"Future Of The Sport Spotlight: Savannah Trantham"

For this week's "Future Of The Sport Feature", we are going to introduce you to up and coming Texan Samantha Trantham. Keeping with out normal theme, we are going to let Samantha tell you about herself!

 Hi, my name is Savannah Trantham.  I’m 20 years old and my hometown is Godley, Texas where I was born and raised.  I

n 2011, I moved to Stephenville, Texas to attend college at Tarleton State University.  I am currently a senior planning to graduate in December 2014 with a Bachelors Degree in Communications with an emphasis in Broadcast and Journalism.  After college I aspire to work for Fox Sports One or even NASCAR in the broadcasting department.  I never raced anything until the 2013 season.  Although I’ve never raced I always dreamed that I would and joked with my parents that, “since I’ve never found anything I’m good at before maybe racing really is my calling.”  For Christmas of 2013, my biggest gift was an A-Class 600 Mini/Micro Sprint from my parents.    

I never thought I’d be a contender for any top 10 at any race track after my rookie year.  On October 14th, Mountain Creek Speedway in Grand Prairie, Texas, announced its official TOP 10 in each class.  In the Wing 600 Mini Sprints, I came home with the 7th place in top 10 out of 75 or more drivers!

I started out driving for experience, “seat time” as everyone in the racing world calls it.  At times I felt like I was the only one that believed in me, believed that I could truly come home with a win.  Now I know my parents did, but at times when I’d come off the track being “lap traffic” I couldn’t help but think they were just telling me I did great job to keep my spirits up.  Kicking off my season, a little late after finding some errors in the car during practice sessions, my first official race was at 281 Speedway in Stephenville, Texas on July 21^st.  After that I mainly raced at Mountain Creek Speedway, remember all for “seat time.” 

After some ‘ok’ races, I decided to change my scenery and race at Kennedale Speedway Park in Kennedale, Texas on August 31^st.  This was the night I thought my dreams were all over.  My racing is all financially supported by my parents, and with racing every-weekend money can get tight when something gets broken on the car.  I was keeping up with the pack, started to gain ground to pass a few cars when in the middle of turn 1 and 2 my steering column broke in half and fell between my legs, the steering wheel now in my hands, the next thing I know, I’m headed straight into the wall in turn 2.  My dad kept telling me, “its’ okay we will fix it and be back on the track in no time.”  But since it was basically everything in the front end of the car, I could tell he was really worried about how quick this turn around would be. 

After lots of time, money, effort and extra hands from great friends made at the track, I was back in the car on September 13^th ready to make a comeback from my big crash.  That night was one for the books, not only was it the first night back from a crash, but I brought home my first heat win in my rookie year!  Everyone laughed when I came off the track fist pumping in my car, but at that point all the drivers knew I wasn’t the ‘little princess’ they all treated me like putt-putting around the bottom, I was there to race. 

Then a few weeks later on September 28^th everyone started to realize I was now a contender in their little battles.  It was a big show at Mountain Creek, a 25 lap feature and a thousand dollars to win.  Now to a girl who just sat in a race car for the first time three months earlier, I wasn’t there for the money I was there for seat time, but after my heat win I knew I had it in me to go far.  We started the feature and my car took off like a rocket, I took the lead and it was the best I had ever had.  Then, I start seeing my daddy’s hands get farther apart, telling me the guys behind me were losing ground.  After what seemed like 10 minutes, I finally start to see the flag man showing me half way, then ten to go, then five.  At this point I had to remind myself to breath, and trying to find a new line because mine was getting slick.  Sure enough, with four laps to go a guy comes around on my outside, I hit a slick groove on the track and I spun out straight into the infield.  After leading the whole race with four laps to go I didn’t even finish.

 

Everyone kept telling me not to be upset, and then finally I found the good in it all.  I proved myself, which is exactly what I wanted to do when I started, to let everyone know that I could do it.  I had gone from ‘never racing in my life’ to having a half a track lead in a 25 lap feature in three months.  I couldn’t have been more proud of myself and what I proved on the track; I did exactly what I came to do.  Well remember when everyone kept telling me “seat time,” and that all my races were for seat time.  I’m proud to say that my seat time also helped me bring home a 7^th place yearly finish in my rookie year.

This season, I set goals for my self.  Some that include finishing top 5 at the end of the season at Mountain Creek Speedway, or even better to bring home the track title for 600 A-Class Mini Sprint at Mountain Creek.  A few smaller goals I’ve set would be to win at least 5 heat races, and win my first feature as well as continue to win some features.  I also would like to race at different tracks around Texas.  With lots of luck and support, I hope to be a competitor in the 2014 Triple Crown during Labor Day weekend, which is where 3 different races happen at Heart of Texas Speedway, Gator Motorplex, and Gulf Coast Speedway Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  

I wouldn’t be where I am this season without all the support and blessings I get from my countless friends, family and the Lord above.  I’d especially like to thank my parents, Jason Tyer, Factor 1 Racing, and Danny Debrick for the amazing effort and countless help they have given me in my first year of racing! Without their help I wouldn’t have been the competitor that I was my rookie year!  I’m looking forward to a great new season in 2014!  Giving all the glory to God! 

"Sprint Car Spotlight: Sierra Jackson"

For this week's "Sprint Car Spotlight", we are going to change things up a bit. Not only will we be returning to the States this time, we will also be featuring a new discipline of sprint car racing. We will be introducing you to Sierra Jackson, a winged asphalt sprint car racer! Keeping with what has become the theme lately, Sierra will be telling you about herself.

My name is Sierra Jackson; I am 21 years old, from Middleton, Idaho. I began dirt track racing at the age of six, in cage karts and mini sprints then graduated to asphalt 360 sprint car racing in 2006. I have had wins at racetracks throughout the Northwestern United States and in Canada. At 15, I became the youngest driver and first female to win a NSRA (Northwest Sprintcar Racing Association) race, the Rebel Jackson Memorial.

At 18, I became the youngest driver and first female to win a NSRA championship, doing so in 2011, also becoming the first Ford driver to do so. In 2012 I was the inaugural Canadian-American Western Winged Sprintcars champion. I’m the only female driver to win the prestigious Diamond Cup at Meridian Speedway, winning it in 2011, and the Daffodil Cup in Victoria, BC, Canada, as well as being a two time winner of the Naylor Memorial Classic. 

Outside of my race life I work full time at a local hospital and I’m a full time student at Boise State University.

 I definitely couldn’t have all my accomplishment without my team and sponsors:

• Telmate Communication Systems
• Spiers Construction
• Stock Construction Management
• Jon C Irby Landscaping
• Speedmart
• The Kart Shoppe

"Sprint Car Spotlight: Courtney O'Hehir "

We are once again heading "Down Under" for this week's "Sprint Car Spotlight". We be introducing you to young up and coming Courtney O'Hehir. As has become tradition, we are going to let Courtney tell you about herself!

My name is Courtney O'Hehir and I race wingless sprints. I am 19 years old, and I am from Sydney, NSW, Australia.

I started my racing career at 14 years old, in junior sedans making several podiums. I raced at Sydney Speedway, Nowra, Goulburn, and Dubbo.

I moved to a wingless sprintcar at age 18.  I only raced 4 race meetings in a wingless before my first roll over. It left me out of my racing for 8 months with two fractured vertebrae in my back, c6 and c7 vertebrae.

I came back this season with a fresh car. This season has been good for me, I've had motor problems all this season, although my cars straight, so I've been happy with that so far. I’ve recently been in two speedway magazines. Oval Express and Totally Speedway, and I am planning to race the 50 lapper at Lismore next month

I got into speedway from my step dad Cameron Burnham. He has crewed for a few sprintcars over the years, including Mitchell Dumesny, Dave Lambert, Roddy and Toby Bellbowen, as well as Joey Saldana and Jason Meyers whilst racing here in Australia.

My hopes for my future in speedway are to race 410 sprintcars someday.

I would like to thank my crew, fans and sponsors for all they're support:

• Cameron Burnham
• Ben McCartney
• Monique O'Hehir
• Dial Before You Dig
• Stork 1 limousines
• JoCo's Hair Design
• Ultra Spray
• B&B Graphics

"Sprint Car Spotlight: Renee Petska"

This week's "Sprint Car Spotlight" feature is going down under This our first feature from Australia, but keeping with the recent theme, we are going to let Renee Tell you about herself!

 My name is Renee Pestka and I’m 19. This is only my second season of the wingless sprintcar division in South Australia. I started in speedway a few years ago after having a drive in my older brother’s 410ci sprintcar. I now have my own car to race. In only my second season, I have contested in many races; most which have resulted in top 10 finishes. My goal in Speedway is to compete in the 410ci Sprintcars class in the future ahead. In the years to come, I would also like to race in America, as that would be a dream come true.

For more information, be sure to check out www.reneepestkamotorsport.com or Renee Petska Motorsport on Facebook!

Renee’s sponsors include:

• Pestka’s Bakery
• Port Wakefield Wreckers
• KJR Designs & Artwork
• KNJ Photography & Design
• Race Craft Designs