RPW’s “The Ten” With Ryan Heath

Column By: RYAN HILL / RPW – HUNTINGTON MA – Sportsman driver Ryan Heath straps in for today’s installment of “THE TEN”. Ryan is a young driver out of Massachusetts who will be racing his Troyer machine at Albany- Saratoga Speedway for the 2017 season.

He is a second-generation driver who spent his entire childhood at the races working on cars and just enjoying the sights, smells and sounds of the track.

Ryan is very proud of his family’s racing tradition and hopes to showcase his work ethic and talent this season at Albany-Saratoga. The resident of Huntington, MA also hopes to race The King of Dirt series when he can.

1- WHY ARE YOU THE #6R?
I chose the 6R, for two reasons, the first being that my favorite NASCAR driver as a kid was Mark Martin, and the second reason is that my birthday is 6/6.

2- HOW DID YOU START RACING?
My father raced 320 Mods starting in the mid 70’s at Lebanon Valley in the Mini-Stock Division working his way up to DIRT Sportsmans, where he got his first win, When my Dad stopped racing we got involved with Stan Wetmore helping out on his #73 Big Block Modified at The Valley. Stanley crewed a car for Mark Flach and in 2008 me and my dad joined Mark’s crew. We spent five years with Mark, and after he was injured at Canandaigua I made the choice to start racing and carry that tradition on.

3- WHO WAS YOUR FAVORITE DRIVER BEFORE YOU RACED?
My favorite driver of all time is Billy Decker. I remember watching him for years at Lebanon Valley and Albany-Saratoga.

4- WHAT RACE WOULD YOU LIKE TO WIN THE MOST?
With the removal of the Syracuse 200 there are two races I would love to win and both are crown jewels for any open wheel mod driver…Eastern States 200 and Super Dirt Week.

5- WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST RACING MOMENT?
That has to be the last race of 2016 in the Limited Sportsman. I started 10th and worked my way up to 7th, then went over the bank on the backstretch at Albany-Saratoga, and by the time I got back onto the racing surface I was dead last. I stayed in it and kept digging. I drove from 18th to 4th in 9 laps. That was my first Top 5, and my first time across the scales in a feature.

6- WHAT IS A “BUCKET LIST” TRACK FOR YOU TO RACE AT?
That would definitely have to be The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

7- WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS AS A DRIVER?
My strongest trait is car control. I feel that I have a knack for keeping the car underneath me and going straight. I also have good composure, no matter what is happening on the track I always stay calm, cool and collected.

8- WHAT ARE YOUR WEAKNESSES AS A DRIVER?
Wanting to always change the car. I am always looking for more, I always think there is something that I can change to make the car faster, but that is like any driver! I am thankful for my Dad and Stan telling me every week “just give her time, she’ll come to you” and she normally does.

9- WHAT HAS THE OFFSEASON BEEN LIKE?
We started off with complete disassembly of the car, made our adjustments and updates, and after the car was back to a rolling chassis we started with the body fabrication. We try to do as much as we can in house to keep costs down, and also to keep our old school mentality of build it and race it yourself.

10- HOW HAS RACING AFFECTED YOUR LIFE?
Racing affects my life in every aspect. From my day to day routine to my free weekends racing is on my mind 24/7 365. As they said in the movie “We Are Dirt” “You have to eat, sleep, and breathe this stuff, because the rigors of what you are doing crazy. It is a carnival life.”

Ryan wanted to add “I’d like to thank my Father and Mother for always supporting me and pushing me to be the best I can be. My Aunt Tammy and Uncle Bill who are always at the track to help in any way they can. I would also like to thank my Dad and Stan Wetmore for their knowledge. Without that expertise, knowledge and help setting up the car I don’t where I would be.