheel in the back for stability. Handlebars complete the ensemble and give the rider something to hold on to.

The name is a bit of a misnomer though, as most of the barstool racers are actually used as a means to get around in tight places, like – of all places – races.

“I’ve seen them at NASCAR races, in fact, in Talladega all the racers had one,” Willis said. He explained that some of the pit crew will use the racers to ride between the front line where they watch the race and the pit area where the necessary tools and equipment are kept.

“I see them a lot at drag races too,” he said, noting that they are used for the same thing there.

The small store, located next to the Old China Palace, really doesn’t have a need for the get-around or the racing, but uses the stool as an interesting centerpiece.

“It’s for sale, but it’s not necessarily something we stock up on,” he said. “But it’s definitely a good conversation piece.”

The performance center opened May 9 and Willis said they are planning a grand opening soon.

“Right now, we’re just letting the word get out that we’re here,” he said.

The store is located at 1016 Highway 80 East and Willis can be contacted there at 289-2266.