Kevin Kovac's Take Five
Take Five: AK thrilled to have Moyer join the fold
In a new feature appearing regularly on DirtonDirt, senior writer Kevin Kovac will offer readers five things worth mentioning from around the Dirt Late Model landscape (index to previous Take Fives):
No. 1: AK Race Cars owner Austin Kirkpatrick can’t help but sound a bit like a fanboy when he tells the story of how one of the greatest drivers in Dirt Late Model history has ended up with a chassis from his burgeoning Salisbury, N.C.-based business. “Got cold-called by Billy Moyer!” Kirkpatrick said. “Pretty cool.” Indeed, the 33-year-old chassis builder said that one day a few weeks ago he was “sitting in the Chipotle parking lot and caller ID said ‘Billy Moyer.’ ” Kirkpatrick definitely didn’t let that call go to voicemail. He answered immediately and began a conversation with Moyer that resulted in the 68-year-old legend’s Keith Lawson-owned team obtaining an AK machine that they’ll debut in this weekend’s Comp Cams Super Dirt Series events at 67 Speedway of Texarkana in Texarkana, Ark., and ArkLaTex Speedway in Vivian, La. Kirkpatrick, who said he’ll likely join Moyer at the racetrack this weekend to help him break in the new vehicle, wrote on Facebook that having an all-timer like Moyer “put their trust in us to put together a badass racecar is a huge honor.”
No. 2: Circling back to yesterday’s Take Five that led off with Gordy Gundaker’s discussion with Oklahoma teenager Eli Ross following a tangle during Sunday’s first Show-Me 100 B-main at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo., Ross’s father and team owner, Brady, addressed the incident and his 17-year-old son’s conversation with Gundaker, 33, in a Tuesday night Facebook post. The elder Ross wrote that Eli “made a tremendously poor judgment call” when he attempted to overtake Gundaker on the last lap for the final transfer spot and, “unfortunately, it did not end well.” Brady apologized to Gundaker and his family for the move that was “completely uncharacteristic of Eli” and led to Gundaker losing the transfer (though he still was able to start the 100-lapper thanks to an event-points provisional); he noted that “Eli is upset about what happened, and so am I.” Brady went on to express his deep appreciation for how Gundaker handled the aftermath, eschewing an angry confrontation and instead calmly approaching Ross’s pit stall with Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series officials and asking to speak with Eli. “One of the first things Gordy told Eli was that there would be no retaliation,” Brady wrote. “He understood why Eli was going for it on the last lap of the biggest race of his young career. But he also wanted Eli to understand something important: if you want to race at this level, you cannot build a reputation like that. I truly appreciated the older-brother approach Gordy took with Eli. That conversation meant a lot to all of us. As everyone knows, 17-year-old children often think they have it all figured out. I’ve raised three of them. Sometimes lessons coming from Mom and Dad do not carry the same weight. But I know Eli listened closely to every word Gordy said, and I deeply appreciate Gordy taking the time to talk to him the way he did.”
No. 3: Brady Ross’s post was definitely one of the best reactions I’ve ever seen from the father of a young driver involved in a controversial incident. He noted that “Eli wants to race Late Models for a living, and he understands that earning the respect of both veterans and peers is part of that journey. We sincerely hope this moment does not define him as a driver, but instead becomes a lesson that helps him grow both on and off the racetrack.” Gundaker himself offered his appreciation online once he read Brady’s comments. “I did not know Eli at all before this deal but I’m sure we will always know each other now,” Gundaker wrote. “And after walking over and seeing the look on his face it was obvious how he felt. I felt as if I was looking at myself in the mirror in a way and just wanted to help him understand and grow from it in any way possible.” In a cutthroat racing world where emotions often boil over into actions that people regret later, it was great to see how this situation played out and became a positive for a talented, up-and-coming driver.
No. 4: I imagine most readers have seen discussion on social media about West Virginia standout Tyler Carpenter not being allowed to sell his merchandise at his home track, Ohio Valley Speedway in Washington, W.Va., because he’s brought out a T-shirt with an R-rated message, “Kiss My D---, prominently displayed. Carpenter uttered that phrase — one that legendary Midwest racer Jack Hewitt once famously told an official in a heated moment, though back when such quips didn’t immediately travel far-and-wide on social media and lead to high-selling apparel — May 8 in victory lane at Ohio Valley to show his displeasure with flack he received from tech officials for not wearing a neck brace. I’m not taking a deep dive into this deal, but I will say it’s grown into a much bigger controversy than it probably should have. It’s really a juvenile comment (and T-shirt) for an adult to make, but hey, Carpenter is well known for his unfiltered, colorful talk that often goes into some crude territory, and clearly there’s plenty of people out there who are eager to buy the shirt and walk around showing off those words. But Ohio Valley owner Rich Michael Jr. also has the right to not let merch that derives from a vulgar comment made at his track be sold on his property. Ohio Valley expressed its reasoning in a statement on its Facebook page: “While not everyone may agree with the decision that was made, there are many who do understand and support the direction we are taking. Ohio Valley Speedway has always taken pride in being a family-friendly environment where respect for one another matters. We know many young fans look up to the drivers and teams they see each week throughout the pit area and grandstands, and we will continue striving to create a positive atmosphere for everyone who supports our facility.” And it should be pointed that Carpenter hasn’t been banned from racing at Ohio Valley; he even responded to a Facebook comment from someone who suggested boycotting the track over the decision by saying that shouldn’t occur and he will likely race at the track again later this season.
No. 5: I can’t say that I’ve heard this rumor myself, but Rocket Chassis made a social media post late this afternoon refuting speculation that the Shinnston, W.Va.-based has been sold. “Those rumors couldn’t be further from the truth,” the statement declared. “Mark Richards and Steve Baker — the same duo who built this company from the ground up in 1986 — are still at the helm and still focused on building the best Dirt Late Model chassis in the business.” I spoke with Richards just days ago at Wheatland and he certainly didn’t sound like a guy getting out of the chassis business — and when I texted back-and-forth with him today, he mused that perhaps all the recent rainouts “created all the idle time” for people so spread rumors.
