New, Young, Old, Or Returning It Doesn’t Matter When It Comes To Racing
Joseph Watson # 39 TSS Modified
photo by Bonnie Nibblett
November 3, 2006
By Bonnie Nibblett
Delmar, DE…..Just a little over 4 years ago, Track Owner/Promoter Charlie Cathell introduced a new class which consists of a sealed GM spec No. PN88958602 crate motor in a division titled TSS (Technician Service Specialist) Modified sponsored by AC Delco. Since that time the class has grown each year with more drivers behind the wheel all the time and advantages for all ages in racing.
In the start of the 2006 season, Cathell added a TSS Late Model crate class to run with the Street Modified class that already runs in the Saturday night regular race line up. It’s the same motor that the TSS Modified car uses, just with some particular different specifications between the two classes. The Street Modified will be phased out and the TSS Late Model will be the main requirements in that division eventually. Although the track is not fazing them out, but with so many drivers going into the crate classes more than likely they may phase themselves out.
One of the main reasons Cathell wanted to offer these two divisions of race cars was to make a more affordable type of racing for many drivers and give even more drivers a chance to race on a bit more of a level playing field, or as level as you can be in racing. Also, when a team is ready to advance to a Big Block Modified or the Super Late Models most of the transitions would be less than starting from scratch.
Cost of racing has really increased each year with who can buy the best or most in order to race. Some of the regular racers that just want to race as a recreational hobby can’t even compete with these racers or keep up. Yet, the desire to race is none the less than the ones that can afford to buy the best. This is something that has been in racing for years, not only here but I speak for all types of racing, World of Outlaws & WoO late Models, BUSCH, NASCAR and so on.
Since the start of this class in Delaware more and more drivers continue to start a team to race. Mind you, its not cheap racing, but this seems a bit more cost efficient for teams to get started or just the weekend warrior. This crate motor racing has taken off all around the racing community besides just here in Delaware. In the South and Mid East regions the crate racing has a series or two that races at different venues and spreading more all the time. Such series that are around the east coast area are Storm Pay and Fastrack just to name a couple series.
Perhaps even more surprising to some are the amount of drivers that have made the switch or considering it, has grown with all ages rather be young, or old or even a new driver that has never drove any race vehicle. The age limit of 14 years old has opened the door for many young drivers to make the switch from Go-Kart, Micros, or Modified Lite Junior and Modified Lite. In 2006, TSS Modified class had 49 different drivers during the season and the first year TSS Late Model class had 41 different drivers at DIS.
Quite a few of the young drivers have really made impressive and very memorable nights of racing with competitiveness and first time records for sure. The young drivers are the future, and after this past year we can look forward to some really great drivers in the future. Lets’ look to see how these two classes of drivers did this year and what we will have to look forward too in the future.
Some of the youngest and young drivers that raced in Delaware this year along with new drivers that plan to race in the 2007 season will let you watch for who you like; which drivers to watch out for in the future:
Driver /Age 2006 Car # Division DIS Wins 2006 Prior Form of Racing
Kevin Scott, Jr./14 yrs. #12K TSS Late Model 2 Go-Karts
Andrew Mullins/14 yrs. #2M TSS Late Model Micros Did not entire season
Brandon Mullins/teens #3 TSS Late Model Mod Lite Jr.
Jack Mullins/20’s #1 TSS Modified 5 none
Billy Mellon/14 yrs #56 TSS Late Model BMX, Mod Lite Jr.
Jerry Carter II/16 yrs #46 TSS Modified Go-Karts Has win BP
Shane Sockriter/14 yrs #32 TSS Modified Go-Karts
Matt Hawkins/15 yrs TSS Modified Micros
Ross Robinson/16 yrs TSS Late Model 9 Micros
Jordon Watson/16 yrs #30 TSS Modified Micros
Joseph Watson/ 17 yrs #39 TSS Modified Micros
Jon Callaway/20’s #95 TSS Late Model Mod Lite
Mike White #21M TSS Modified Mod Lite
Kevin McKinney #25 TSS Late Model Mod Lite
Erik McKinney #V75 TSS Late Model Mod Lite
Travis Justice /20’s #23 TSS Late Model none
Ryan Walls #14W TSS Modified 6 Mod Lite
Randy Hill, Jr./17 yrs. #42 TSS Modified 1 Mod Lite
Joe Warren #11 TSS Late Model 4 Mod Lite
Eric Vent #86 TSS Modified Micros
Chad Clark #86 TSS Modified Micros
A bit more information on the above drivers will give us a little background about these drivers as where they came from and plan to go. Kevin Scott, Jr. was 14 when the season started in 2006 at Delmar. Scott took home two wins, along with a 6th place finish in DIS points. Scott had been racing in Junior III in karts and finished 2nd in the 2005 US 13 Kart track points. Jerry Carter II came out of four years of karting and 4th place position in Stock Xtra Heavy in 2005. When Carter was asked why change to this division he answered, “Well, one reason was I was getting to big for the karts, smiling. I wanted to be in something bigger, and more power.” Carter raced in Delaware and NJ, claiming one win at Bridgeport Speedway. Sockriter began the season but did not get to run the entire season and will return 2007.
Andrew Mullins has been racing 250cc & 270cc Micro Sprints. He started in go-karts at 5 yrs old for four years, and then took a break, returned to race slingshots, then micros; he holds two National Championship titles also. These guys are no stranger to stardom, with their uncle Craig Mullins holding 4 DIS Modified track championships.
Andrews’s Brother Jack, Jr. will also come to the late crate class in 2007. Jack had not driven any race divisions prior to joining in the TSS Modified team in 2004, this year Jack claimed the DIS TSS Modified Track Championship title. Brandon Mullins (their cousin) will begin in the 2007 season in a TSS Late Model, coming out of Mod Lite Jr. class, and formerly competing in Slingshots. With Jack, Jr. going to the late crate, all three drivers and can race the same nights, travel together rather than one racing in one class or on a different night than over one of the other guys at a different track. This way they all can be together and race. Jack Sr. said, “It will be easier with all of us going to the same track on the same night instead of having to go to one then another on a different night. We plan to travel a bit and race in the Fast Track Series hopefully and just be together, and it’s just better for us.”
Billy Mellon, 15 yrs old, began the season in Modified Lite after coming from BMX racing and Mod Lite Jr. for one year. Just as the season began, he sold the Mod Lite and changed to the TSS Late Model. Mellon said, “I wanted to drive one of those late models and didn’t want to wait, so with help I switched.” His family plan to race a few crate series races as well. Mellon is cousin to Ricky Elliott, a great driver from Delaware. Matt Hawkins, 14 yrs old has been racing micros, slingshots, and started in go-karts. He plans to race in a TSS Modified for 2007. Matt’s Father Dale runs in big block modified was the 2005 DIS Rookie of the Year, and drove in the TSS Mod the year before.
Ross Robinson, was 16 at the start of 2006, and previously began to race ¼ midgets at 7 yrs old. He holds both state and track championships in micros and over 87 total wins. Robinson drove Mike Karr’s #764 TSS Mod two or three times the in 2005 and handled the car pretty well. Well, this year Robinson returned and moved into the crate late model and won 9 races at DIS alone and finished 2nd in DIS track points. Robinson stated, “This class was more affordable and a good way to get experience before going to bigger cars.” Travis Justice told me he has never driven anything that raced and did extremely well this year, he just wanted to race. He started a few weeks after the season got going but finished 8th in DIS track points.
Joseph Watson, (aka Jo-Jo) was 16 yrs old at the seasons start for 2006 and was racing in micro 600cc sprint along with his brother Jordon who are only a year apart in age. Both these guys started around 7 yrs. old in karts. Joseph holds three championships, took a break then started in micro racing and has at least five wins in micros but neither stayed in that class long before just jumping into the crates. Joseph, this year has 5 wins in the TSS Mod and many top 5’s from tracks in Delaware. Jordon has 7 championships in karts, 1 win in Delaware and several top 5’s this year. Their Mother, Donna says, “I didn’t like them in the micros, and going to this class is a good opportunity for them to start out. We’ll stay in this class a while or crate racing with maybe changing to the late model on down the road.” “It is a lot more economical with running two drivers in racing. Fewer things will break with the crate motor opposed to over $30,000 for a motor or more. It’s not like the crates are cheap to run, but they are better than it would be if not running crate motors” she adds. By the way Jamie Mills is their boys’ uncle. That’s most of the youngest drivers.
There were quite a few drivers that came from Modified Lite racing this 2006 season. Joe Warren moved this year and claimed his first Track Championship title in the TSS Late Model along with the Redbud69racing.com Rookie of the Year in that class. Jon Callaway started in go-karts in 1995, earning 6 championships and has won 3 Modified Lite Championships at Delmar, and impressive total of over 100 wins. Callaway just did get his TSS Late Model going in the latter of the season, but plans to run the full scheduled in 2007. Callaway stated. “It was time to change, it seems to earn more respect in these cars, they’re a bigger car, and I plan to run a few Storm Pay races, too.”
Kevin McKinney and Brother Erik McKinney have been in the Modified Lites and dabbled a bit in micros. Erik finished 4th in DIS points in Mod Lite this year and will run the crate late next year along with Kevin in that same crate class. Both McKinney’s have raced in the national TUSA racing and hope to compete in some crate series in the coming year. Erik said, “I’ve been driving so long, and really wanted to step it up. I feel like I’m driving a real race car like everyone else.” Jack Vammino owns the cars with one coming from Chub Frank. Vammino commented that Chub has really helped us out a lot.
Ryan Walls was already 19 years old when he first started in karts and only raced two ½ years. Walls then started in the TUSA series, and Modified Lites, where last year he owned a National title from TUSA, and has racked up more than 125 wins. In the TSS Modified this year Walls has 5 wins at Delmar and a 5th place finish in track points along with the Redbud69racing.com Rookie of the Year in TSS Mod. Walls will be driving for Mark and Ray Huffman of Huffman Racing in a TSS Late Model for 2007.
Two micro racers pretty well known that just started in the TSS Modified class is Eric Vent, and Chad Clark. The two are team mates in the micros and plan to stay mates for 2007 in the crates.
Already several drivers are saying they will make the change next year to one or another of the crate classes. Just a few to name are Herb Tunis, Randy Hill, Jr. and possibly Bobby Walls III. These three drivers have been in the Modified Lite class the last few years.
For the most part, all the drivers that have really been involved in the two crate classes this year did a sensational job. No one ran away with the lead, several different winners, and a lot of guys that would not race in these classes would have had to wait to change, but these gave them the chance to race or make the switch in the future. Rather the driver has been driving for a while or not, they all seem to really like running the crates. The crates don’t run on horsepower, a lot of driver skills help as with set ups.
When a driver comes from one class of racing to another they are usually classified as a rookie, just as NASCAR, and others recognized these drivers. Redbud69racing.com web site has awarded each driver each season with that title, dating back the last 4 years. Awards to recognize each driver in their first year in the class they race with either a certificate or plague are given to the rookie in each class. The last 3 years AUTOWORLD of Delmar, Delaware has sponsored the honoring of rookies with the plague to each top driver in points of their class. For 2006 the recipients that earned Redbud69racing.com Rookie of the Year titles went to Matt Jester in Modified, Gary Simpson in Late Model, Ryan Walls in TSS Modified, Joe Warren in TSS Late Model, and Jody Cahall in the Mod Lite division.
Just one more note about all these drivers. With the talent and skills of these young drivers racing, it sure has a lot to look forward to next year and more years to come. Now you know something about the future drivers and a bit of their stats that you can start to cheer for your favorite drivers. See you at the track!