While most kids were pretend-racing their Matchbox and Hot Wheels toy cars around little plastic tracks, 11-year-old Kevin Feeney was nurturing his addiction to acceleration by tearing up a real speedway in Waterford with his quarter midget racer.
Three decades later, the now 40-year-old Oxford resident is still competing and burning rubber only in a bigger, faster car on larger tracks in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.
‘I’ve always had an interest in it,? Feeney said. ‘My father was a big racing fan.?
Feeney’s life seems to revolve around speed.
When he’s not earning a living as a product manager for COMP Cams, a racing products manufacturer based in Memphis, Tennessee, Feeney drives a sprint car for Hank’s Motorsports, a five-member racing team owned by Jim Hanks.
‘He’s been a real good guy to drive for,? said Feeney, who’s in his ninth season with the Holly-based racing team. ‘He’s very meticulous about making sure the car’s prepared.?
Feeney’s set track records at Hawkeye Downs in Iowa and the Kilkare and Toledo speedways in Ohio. He’s the current track record-holder at Salem Speedway in Indiana.
Unfortunately, Feeney hasn’t done much racing this season because the team encountered some trouble early on and the car’s engine is in the process of being repaired.
‘Obviously with the economic times, the sponsorship dollars aren’t what they used to be, so it’s taking us a little bit longer,? he said.
For those who are unfamiliar with it, a sprint car is a high-powered racing vehicle designed for running on short oval or circular tracks topped with dirt or pavement.
Sprint tracks can be anywhere from a quarter to a full mile in length depending on whether winged or non-winged cars are racing.
Affixed to the vehicle’s roof, the wings, which Feeney prefers, increase both speed and control.
‘The winged car is quite a bit faster,? he explained. ‘The wings give us a lot of downforce, so you can keep the corner speeds up on race tracks.?
Unlike NASCAR races, which involve drivers spending hours doing hundreds of laps around a track, sprint car races move at a much quicker pace.
‘We typically race 30-lap features,? Feeney said. ‘It doesn’t last two or three hours. There’s no biding your time during a race. Once the green flag drops, it’s a sprint to the end of it.?
Given their high power-to-weight ratio, sprint is an excellent name for these vehicles. The engines are typically around 830-840 horsepower, while the cars weigh about 1,400 pounds.
‘To put it in perspective, the horsepower is the equivalent of what they have in a NASCAR, but the cars weigh half as much,? Feeney said.
In layman’s terms, these cars can go pretty darn fast, depending on the track’s size.
When Feeney races the Toledo Speedway, a half-mile track, he averages about 139 miles per hour. But on a one-mile track, he can hit 170 mph in the straightaway.
Unlike most vehicles, a sprint car is a direct drive vehicle with no transmission.
‘It’s got a solid driveshaft that goes from the crankshaft right to the rear end,? Feeney said. ‘All the horsepower you get at the engine goes right to the rear wheels.?
Feeney admitted it’s pretty easy to flip a sprint car because of their light weight, high speeds and open wheels.
‘We’ve had our fair share of accidents,? he said. ‘Knock on wood, we haven’t had a serious one in probably the last three years If your equipment’s right and you stay alert and on your toes, you can usually avoid it.?
In Feeney’s opinion, racing cars requires more than quick reflexes, nerves of steel and a bit of a daredevil streak.
A good race car driver should have a working knowledge of what’s going on under the hood.
‘There’s a lot of people that just want to jump in and drive a car,? Feeney said. ‘They don’t necessarily know what it takes to make adjustments to make the chassis faster or make the engine faster.?
‘If you look at today’s NASCAR drivers, a lot of the ones that excelled started in the short-track ranks and worked on their own cars. They got a good understanding of how the cars themselves worked and applied that as a driver.?
Prior to a race, Feeney said he and his teammates spend 20 to 30 hours a week working on their car.
‘A lot of people come out and watch us race on a Friday or Saturday night and I don’t think they have any comprehension of how much time it takes to repair these cars,? he said.
When he’s not racing, Feeney enjoys watching his sons, Kyle and Riley, follow in his footsteps.
Kyle, 15, who’s heading into his sophomore year at Oxford High School, is graduating from a quarter midget racer to a full-size modified car.
‘About every track I’ve been to this year, I hear them talking to my oldest son (and) saying, ‘When are you going to take over your dad’s ride??? Feeney said. ‘I imagine that day’s coming soon.?
Riley, who will be a fifth-grader at Oxford Elementary this fall, continues to race quarter midgets like his old man did once upon a time.
‘It teaches the kids a lot,? said Feeney, noting they gain a good work ethic, mechanical knowledge and an appreciation for sportsmanship.
Feeney wished to encourage our readers to visit a local track sometime and experience the thrill of racing firsthand.
‘A lot of people are used to tuning in and watching NASCAR on TV, but there’s a lot of opportunities locally to take in a race on a Friday or Saturday night,? he said.
Races are happening this weekend at the Dixie Motor Speedway in Birch Run on Friday, July 3 and at the Owosso Speedway, located on M-21 about seven miles west of Owosso, on Saturday, July 4.
‘Unfortunately, I don’t think we’re going to have our engine repaired in time for those events, but we’ll be there to support it,? Feeney said.
Anyone interested in sponsoring Hank’s Motorsports is encouraged to contact Feeney via his e-mail at kevin@feeneymotorsports.com. .