RPW’s “The Ten” – A Mother’s Day Special

Column By: RYAN HILL / RPW – HYDE PARK, NY – For today’s installment of RPW’s THE TEN we will be doing something a little different. Mothers are often the unsung heroes of race teams across the country. Stop by any pit and there will likely be a mom setting up tear offs, recording tire temps, feeding the crew or any number of tasks vital to the team’s success. I can think of many mothers that I know personally that keep their team running, often sacrificing in ways their non racing friends would ever understand.

Connor Hill is the driver of the Marshall Oil Co 98H kart on the Burris Money Series, and he wanted to wish Happy Mother’s Day to his mom Ashley, who is integral to making his racing dreams possible.

1- HOW DOES YOUR MOM HELP YOUR RACING?
She does so much. She works on the kart at the track and at home figuring out the right set up, scaling the kart, she works very hard.

2- WHAT IS HER JOB AT THE TRACK?
She has a lot! Some of her jobs are doing the registration paperwork, setting up the pit and kart for the day of racing; she changes the oil and is in charge of recording all the racing information.

3- DO YOU THINK SHE SACRIFICES FOR YOU TO RACE?
Yes. She uses her time off to take me to the races so she doesn’t take a lot of non racing trips and she spends a lot of money on racing so she doesn’t shop for clothes as much as she probably wants to.

4- WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO HAVE YOUR MOM INVOLVED IN YOUR RACING?
It is awesome that she cares so much about me succeeding and learning how to be a good driver.

5- WHO ARE YOUR MOM’S FAVORITE DRIVERS?
Eddie Marshall is her favorite, also Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards, and I hope me!

6- WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RACING MEMORY WITH YOUR MOM?
When I won the Race For A Cause event last year at Greenwood Raceway in Pennsylvania. She was crying, we worked very hard and it was nice to have a good day there.

7- WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM YOUR MOM?
She has taught me to stay calm in situations on and off the track, and she has taught me to have confidence in myself.

8- WHAT IS A TRACK YOU WANT YOUR MOM TO SEE YOU RACE AT?
Super Dirt Week if it was still in Syracuse, but since it isn’t any track would be cool. We just like traveling and seeing new places.

9- WHAT ARE YOUR MOM’S FAVORITE TRACKS?
Lebanon Valley Speedway and all the kart tracks we get to race at in Pennsylvania.

10- WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT RACING WITH YOUR MOM?
The whole race day, we have a routine. We get breakfast on the way to the track and then all the work to make the race, and whether it goes well or not we get lunch at the track and enjoy watching the rest of the races, and then usually a long drive home.

Connor wants to wish Happy Mother’s Day to all the racing moms, but especially the race moms that help his racing: his grandmothers Margaret and Pam, Stephanie Pruchnik, Linda Schroder, and Nita Tanner.