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Category: Featured Interview

Featured interviews from SpeedwayMedia.com

  • Ryan Truex’s New Cup Ride ‘Definitely a Surprise’

    Ryan Truex’s New Cup Ride ‘Definitely a Surprise’

    While Ryan Truex was thrilled about landing a full-time Cup ride in the No. 83 Toyota with BK Racing, he was also just plain taken by surprise by the opportunity that developed a month before the start of the 2014 season.

    “They had kind of been looking at bringing in younger drivers for a little while now,” Truex said. “Ron Devine (team owner) has always talked to me at the race track.”

    “They needed a driver for the off season to go test with them and luckily I was available,” Truex continued. “And it just snowballed from there to where we are now.”

    “I’m pinching myself a little bit,” Truex sad. “I don’t think it has fully set in yet.”

    “It has definitely been a surprise.”

    Prior to receiving the offer from BK Racing, Truex has been working with team Petty to trying to find funding to run some Nationwide races on a part-time basis.

    “So, this deal just came out of left field,” Truex said. “That’s usually what happens though and was a nice surprise.”

    “Everything worked, the stars all aligned and now we’ve got thirty days to get ready and the season starts.”

    Truex is stepping into the already formed 93 team, complete with crew chief Dale Ferguson, who we just recently met at the Daytona test.

    “So, I’m just basically stepping in,” Truex said. “Those guys all know each other and they know the system and how everything works.”

    “They’re just kind of plugging me in.”

    “I just met Dale a few weeks ago before the Daytona test,” Truex continued. “We seemed to get along pretty well and everybody on the team gets along really well.”

    “We gelled well and going forward I think it will be a good combination,” Truex said. “Dale knows the ins and outs of the team and the cars so it should be a pretty easy transition.”

    Truex is not only looking forward to having a full-time Cup ride but also to working with his teammate Alex Bowman, as well as competing in one of the most competitive rookie classes in recent history.

    “I think it will be good because Alex and I know each other a little bit and we’ve raced each other in Nationwide,” Truex said. “We’re both young and we’re both rookies.”

    “We’re eager to go out and do the things we need to do to be successful,” Truex continued. “We both have the same mindset.”

    “So, we should be able to feed off each other and make each other better.”

    “I think it’s the biggest rookie class since 2001,” Truex said. “The best thing about it is that everyone in it is a proven winner.”

    “And they’ve all climbed their way to the top, shown that they deserve to be there and they have done a great job in every kind of race car,” Truex continued. “I think it will be a battle until the end.”

    “There are some really heavy hitters in there, like Austin Dillon,” Truex said. “I think he will definitely be the point that we’ll all base ourselves off of.”

    “I think it will be really competitive.”

    While Truex is optimistic about the upcoming year, he is also realistic in his expectations going into the 2014 season.

    “BK Racing is still a young team in Sprint Cup,” Truex said. “They’ve gone through the growing pains and they know what they have to do to be successful.”

    “They are putting the right people and pieces in place to do it,” Truex continued. “I don’t see any reason why we can’t go out, run all the laps, stay on the lead lap and get a top-25 finish.”

    “If we do all that and don’t make any mistakes, there is no reason why we can’t do that.”

    While Truex is now experiencing the ‘high’ of a full-time Cup ride, he also has known the struggles of coming up through the ranks, from K&N East Champion to being a brand new rookie again.

    “The past few years, even just running part-time and struggling to find funding, it’s been pretty frustrating,” Truex said. “But you can’t let any negative thoughts set in.”

    “You’ve got to keep fighting for it and stay optimistic,” Truex continued. “I think it will be the same mindset this year.”

    “Every team has ups and downs and it’s the good teams and good drivers that can pull through,” Truex said. “You have to realize your mistakes and improve from them.”

    “That will be the biggest thing for me this year,” Truex continued. “You’ve got to have the right mindset and execute.”

    So, what will the youngest Truex brother think when he gets the chance to be on the sport’s biggest stage in the first race of the season, the Daytona 500?

    “That’s a good question,” Truex said. “I haven’t even thought about it.”

    “It still hasn’t set in yet that I’m running full-time,” Truex continued. “Places like Daytona and racing in the Daytona 500 with all that history and with people like Earnhardt and Petty, it’s pretty crazy.”

    “And it’s pretty crazy just to think that I’ve made it this far,” Truex said. “Driving in the Sprint Cup Series has been a goal since I started racing, and to start this next chapter with BK Racing makes it extra special.”

    “I am very excited for this opportunity.”

  • David Ragan Set for a Milestone Year

    David Ragan Set for a Milestone Year

    For David Ragan, 2014 is set to be a year full of milestones, from his 100th Nationwide start to his impending fatherhood, with baby Ragan set to arrive this summer.

    But as is the case for most racers, Ragan is just happy to be back at the track, even if only for some preseason testing in the Nationwide Series.

    “I’m excited for the Daytona Nationwide race,” Ragan said. “I will be racing with the Biagi-DenBeste Racing team.”

    “I wanted to run a few Nationwide races to get back in the rhythm of running up front and having some fun in the Nationwide Series,” Ragan continued. “It’s something that I really haven’t had an opportunity to do in the last year or so.”

    “I didn’t even realize it would be my 100th start so that was kind of interesting as well,” Ragan said. “It’s something that as the years go on, you look back and say, ‘Man it did go by pretty fast.’

    “But definitely the 100th start will be fun to make at Daytona, which is special to me.”

    Ragan will be behind the wheel of the No. 98 Curb Records Ford for his milestone start in the DRIVE4COPD 300, scheduled for February 22nd.

    “The Nationwide team has built a really nice car,” Ragan said. “We tested down in Dayton for a couple days and thought the car had a lot of speed.”

    “We have won a couple of races, a few poles and I certainly want to add another notch in the win column,” Ragan continued. “That would be cool to do in your 100th milestone start.”

    Another milestone that Ragan is hoping to achieve is being able to compete in even more Nationwide Series races with this Biagi-DenBeste Racing team.

    “We are working hard to attract a few more sponsors to run a few more races,” Ragan said. “This is the kind of team that doesn’t run a tremendous number of races so they can do it a little cheaper than a full-time team.”

    “It’s fun and a great opportunity with a Ford Mustang to get back into the Nationwide Series,” Ragan continued. “So, I’m looking forward to hopefully running a few more races with this team.”

    While Ragan is looking forward to achieving more milestones at Daytona in the Nationwide Series, he acknowledges that he will have a few challenges to face getting back into that seat. And while he enjoys racing at Daytona, the track has also presented some challenges along the way.

    “I enjoy plate racing,” Ragan said. “I didn’t enjoy it the first year or two but I got to learn how to do it well.”

    “But Daytona has been a tough track for me,” Ragan continued. “I think I’ve wrecked the last three or four races there.”

    Several of the other challenges that Ragan will face in his milestone return to the Nationwide Series is the new ‘no tandem racing’ rule, as well as all the new, fresh rookie faces in the garage area.

    “I don’t think that NASCAR will even have a chance to police that no tandem rule because of the configuration of the air intake and the radiator package,” Ragan said. “It’s very similar to the Cup Series so the temperatures will be so high that you won’t be able to even attempt to tandem race.”

    “It is just one of those things that NASCAR is adjusting the rules on a bit that I don’t think they’ll have an opportunity to enforce because we can police it ourselves.”

    “Also, I’m trying to get to know some of the new guys out there that I’m racing with,” Ragan said. “That’s why it was important to go and do the test.

    “A lot of the Nationwide guys I know and know of but I haven’t had the opportunity to race with them,” Ragan continued. “I think it’s important to get to talk to them and let them see me in the car so they recognize who is driving it.”

    “That will pay big dividends when we are out there racing for sure.”

    Ragan is also looking forward to achieving new milestones on the Cup side of his career, especially being back in partnership for another year with Front Row Motorsports teammate David Gilliland.

    “Front Row Motorsports has improved year in and year out since I’ve started there in 2012,” Ragan said. “We’ve got a lot of potential now.”

    “Some of our primary sponsors are coming back and we’re excited about that,” Ragan continued. “We’ve worked on our car inventory this off-season and we’ve certainly improved our team.”

    “We’ve got to keep working hard because as the same time we’re improving our team, the teams around us are improving theirs as well,” Ragan said. “We just have to keep our heads up and keep working hard.”

    “We’re excited to get to Daytona, but really excited to get to Phoenix, Las Vegas, Bristol and see where we shake out in those first few races,” Ragan continued. “I’m looking forward to my third year and having some fun with my team.”

    “And if we could slightly improve on our Cup efforts, continue to build relationships with our sponsors and it has a lot of potential to be a milestone year.”

    Ragan’s final, and most important, milestone in 2014 is more personal. He and his wife Jacquelyn are expecting a new addition to the Ragan clan.

    “We are also having a milestone personally as Jacquelyn, my wife, is pregnant and due in June,” Ragan said. “So, this is going to be a big year off the race track.”

    “It’s going to be a fun time but a very busy time,” Ragan said. “But we’re excited and ready to get the year underway.”

  • NASCAR BTS: Pit Stops for Poverty Fasting for Childhood Hunger

    NASCAR BTS: Pit Stops for Poverty Fasting for Childhood Hunger

    While NASCAR nation’s thoughts are in Daytona today and tomorrow for 2014 preseason testing, behind the scenes back at the Richard Childress Racing shop, something even more unique than cars on the track is happening.

    Pit Stops for Poverty, an organization founded by RCR pit crew team members, is staging a twenty-four hour fast, going without food to end the childhood hunger problem in North Carolina.

    “We are having our first-ever pit crew food fast,” Ray Wright, founder of Pit Stops for Poverty and rear tire carrier for the No. 27 Richard Childress Racing team, said. “We are camping out in the RCR Museum parking lot as one big unit, including all six teams and all six pit crews, starting at 5:00 PM on Thursday, January 9th to 5:00 PM on Friday, January 10th.”

    “We’re going to endure a 24 hour food fast to align ourselves with the hungry in our state,” Wright said. “We’re going to use it as a way to raise donations for Second Harvest Food Bank.”

    Wright and his RCR pit crew brethren realize that they are picking one of the coldest times of the year to do their fast. But this hardy group is not going to let that deter them from their mission.

    “I think the low is going to get down to about 32 degrees Thursday night,” Wright said. “But the guys are pretty excited about it.”

    “We’re bringing out tents and fire pits and the whole deal.”

    While Wright welcomes any family, friends and fans to come by and support them, either with encouragement or food donations, he is focused primarily on raising money for the Food Bank.

    “We would love to have folks come by with food but we really want to raise money,” Wright said. “For one dollar donated to the Food Bank, they can provide seven small nutritious meals for these kids.”

    “People who want to support our cause can go to www.pitstopsforpoverty.com,” Wright continued. “They can click donate and do what we need them to do.”

    So, how did this whole effort begin that has led tire carriers, changers and gas men to camp out in the cold and go without food to call attention to childhood hunger?

    “Truthfully and honestly, this started in a Bible study a couple of years ago,” Wright said. “People don’t want to hear preaching.”

    “They want to see our Christianity,” Wright continued. “And so we need to help people and we need to be a light for people who are not so fortunate.”

    “We found out that we live in the worst state in regards to childhood hunger,” Wright said. “One in every four children in North Carolina are food insecure.”

    “We have over 154,000 kids in the 18 counties that Second Harvest Food Bank feeds,” Wright continued. “With our reach in NASCAR, we thought we could try different ways to raise money for the Food Bank that needs a source of support.”

    “And that’s how this whole thing started,” Wright said. “And so, from starting in June, we’ve raised over $50,000 for Second Harvest so far.”

    In addition to the food fast, Pit Stops for Poverty raises money for the Second Harvest Food Bank in other unique ways.

    “We have Twitter and Facebook auctions, track sales, an RCR Men of Pit Road calendar and we sell crew shirts through a little mini-store on the website,” Wright said. “One of the more unique ways that we get money is from our drivers.”

    “Drivers donate a certain amount of money for every spot their pit crew gains on pit road,” Wright continued. “Other drivers donate for twelve second or thirteen second stops.”

    “That’s been a really cool source of donations,” Wright said. “In 2013, we had 100% participation for the drivers.”

    In April of this year, Pit Stops for Poverty will hold its first golf tournament at Sapona Ridge County Club in Lexington, North Carolina. The group will also sponsor a Chase to End Childhood Hunger, with donations during the ten Chase races in honor of fans’ favorite drivers competing for the championship.

    To celebrate the end of the year, the pit crew members are planning a Pit Stops for Poverty Fest where they will make their ‘big’ donation to Second Harvest Food Bank. The event will include driver appearances, live pit stops, and an autograph session from Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s pit crew, the ‘Flying Aces.’

    The other very unique aspect of Pit Stops for Poverty is that they are not a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit.  Instead they link directly to the Food Bank so that every penny, nickel, dime, quarter and dollar goes to those in need.

    “When you click on our website to donate, a link comes up for Second Harvest Food Bank and they are the nonprofit,” Wright said. “All we do is funnel money directly to Second Harvest Food Bank.”

    So, what really motivates these pit crew members as they attempt to change tires and gas cars in addition to doing good?

    “Our goal is just to move North Carolina out from the bottom as far as childhood hunger,” Wright said. “Eventually we want to reach the whole United States.”

    “Nobody in our country, especially no kid, should be hungry,” Wright said. “No kid should have to leave school Friday and have to get a back pack of food to get through the weekend.”

    “With as much abundance as America has, that is ridiculous,” Wright said. “We want to put a dent in this problem.”

    “That’s our only goal and any way we can do it, we want to do it.”

     

  • My Interview with NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Driver German Quiroga

    My Interview with NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Driver German Quiroga

    Right now my guess is many of you are saying to yourselves, who is German Quiroga? Well, I hope to change that!

    I call this an interview, but in actuality it really wasn’t one. It quickly felt more like I was chatting with a friend than interviewing a driver. It quickly became clear that Quiroga is someone special and I hope after reading this you feel the same way as I do.

    Quiroga was born in Mexico City, Mexico in 1980. He began his racing career at age 15 in the Retro Neon Series and went on to claim Rookie of the Year in 1996, followed by the Championship in 1998. Quiroga claimed the Formula Renault 2000 championship alongside Rookie of the Year honors. He then started racing in the NASCAR Mexico Series and went on to collect three consecutive championships from 2009-2011, the only driver in history to do so.

    After his success in Mexico, he left everything behind, his family, his home, his friends, and his fame.

    “It wasn’t easy,” he said, “but I committed a year and half ago myself to it. I wanted to get to a higher level. That’s how my dream started.”

    He came to America to race in our NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and now drives the Red Horse Racing No. 77 Toyota Tundra. He made his debut in 2011 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, finishing 16th.

    When Quiroga started in the sport there wasn’t a lot of diversity in drivers but Quiroga said that everybody was willing to be nice and helpful.

    “The NASCAR Community, I think, and everyone has been very friendly and willing to help me, not just the drivers and teams but NASCAR as a company. I have a lot of opportunity for sure,” Quiroga told me.

    In speaking of his first year in the sport, he also talked about the learning curve, stating, “the learning curve will keep on growing but we are past the rough part in the beginning.”

    This past season, Quiroga finished 13th in points with two top fives and six top 10s, including a third at Pocono. The success this year has the driver feeling proud of his accomplishments.

    “We had a decent year,” he explained, “achieved some very good things, as a Mexican driver, to accomplish a third place ever in a National Division in NASCAR. We also had a pole and a track record. Obviously I wanted to get my first win. Unfortunately that didn’t happen last year but with the changes we are making for next year I think we are going to be very strong.”

    We also talked about the differences and how difficult it was coming from the NASCAR Corona Series to the NASCAR Camping World Truck series. I asked about any difficulty adjusting to the different type of vehicle.

    “There is a lot of aero involved,” he said. “The first thing I noticed was the speed. In our ovals we would go maybe 160-165 mph average but here you jump to 200 mph average. It doesn’t seem like it would be a lot but when you are on the track you notice the difference.”

    Quiroga also stated that the tires were a challenge because in Mexico they do not race radial tires. They run on normal tires.

    “Getting to know the tracks was another challenge,” he continued. “Growing up I saw them on television but you don’t get the experience until you are there and for me, getting to know the tricks on gaining positions or passing someone; there is a lot to learn. I am excited to be a part of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. It’s a great series to learn. I want to do very well here and step up my career to the next level which is the NASCAR Nationwide Series, then hopefully lead to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.”

    We talked awhile about his past championships in Mexico and his past season. He stated that he was trying too hard and felt that maybe could have hurt his season some. This year he plans on going back to what he knows and is familiar with, including running for wins but also for points so at the end he can contend for the championship. Focusing on this year I asked him the question that probably every driver gets asked, but being from Mexico I thought his answer would likely differ.

    I asked him what the words Daytona 500 mean to you.

    “You hear Daytona and it’s such a legendary track. 2013 was actually my first year there, my first thoughts are, I had been testing and gotten back to the hotel and turned on the television to watch the finish of the Daytona 500. I saw what happened to Dale Earnhardt Sr. I had watched the last 50 laps or so and I was very, very sad. Dale Earnhardt Sr. was a hero to me and unfortunately he died there.” He went on to say, “I like super speedways, the first super speedway I actually ran was Talladega in 2012 and then 2013 was my first race at Daytona.”

    His first race at Daytona ended in a crash but he was thankful for the opportunity and Quiroga said he wished he had been racing back when Earnhardt Sr. drove. He was someone you could have learned a lot from.

    I asked him what he thought his greatest or best moment to date was.

    “I came to the United States with nothing so getting to know people and to keep on working to accomplish my dreams. I have two good sponsors, Otter Box and Net 10 Wireless, and having the opportunity to race the entire season. I want to pressure myself to achieve what I want.”

    He talked further about needing to be physically fit for racing so he wants to get his strength up to get ready for the upcoming season.

    “I had a challenge this year to run a marathon,” Quiroga said, “which is something I really don’t like to do is running, but I trained. Some days I was up at 4:00 a.m. and go running then go to work and race all day but it is something I am proud of.”

    I put him a little on the spot by asking him where he thinks he may get his first win, which earned me a slight chuckle on his part. He did say though he really, really likes Pocono since he almost won there, but it’s too far along in the season.

    “I did really well at Martinsville qualifying in the top ten and finishing in the top ten both races, he said.”I like mile and a half tracks like Texas as well. We had a third place finish there and I was very comfortable there. The only track I didn’t like was Homestead but after running well there too all the tracks are fun actually and wherever that first win comes will be great.”

    My last question to him was this. When your racing career is done and it’s time to walk away, what kind of legacy do you want to leave either personally or professionally?

    His answer was fairly simple, “I want to be well known in my country because of my achievements and how I represent the people of Mexico. My life has changed a lot. I have had struggles. I want to be the guy that achieves all of his dreams and worked very hard for them.”

    I have to say that this has been one of the best interviews I have done to date. German Quiroga was one of the nicest, most down to earth drivers I have had the pleasure of talking to. He opened himself up to me and quite honestly has left an impression on me that will stay with me. I am proud that I had the opportunity to get to know him and hopefully you have too. He is so genuine and caring and deserves respect for leaving Mexico and chasing his dreams. I hope I am there when he accomplishes them.

  • Greg Biffle Celebrates NASCAR Banquet and NASCAR Pets Calendar

    Greg Biffle Celebrates NASCAR Banquet and NASCAR Pets Calendar

  • Dakoda Armstrong Sees New Ride as ‘Greatest Opportunity’

    Dakoda Armstrong Sees New Ride as ‘Greatest Opportunity’

    Twenty-two year old former Truck Series driver Dakoda Armstrong has been tapped by the ‘King’ to drive the iconic No. 43 Ford Mustang full-time in the Nationwide Series. And for Armstrong, he sums up his new ride simply as the ‘greatest opportunity.’

    “Obviously, the iconic number has so much behind it that it would be impossible to live up to the expectations of that,” Armstrong said. “But the fact of knowing that I’m going to be able to run a full season is the greatest opportunity, especially with Richard Petty Motorsports.”

    “I’m very excited and really ready to get going on it and get everything working.”

    As with so much in the sport of NASCAR, Armstrong acknowledged that the deal with RPM came about quickly.

    “One thing in this sport, stuff happens overnight,” Armstrong said. “We were looking for a deal where we could do as much racing as we could.”

    “This deal opened up with Michael Annett leaving and it just worked out perfectly.”

    Armstrong is grateful to not only Richard Petty Motorsports for the opportunity but is also thankful to his sponsor, Winfield, for stepping up to the next level with him.

    “Winfield came on board all this year and helped us out in the Truck Series,” Armstrong said. “They are really, really new to the NASCAR scene but everything they’ve done, they have done a great job with, being able to activate the sponsorship and making sure it’s not just a car and a number.”

    “I think it’s going to be a great fit and our sponsor is really happy to be on board and have that No. 43.”

    Winfield, a Land O’Lakes Company, is a natural fit for Armstrong because of the young driver’s farming background.

    “We deal with them a lot on our family-owned farm so that is how we got in touch with them,” Armstrong said. “It’s all worked out on a local level, then a national level, and now on this new NASCAR level.”

    “They are really excited and I’m really excited for this year and to be able to slap the No. 43 on with their logos puts a big smile on their faces.”

    Although Armstrong will be the new kid on the block, he will have continuity with his crew chief, Philippe Lopez, and the team at the shop and at track.

    “Everyone at the shop, which I’ve just recently met, were already there,” Armstrong said. “Philippe is going to be our crew chief and he has been the crew chief for the last couple of years with the Annett deal.”

    “He’s staying there and I don’t think anyone has left,” Armstrong continued. “So, it’s going to be a team that’s ready to go, which should be good.”

    Armstrong acknowledged that it will take some time for the team, crew chief and himself to gel. But he has every confidence that will occur, especially when they get to their first race together.

    “I’m still learning everybody and they are still learning me,” Armstrong said. “We’re all trying to figure it out.”

    “Once we get to Daytona we’ll be together and ready to go for the season.”

    One of the greatest opportunities that Armstrong has enjoyed so far since the announcement of his No. 43 ride is getting to spend some quality time with the big boss Richard Petty.

    “I’ve talked to him a few times that I’ve been there,” Armstrong said. “He’s just so humble and just like a normal guy that you forget when you’re talking to him that he is the ‘King’.

    “It’s kind of surreal,” Armstrong continued. “He’s told me some stories and how different racing is nowadays. So, that’s pretty cool.”

    The ‘King’ is equally impressed with his new young driver.

    “Dakoda will help us continue the success of our No. 43 Nationwide Series program,” Richard Petty said.  “Dakoda is a driver who has grown up in the sport and has paid his dues.”

    “He has proven himself at every level and we will now give him the tools he needs to be successful in the Nationwide Series and believe he can win races for us.”

    So, what is Armstrong doing in the off-season to prepare himself for the next leap in his career? Why racing of course.

    “I’m actually at Pensacola to do the Snowball Derby right now,” Armstrong said. “I’ve never run a late model in a big race like this.”

    “I did one race when I was 16 years old, so it’s been awhile,” Armstrong continued. “I don’t really know how these things drive so I’m just going to go out and have a lot of fun and a good time.”

    After he finishes his Snowball Derby racing, Armstrong plans to head home to the farm and family in Indiana before he starts the hectic race season.

    “I think I’ll get to see my family a little bit for the holidays,” Armstrong said. “Anytime you can get home to Indiana, I want to and try to.”

    “Definitely after New Year’s I want to really get focused, go to the shop and get ready for the season.”

    An important part of getting ready for the new race season for Armstrong, however, has been taking at least a moment or two to reflect on his good fortune in securing this new ride for a full race season.

    “A month ago, I really didn’t know what would happen,” Armstrong said. “I thought we would just do a partial deal.”

    “Being able to compete for points and being there each and every week is a great benefit,” Armstrong continued. “We’re going to have to make sure that we’re competitive and getting better every week.”

    “One thing about this sport is that you can’t win every week but you can get better each time and that’s what we have to work on.”

    So, what does this new ride really mean to the young driver taking the next step in his career?

    “In one word, other than to be boring and just say like it’s awesome or exciting, I’d have to say it’s the greatest opportunity,” Armstrong said. “Nowadays in this sport, you never know what’s going to happen.”

    “There are so many people looking in from the outside that to have a ride and know I’m doing something full-time for this team is great,” Armstrong continued. “It’s something I’m really excited about.”

    “And now we just have to get ready for Daytona and have some fun.”

  • Tom Walters Riding High on Success, Inducted into Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame

    Tom Walters Riding High on Success, Inducted into Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame

    There are drivers that they can say they won championships.

    There are even fewer drivers that can they say won more than five championships.

    There are even fewer that can say they have won more than 10.

    There is one driver in particular in Canada to can say he has won 31 championships.

    In his career of racing the short tracks of Ontario, Tom Walters has scored a total of 31 championships.

    This past season, he won three features and scored 12 top fives and 14 top 10s in the 14 features this year to finish second in points.

    For his accomplishments across his career, the Ontario veteran was inducted into the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame.

    Though even with the induction, that didn’t slow him down. He missed day one of Velocity 250 qualifying at Sunset Speedway due to the induction ceremony. He showed up on day two and won the b-main to transfer to the a-main. He started 17th in the main event and worked his way through the field to win the event.

    tomwalters2Walters got involved in racing after speaking with somebody on his way home from buying milk.

    “I was going out to buy some milk one night and was walking down the street and there was a guy working on his racecar in the garage and I stopped in on my way back, and I’d never been involved in racing or anything or was with anybody, and I stopped on my way back and got talking to him and he says, ‘Do you wanna come on Wednesday night? I could use some help.’ I said, ‘Where do you go?’ and he said, ‘Sunset.” I said, ‘Geez, where’s that?’ and he said, ‘Innisfil’. I said, ‘Geez, my parents have a cottage in Innisfil. I don’t know the race track.’

    “So we came up the first Wednesday night, it rained out. Came up the second Wednesday night, it rained out. It rained out three weeks in a row. On the way home after the third rainout, he said ‘I’m selling it. I’m done.’ I said, ‘How much?’ He said, ‘$375’ and I’ve been racing all these years.”

    After buying the car, Walters got behind the wheel and hasn’t looked back since as he had success right off the bat.

    “I towed the car here on a tow bar and the second race was at Wasaga Beach,” he said. “I actually won my first heat race so that was fun and then my first feature that I won was at Sutton Speedway.”

    Since then, Walters has been winning multiple races and championships, including a pair of Autumn Colours Classic wins.

    His accomplishments though go beyond solely just the track. At the track, the veteran is seen with young mechanics, helping them learn how to set-up racecars and more. Walters has also helped out many drivers with getting their cars set-up and learning how to be a racecar driver.

    So congratulations to Tom Walters on a well-deserving accomplishment.

  • Todd Gilliland, Thirteen Year Old Son of David Gilliland, Continues to Impress

    Todd Gilliland, Thirteen Year Old Son of David Gilliland, Continues to Impress

    In spite of being an eighth grader and just thirteen years old, Todd Gilliland, son of NASCAR driver David Gilliland and grandson of Winston West champion Butch Gilliland, continues to impress with his skills behind the wheel of a race car.

    In fact, the youngster most recently finished in the runner up position in the Southeast Limited Late Model race at Myrtle Beach Speedway in South Carolina.

    “It was really good for us,” the young Gilliland said. “The car was really good.”

    “We started in fifth but I dropped back to thirteenth because I was saving my tires for the end,” Gilliland continued. “I started to work my way back up and I got up to second with five laps to go and then there was a caution.”

    “That was the green, white, checkered and I just couldn’t pass the guy,” Gilliland said. “I didn’t win but I got second.”

    “I was really excited,” Gilliland continued. “I knew we were fast the whole time but didn’t know if I could get a top five.”

    “But I did.”

    David Gilliland, proud papa, was also most impressed with his progeny, especially at a challenging track like Myrtle Beach.

    “It’s a very tough race track, concrete like Darlington,” Gilliland said. “The fall off throughout a run is like two seconds so it’s all about tire management.”

    “I thought this would be a real challenge for Todd because he really doesn’t understand what it’s like to be running on tires with no grip,” Gilliland continued. “Dang, if we didn’t go down there and he was fastest in every practice, qualified fifth and then the race started.”

    “I told him to really watch his tires and on lap five he had dropped back to ninth,” Gilliland said. “I wasn’t sure if he was doing what I told him or if there was something wrong.”

    “He got all the way back to about 15th and I told him not to go any further back than that,” Gilliland continued. “We rode for about 50 laps and then with about 40 laps to go, I told him it was time to go.”

    “And boom, boom, boom he drove all the way up to second,” Gilliland said. “He was actually underneath the leader with three laps to go and the caution came out.”

    “The rules for this race were that all restarts in the last 20 laps were single file,’ Gilliland continued. “So, it put the leader in front of him and in the last few laps, he got back to the leader’s bumper but didn’t have enough to get past him so we finished second.”

    “It was an amazing race,” Gilliland said. “He’s thirteen years old, he’s in eighth grade and it’s amazing to me that he does things on the race track that it took me 500 races and 15 years to figure out.”

    “I’ve had numerous amount of people come up at the race track and tell me how unbelievably good he is.”

    The Myrtle Beach race was only Todd Gilliland’s third in a late model. Prior to that, Gilliland raced quarter midgets and even won the 2013 National USAC Quarter Midget Championship, World Formula Division.

    “So, that was over in July and from there, we actually sold the cars in Indianapolis at the last national event,” David Gilliland said. “I thought we would get some late models and go testing because you can’t run any NASCAR races until you are fourteen years old.”

    “I thought we would get ahead of the curve and practice this year and get ready to race next year,” Gilliland continued. “We went out and tested the first time and had the owner of Performance Racing Warehouse and some big names in late model racing went with us.”

    “After Todd’s first day of testing, I got in the car and shook it down and made sure it was good for Todd,” Gilliland said. “Then he got in and by the end of the day, he was as fast as I was.”

    “It was incredible.”

    “The next time we tested, we had two cars, so I got in one and told Todd we were going to work on restarts and passing each other,” Gilliland said. “So, he followed me for a little bit and then I told him on the radio that I was going to try to pass him.”

    “But I couldn’t get within a car length of him.”

    Todd Gilliland’s first late model race was at Hickory, which was supposed to be short fifty-lapper with a limited number of cars. Unfortunately, that race ended up being cancelled.

    “On the same day, they were having their end of the year, big race of the year called the Fall Classic,” David Gilliland said. “It was scheduled to be a hundred green flag lap race and like thirty cars.”

    “My wife said ‘You’re not going to put him in that for his first race are you?’ and I told her he would get a lot of experience,” Gilliland continued. “Todd was fastest in both practices in his first race ever.”

    “He qualified ninth and finished sixth,” Gilliland said. “If there were ten more laps he would have won the race.”

    “It was incredible,” Gilliland continued. “He saved his tires and just had a great feel for the race car.”

    In Todd’s second late model race, he was fastest in practice but with just two minutes to go, his motor broke. He went to a backup car but got caught up in an accident after driving from 20th to 5th.

    Before the youngster was competing in late models, Todd Gilliland had a passion for going fast.

    “I started when I was five,” Todd Gilliland said. “I like going fast and competing with everybody and trying to be the best you can be.”

    “Todd raced his first race on his fifth birthday,” David Gilliland said. “He was out across the street when he was three years old, he drove a quarter midget in the dirt field and would run every day until he ran it out of gas.”

    “It’s always been his passion.”

    Todd Gilliland currently balances his racing with his school work. In fact, the eighth grader has to keep his grades up in order to even be allowed by his parents to hit the race track.

    “I work on the car after school,” Gilliland said. “I like to play soccer and basketball.”

    “Math is my favorite and science is my least favorite.”

    “I’m pretty busy,” Gilliland said. “We stay up all the time and work on the weekends too.”

    “Todd works on the car too,” proud papa Gilliland said. “My deal with Todd is that we will go racing if he gets straight A’s in school.”

    “He’s done that and is on the honor roll at school,” Gilliland continued. “I’m pushing for his education first and racing second.”

    “He does like working on the race car and every day he wants to learn more.”

    Both father and son have a mutual admiration, especially when it comes to racing.

    “I want to be like my dad because he is really good,” Todd Gilliland said. “I hope to race in the Cup Series someday like my dad.”

    “The weirdest feeling was when we went to the race track for his first start, watching him back out of the pits, pushing the clutch on the car, put it in gear and drive away,” David Gilliland said. “That was a feeling and a time and a moment that I’ll never forget.”

    “I remember him being born and he was two weeks old when I won my first asphalt late model race and he’s been around the track his whole life,” Gilliland continued. “I know he’s good enough to go as far as he wants and I want him to do that.”

    “It’s been fun watching Todd grow as a person,” Gilliland said. “Racing has helped him with his confidence and to mature as a person.”

    “He’s a very kind, quiet young man and people like being around him,” Gilliland continued. “Those are the things that are most important in life to me.”

    “And those are the lessons that I’m enjoying seeing him learn and grow.”

    Todd Gilliland races out of the shop in his home and for the team that bears his father’s name, David Gilliland Racing. His sponsors are Performance Racing Warehouse and Superior Logistic Services.

    While the Gilliland family is taking a break from the race season to celebrate the holidays, both father and son are both anxious to start the New Year at the track.

    “I’m loving racing these cars,” Todd Gilliland said. “It’s still new to me but I’m having a lot of fun.”

    “I can’t wait for next year to run more tracks and get more experience.”

    “Todd loves racing and he has a passion for it,” David Gilliland said. “Stay tuned, he has a bright future ahead of him.”

    For more information about Todd Gilliland as he continues to impress in the racing world, follow the team at ToddGilliland.com and on Twitter @ToddGilliland_.

     

     

     

  • Trevor Bayne and Charlie Kimball Race With Passion In Spite of Illness

    Trevor Bayne and Charlie Kimball Race With Passion In Spite of Illness

    While Trevor Bayne, NASCAR Cup and Nationwide Series driver as well as Daytona 500 winner, and Charlie Kimball, IZOD IndyCar Series driver, may compete in very different worlds, they are indeed united in their passion to race in spite of battling major illness.

    Bayne, the 22 year old Roush Fenway Racing driver, was recently diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Charlie Kimball, who drives for Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing, was diagnosed in 2007 with diabetes.

    Both share the distinction of being one of the few race car drivers to reach the top levels in their respective series to compete with significant health challenges. Yet both had very similar reactions after their diagnosis, wondering just how this would affect their racing careers.

    For Bayne, it took several years of testing after experiencing double vision, nausea and fatigue, before his diagnosis of MS was confirmed. Bayne’s sister also has the disease, however, it was still a most unexpected revelation for the young driver.

    “Back in 2011 I started going to Mayo Clinic after I’d been out with double vision,” Bayne said. “It’s kind of relieving to finally have a diagnosis.”

    “When you’re 20 you want to think you’re superman and you’re really not and there’s going to be hard times you have to overcome,” Bayne continued. “I hope this won’t slow me down, especially because our job is to go really fast.”

    Kimball was diagnosed with diabetes almost six years ago after going to the doctor with a skin rash.

    “When I mentioned I had been drinking a lot of water and I jumped on the scales and had lost 25 pounds in just five days, the doctor told me he thought I had diabetes,” Kimball said. “I really didn’t know what it was and my first thought then was wondering if I would ever drive again.”

    “I remember the doctor looked me square in the eye and said he didn’t see any reason why not,” Kimball continued. “There are incredible people with diabetes doing amazing things all over the world.”

    “I was told I may have to make some adjustments but that it shouldn’t slow me down at all,” Kimball said. “And as a racing driver, not slowing down was something I could really get behind.”

    To date, Bayne has not had to make any adjustments for his illness in the race car, including not having to take any medication. He has been advised, however, that he will have to manage fatigue, stress and heat in order to effectively cope with the potentially disabling disease.

    Kimball, on the other hand, has to manage a myriad of steps with his diabetes that begins even before he climbs into the cockpit of his race car.

    “My diabetes management happens before I get in the car, especially at the race track,” Kimball said. “It comes down to managing hydration, my nutrition and my blood sugar levels as well.”

    “For me it’s taking insulin and using my NovoLog Flex Pen so that my blood sugars are where they need to be when I climb into the race car,” Kimball continued. “So, ideally, when I’m in the race car all I have to think about is driving and hopefully winning.”

    In spite of having to carefully monitor his blood sugar levels and adjust accordingly, Kimball’s diabetes has never interfered with his performance in the car. In fact, the racer has had a breakout season, with a win in the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio and a podium sweep for team Ganassi at Pocono this past year.

    Kimball and his teammates were also the overall Rolex 24 at Daytona winners for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates in January 2013.

    “I’ve never had any issues where my diabetes has affected what I do in the cockpit,” Kimball said. “My IndyCar experience is a little bit different because I wear a glucose monitor so I can keep track of where my blood sugar is during the race.”

    “I actually have two drink bottles in the cockpit, one for hydration and one full of orange juice,” Kimball continued. “That way, if my blood sugar is getting low for some reason, I can drink that juice and I don’t have to stop.”

    Both drivers have expressed how important it is to not only compete but to also share their stories with others, including their teams, fellow racers and fans. In fact, that passion about helping others realize that they too can succeed in spite of their health challenges has been what has motivated the two drivers most.

    “I know there a lot of people out there dealing with these things,” Bayne said. “It’s something I want to be able to share with people.”

    “I know people can relate to struggles.”

    “I think the biggest message is that you can overcome challenges and still live your dream,” Kimball said. “When I get to meet a newly-diagnosed patient, the biggest thing I try to impart to them is that they can still live their dream, whatever they want to do in life.”

    “They may have to make some adjustments but the challenges they face should not slow them down.”

    Bayne and Kimball share one other important characteristic. Both want not only continue to pursue their racing passions but also succeed at the highest levels in both NASCAR and the IZOD IndyCar Series.

    “I’ve never been more driven to compete,” Bayne said. “My goals are the same as they’ve been since I started racing.”

    “I want to compete at the highest level and I want to win races and championships,” Bayne continued.
    “I am in the best shape I’ve ever been in, and I feel good.”

    “Our team had a great year, with a top-ten in points in a season that was so competitive,” Kimball said. “It was a great, great result not just for myself but the whole team.”

    “The team has built a foundation and with Tony Kanaan coming on board and switching to Chevy power, I hope to be fighting for race wins and the championship, from the first race in St. Pete.”

    While both racing series take a break until next year, allowing Bayne to enjoy a long-awaited honeymoon and Kimball some travel to California for family time and rest and relaxation, both drivers are absolutely committed to their dreams, even with their own physical challenges.

    “I’ve been racing since I was 5 years old and this doesn’t change a thing,” Bayne said. “I want to do things I’ve always dreamed of, and we have high hopes we can continue to do that.”

    “With November being Diabetes Awareness Month, it’s a great opportunity for me to share my story,” Kimball said. “Driving a race car is what I do for a living but the fact that I have diabetes means that I’m a living example that you can still live your dream.”

    “Overcoming the challenge of diabetes is very close to my heart….and to my pancreas as well,” Kimball said with a chuckle. “Seriously though, it’s a great opportunity to get the awareness out there and encourage people to understand it and still live their own dreams.”

  • Michael Self moving up NASCAR Ranks, possibly with RCR

    Michael Self moving up NASCAR Ranks, possibly with RCR

    After completing the K&N West Pro Series season Michael Self is prepared to upgrade his talents possibly to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series during the 2014 season.

    “As of right now, I’m not signed with RCR. I don’t have any commitment to them for anything during the 2014 season.” Self explained to me. “With that being said, I would love the opportunity to drive anything in the RCR stable, as their equipment has repeatedly proved to be among the best.”  I think there’s a strong possibility I’ll get the chance to drive one of their cars or trucks at some point, we just have to put the right deal together”

    The recent progression from the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series level to the NASCAR Nationwide Series level for Ty Dillon and Brendan Gaughan, both Richard Childress Racing drivers, have allowed Self to get his name thrown around in the conversation of driving a RCR powered truck in 2014.

    Over the course of Self’s K&N West Pro Series career he’s racked up six wins including three each of the past two years. The 23-year-old reeled in 10 top five finishes this season including a win at Iowa Speedway during the K&N East vs. West showdown.

    “Overall, 2013 was a phenomenal year. The Golden Gate Racing Team was incredible to work with. I had the pleasure to score them their first win in 2012, and build on that by making history in 2013. Winning the combo race at Iowa was the biggest accomplishment in my career, then winning 2 days later in Missouri made history.” Self told me about his 2013 season. “We had a huge run at Daytona that should’ve put us in VL, and several others to match that throughout the year. We were constantly a force and front running car, but we made mistakes that cost us the championship, and as the driver I take partial responsibility for some of our downfalls.

    “It was a great season, I’m very happy with what we accomplished, but there will always be room for improvement.”

    Self’s been driving for Golden Gate Racing, which is powered by RCR, which is just another reason he’s been put in the bucket of possible drivers for RCR.

    “I wish I could say I have a set plan right now,” Self expressed about 2014. “I have several opportunities in the works, but nothing set. I’m hoping to put together a mixed Nationwide/Truck schedule, but it I get the opportunity to run in the national series at all I’ll be happy.”