The Difference a Year Can Make

Photo Credit: Gavin Newton / Fast Track Racing

 Now is the time when everyone begins to reflect on the year… and I could write a book about 2023.

This time last year, I was still fairly fresh out of college with no clue about the direction I wanted to go for a career, and simultaneously, I was seeking a reason to think I would ever have a chance to pursue my racing dreams. Other than a short 2-year stint at a quick lube in high school, I had worked in the family business of lawn care, landscaping, and snow plowing for almost all of my life to this point, and I was ready for a change.

I got word that the local insurance agency was hiring – so I decided to take a chance at something I never thought I would do - and with that, put my college degrees to work. By January, I had passed the state exams and received my license to solicit property and casualty insurance. It didn’t take me long, however, to realize that this was also not a career move for me – though, a great opportunity to learn. By May, I had received another opportunity to change my job – and this WAS a career move. After a 2-week notice, I started a new career at Lane Automotive - piloting a rotational development program where I have an opportunity to gain exposure and experience in different areas of the business.

In the little free time I had during all of this change, I had continued with what I figured would be my last push to break into Professional Motorsports. At 24 years old, my window to break through was closing - and I could feel the pressure. On my lunch breaks at the Insurance agency and after work, I was continuously researching and creating marketing decks, reaching out and sharing the potential value of motorsports marketing for different companies, continuing my work from the years prior in hopes that someone would take a chance on me before it was too late.

Less than a month after I started my new career, the opportunity to pursue my lifelong dream, which I had been pursuing for nearly a decade… finally came to fruition. I partnered with Lake Michigan College, among other amazing partners, and received an opportunity from Fast Track Racing, Inc. to compete at the professional level for the first time. In front of hundreds of thousands of viewers, I made my ARCA Menards National Series debut at Berlin Raceway on June 17th, 2023. We didn’t have great luck with some mechanical woes, but showed a lot of potential... and most importantly, made it further than I ever thought possible. With our performance at Berlin, the team worked out two additional opportunities through the rest of the year... including my opportunity to go 180 mph for the first time at Kansas Speedway in September.

Left: Debriefing with crew chief Dick Doheny after our mechanical failure at Berlin. Right: Making laps at Iowa.

Did I mention that during all of this I was also running my own racing program at the local/regional level, racing for my second consecutive championship? I was on my own this year to make my racing program happen, and I wasn’t sure it would be possible... but thanks to amazing partners in ELH Detailing, PSS&C, and Edgewater Automation, we were able to make it happen. I hauled my car over 5000+ miles throughout the region - winning 7 races, setting 3 new track records, and bringing home the championship for the second consecutive year.

Celebrating my 7th win of the 2023 season with the Midwest Classic Racers Dwarf Cars.

I also worked Friday Nights at my local dirt track, managing payouts and scoring, in addition to managing the Midwest Classic Racers, LLC. website, social media, and marketing initiatives...

Wearing one of many hats as an employee at Hartford Speedway, conducting victory lane interviews on the other side of the microphone.

Setting up scoring and registration, preparing for the night. Photo Credit: Top Row Racing Media

...and just when you thought I couldn’t have been any busier… on October 15th, 2023 – I got to marry my best friend, Julie Jasper Kemp. What a way to cap off a crazy 5 month stretch.

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Berghuis Photography

 Now, just seven months into my new job and three months removed from my previous national series start, it’s hard to look back and believe the events that have taken place - and the rate at which they have. I learned what years of hard work and determination can do, and the importance of people. At the center of all of my accomplishments are groups of amazing people. I realize that I am blessed to have found a home at a great company and to have had the opportunities in motorsports that I've had, and ultimately, to be surrounded by great people. I've been so fortunate - but I didn't have to be. Not everything could have worked out like it did. Many days I didn't think it would. I've worked at this for years. There were tough days. Days that I wanted to give up. Days that I felt like I wasn't going to be good enough. I've known for a long time that success is never guaranteed in anything you do - in fact, it may be extremely unlikely in some cases. But this year proved to me that hard work CAN pay off... because, phew... I've certainly worked my tail off.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still far from having 'made it' as a race car driver - but I've grown more as a person this year than any other, no question - and I'm fortunate to be in a position where I have great opportunities, and a great job if the racing thing doesn't work out... and that's all someone can ask for. I'm proud that my hard work has amounted to those opportunities and the position that I'm in. So if you take one thing from my story, I hope you will be compelled to continue pushing toward your goals. Focus forward. Because you just never know when that hard work is going to pay off.

All I can think now is... I can’t believe the difference a year can make.