SC&M: Port City Raceway is one of the best-known micro tracks in the country. You came out of Port City, as did Brady Bacon, Andy Hillenburg, Daryn Pittman, Christopher Bell, Jason McDougal, Cannon McIntosh. The lineup of guys who have used that track as a training ground is really impressive. What do you anticipate for the future going in, as far as what you keep the same and what you would like to change?
SS: Well, you always want to grow your business, but you also don‘t want to disturb what has been going on here. Like I said, I‘m coming into a track that‘s in great shape, it presents itself really well. They have a little bar here on the premises called Bob‘s Turn Five and it‘s a good avenue for sponsors to come hang out at when it‘s hot or cold — they can get a beer or cocktail and enjoy themselves.
Like you said, there‘s been a lot of really good drivers that have come out of Port City and so, on the track side of it, I‘m not looking to change much — I feel like it‘s got a great shape to it, it races really well. We‘ve got a few USAC midget races coming here this year, two or three POWRi midget races coming as well. And, that‘s the one thing that I want to try to grow is trying to make the events bigger that do come here. But, as far as the track side of things, I‘m not gonna change anything.
It‘s just trying to do the right things by the racers, try to get the purses a little bit bigger. I feel like that‘s been one of the downfalls of even the sprint car industry now, is that the promoters don‘t really promote anymore. And, I wanna try to change a little bit of that with Port City — not that they do that here — it‘s just, with the promoting side, there‘s just a lot to it. And there‘s more to it than I even realized until I got involved with this place. So, I wanna try to grow the events that come here and try to make them bigger and better. I feel like I‘m gonna be able to do that with the help of Kevin (Rudeen) and I‘m excited to be associated with him. You know, I drove for Kevin in the early 2000‘s and remained really good friends with him. And now we‘re doing a business venture together and I‘m excited about that.
SC&M: Looking back at your driving career, you had three podium finishes at the Knoxville Nationals, won the Knoxville 360 Nationals five times, won the Kings Royal in 2015, won the Gold Cup, the Iron Man, the Dirt Cup twice, the Canadian Nationals twice, and you were a two-time ASCS National champion. Obviously, winning Knoxville must be at the top of your list, but is there anything else that you wish you‘d have been able to do?
SS: Yes and no. I mean, there were a couple times during the Knoxville Nationals that I felt like I had a really good shot at winning that race. One way or another, it just didn‘t work out for me, and I‘m not ashamed of that. I mean, there for a span there, every time I showed up I was competitive. That place will always hold a special place in my heart. I love Knoxville and, like you said, I‘ve had some great runs there.
You know, this past year we had a little bit of disappointment with Bernie at the (Williams Grove) National Open. I honestly felt like going into the National Open that we were gonna have a great shot at winning that race. Leading our heat race at the National Open, we ended up breaking a driveshaft and, obviously, that killed our chances of winning that race. But I was proud of that. You know, I struggled at Williams Grove for a lot of my years of racing, and I finally was able to go in there with Bernie and be competitive. And I was able to win a race there with LMR (Larson-Marks Racing) and setting a track record this last year with Bernie was really cool. I felt like we were gonna be one of the guys to beat at the National Open this year, and that didn‘t work out for me. So, that‘s been a little disappointing. But, I‘m happy with my career. I‘m able to leave on my terms. I‘ve been healthy throughout my whole career, which I‘m thankful for, and I leave with all my fingers and toes, and that part of it I‘m happy about as well.
There‘s been a few disappointments — as any driver will tell you — there‘s been a few heartbreaks, but I felt like what racing has, and does, teach you is how to deal with the up and downs of life, right? There‘s nothing worse than having a competitive car out on the road and getting beat up by the World of Outlaws night after night to learn how to keep yourself humble and try to not focus on the bad energy but the good energy of it, and try to regroup for the next night. I feel that helps you in life and in different business situations, and that part of it I‘m proud to take into the next steps of my life.
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