Westfall could not mask his pain during the post-race interview.
After a July sprint car victory at the Jack Hewitt Classic at Ohio‘s Waynesfield Raceway Park, Westfall reflected on what went down in the Keystone state.
“It‘s in the past, but I still think about it. If anybody was going to beat me, I would rather it be him,” Westfall said of Seavey. “He‘s a good kid. He has respect for me and I have respect for him. But this was frustrating because I dominated the race and it was his wheel cover that brought out the yellow. It was a heartbreaker, but we have a fast car so we will be there again.”
Then thinking back to the moment that cause the yellow, Westbrook added, “If you watch the video, it was a one in a million shot that he was going to hit the wall perfect like that.”
Westfall wasn‘t the only one who left deflated. There is much about this man and his operation that the common fan can embrace. This is an old-school racer and team. There is a basic self-sufficiency to what they do.
Westfall is a fabricator by trade and like many negotiating the pandemic produced some difficult moments for his family. Then again, these are strong people. When his employer wanted even more of his time, Westfall threw out the black flag. He needed room to race, therefore, it was time to take control of his life.
Over time, Westfall collected lathes, mills, welders, saws and even a forklift. After a snowstorm damaged their race shop in 2000, father and son rolled up their sleeves and went to work. Today the fabrication and racing operations are housed in two-different buildings. Now in business on his own, Westfall takes on commercial projects builds karts for aspiring racers.
Given how much they have in common it comes as no surprise he has become a travel partner with fellow racer Brandon Mattox.
“They are great people,” Westfall said. “The other night we needed to change a motor and his younger cousins who come with him helped us so we could run. After races we get a grill out and have a few beers. I really like Brandon because he works his ass off. He has four kids, he has his own business and he funds his race team. Sometimes things are really tight for him.”
With 15-year-old daughter Jasa at home, Sara Westfall, who now works for Grainger, maintains the home front. Given her years in the sport this is old hat now.
“I have been with my wife for 23 years and I told her there was always going to be two things,” Westfall said. “First, I‘m always going to race and we are always going to be broke. You‘re going to have to get used to that. She‘s still with me. Now she usually doesn‘t ask me until Friday where I‘m going.”
When it is time to hit the road often it is just Matt and his dad climbing into the truck. There can be yelling and screaming, but at the end of the day they have a strong relationship bonded by racing. They both understand that this is a sport that has never-ending ups and downs.
“It gets to be a struggle when you aren‘t going well, but right now we could race every day and I would be happy,” Westfall said.
One thing is certain. Matt Westfall isn‘t going to change. He is going to continue to be a steady and consistent professional racer. That‘s what he is. That alone is something of which to 
be proud.