Sean Corr’s Making His Dream A Reality

Column By: EDWARD KOCHERSBERGER / RPW – GOSHEN, NY – The offseason is finally coming to a close. The eyes of the racing world will turn its attention to Daytona International Speedway and surrounding motorsports venues during the next few weeks. There are some drivers that will be watching and wondering if their dream of driving at the World Center of Racing will ever come true. Well for Goshen, NY’s Sean Corr, this dream is an annual reality.

On February 18th, shortly before the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series Clash, the ARCA Racing Series, presented by Menards, will open their season with the Lucas Oil Complete Engine Treatment 200, Driven by General Tire. Sean Corr will be one of the many entries trying to power his way to a prestigious encounter with Daytona Gatorade Victory Lane. He will be piloting his number 46 NESCO Ford in the 80 lap race. He is very excited with his 2017 racing plans.

“We have a little different deal going. I am going to be in the 46 this year. We have Richard Petty’s grandson, Thad Moffitt, racing for Empire Racing this year in a few of the ARCA races. But he is not old enough to run the superspeedway races. You have to be 18 years old to run the superspeedways (Daytona, Talladega, Pocono, Michigan). I am definitely filling in for him at Daytona and Talladega. We will wait and see how everything pans out for the Pocono races.”

Even though he has made a decent number of starts at Daytona, Sean still truly appreciates the feelings that the historic facility brings to a driver. He always remembers how big of a deal it really is.

“There were two race tracks that really gave me butterflies to be at. One was Super Dirt Week at Syracuse and the other was Daytona. There is nothing like pulling out of the pits at either of those tracks and looking up at the big grandstands. Daytona is the grandest of great times-ten of any other track on the planet. But I am still so upset that we are not running at Super Dirt Week (Syracuse). I still get so tore up over it.”

Sean has experienced the roller coaster of positive and negative fortune in the sport. But one of his better memories is being able to lead a pack at Daytona in an ARCA race.

“There is nothing better than coming from that high side when you work your way up through the field. And then when you actually move down in front of everybody it is the most surreal feeling ever. Everything is just calm and smooth. Then you look in the mirror and it is just chaos. All you see is the line of car roofs. It is certainly one of the coolest feelings ever. You just look in front of you (when you are leading) and there is nothing. It is just calm. It is just so cool.”

Restrictor plate racing has attracted its share of attention and controversy during its lifetime in the sport. Sean gives a unique perspective and some good analogies for fans to relate to.

“I have a 1994 big old tow truck that I drive for work. It is like driving down the thruway in that thing. It only does 70. I can mat it to the floor board. No matter what I am not really passing anybody. But if I run up on a slow car I have to move over and get in the passing lane. You never lift off the floor board. It is all about just judging the traffic. The best practice for it would be the New York State Thruway.”

A driver does not succeed alone. Sean takes pride in the possible engineering advantage that his one particular car brings to the competition every season.

“I will tell you what. That desert tan car makes me look good too. There is something about the older cars. That car is actually a 1998 chassis. It is probably one of the oldest cars there. Everyone always comes with the brand new chassis. But those brand new chassis don’t always run that well. I am convinced that that old car is so stretched out and worn out that it just flexes and gets to the ground like no other car can do. The other cars are so rigid and not broken in yet.”

Sean also appreciates the historic value of the very same ride that he has enjoyed so much success with.

“It is originally a Robert Yates car. It is really funny. When you start sanding paint on that thing there is some Dewalt yellow. That car was originally a Ford Taurus back in the day. There is some Dale Jarrett blue in there as well. It was passed around for a while. It is like a history lesson when you bring that car in to touch the paint up and stuff. That is the same car I sat on the pole with at Daytona in 2012.”

Through all of the generous story-telling and sheer love of the sport, it is safe to bet on Sean Corr as a cagy veteran and contender for the win this Saturday afternoon at Daytona. Fans can watch Sean in the Lucas Oil Complete Engine Treatment 200 Live on Fox Sports One this Saturday, February 18th. The green flag is scheduled to drop at 4:15pm ET.