Kyle says that winning the Owosso Nationals this year means as much to him as winning the 2010 Owosso Speedway Championship.
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Some racers it seems have an inordinate, year-round, speed-jones with no particular venue or traction preference. "Living in Michigan we have a long off season. However, I found a fun way to get my 'need for speed' during the winter," 16-year-old Kyle Crump told K&N News. "I compete with the MIRA (Michigan Ice Racing Association) and we race on Chippewa Lake. Lots of fun and very competitive. Nothing like driving 90 mph on the ice!"
Pictured with Kyle is with Zach Parish, who he credits for being his friend and lucky charm.
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Kyle's fixation with going fast surfaced early in life, "In 2001 my parents bought me a top kid kart when I was 5-years-old. I actually won my first big race that year; I didn't win a trophy but I did get 20 lb turkey," adds Crump. Unfortunately, Kyle only made a few more runs in the kid kart before it was retired to the garage. His dad, Todd and mom, Tracy both competed in off-road buggies running the CORR series, and he was on the road with them. It would be reasonable to assume though, that having been bitten by the racing bug, Kyle put those spectating days to good use studying racing without perhaps being aware of it.
In 2004 Kyle's parent's bought him a used CRG Kart to see if he was still interested in racing, and clearly he was. So much so that his parents sold one of their buggies and bought Kyle a new Invader kart. His learning curve accelerated further. And in 2006, in order to learn how to go faster, Kyle raced in the Midwest Sprint Series (MWSS). He finished fifth in the points for Yamaha Junior Sportsman that year. "Yes, my parents were sitting out so I could race a whole season," said Kyle.
In his relentless quest for more speed, Kyle is selling his trusty Dodge Neon, and he's moving on up.
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Recognizing his potential Kyle's parent's sold their remaining buggy and in 2007 he ran the entire race season with the Midwest Sprint Series. He placed first in the Yamaha Junior Sportsman and fifth in HPV Junior Sportsman. Kyle's racing IQ continued to grow over the next few years and in 2011, his second season of Circle Track racing in his 97 Dodge Neon in the Super Stock class, Kyle has yet to win another turkey, but he has amassed a gang of titles, trophies and records.
Dividing his racing between the Championship Racing Association (CRA) this year and defending his 2010 Owosso Speedway Championship proved to be yet another solid decision. In order to run with the CRA Series, Kyle Crump Racing had to miss five events at Owosso, meaning there'd be no way for him to repeat as champion. Instead Kyle decided to run the CRA series, which was an opportunity for him to race against the best racers in the Midwest on half-mile tracks. He finished his CRA season with three wins, setting two track records, earning three poles, and the coveted Rookie of the Year title he was aiming for. Kyle also only missed winning the overall championship by a mere 15 points, the series' closet points battle to date.
At Owosso Speedway, Kyle still ended up winning six of the eight races he ran, as well as earning eight poles and one more track record. And despite missing five point races, he still finished second overall in the championship, and more importantly he won the Owosso Nationals.
"It was great to run Owosso Speedway on our off weekends from CRA without the worry of points," said the K&N sponsored driver. "Last season I raced in the Owosso Nationals, but it was the final point's race, so I didn't want to risk it all going for the win, but this year I was able to go for the win, and it feels great to be the National Champion. Even though winning the overall championship was a much longer and tougher battle to achieve, I consider both of these as great racing accomplishments. The championship is fought for all year, and the Nationals are one big race, win or lose, you get one shot a year."
Kyle says he's been thinking ahead to the 2012 season since the middle of this year. "I love running the Sport Stock class, but I really want to move up and run some form of Late Model. While running the CRA Series and watching the Supers and the Jegs cars, I can't help but want to go faster and take on the challenges those classes offer."
Kyle is currently in the process of selling everything from the Sport Stock Division as he's decided to definitely move up. "My ultimate race goal is to someday race in one of the NASCAR Premier Divisions, mom likes the trucks and dad likes the cars, but I'll drive anything!"
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