Ricky Quick Named King Of Dirt Sportsman Newcomer Of The Year For 2018

Story By: ROB HAYES / KING OF DIRT – FONDA, NY – By many accounts Ricky Quick is no ‘rookie’ to Sportsman Modified racing. He’s a veteran who until 2018 had never been on tour before, but as opportunity would have it the Scotia New York driver found himself winning a battle with Marty Kelly III for the Fastline Performance Newcomer Of The Year on the King Of Dirt Racing tour.

In 2004 Ricky Quick acquired a Dynamic Engine built by Mike Martin and strapped it into a 1997 Troyer Race Car and began his open wheel racing career after running a Street Stock for a season or two. After a short time adapting to the Sportsman Modified he’d pick up his first career win in the division at Albany Saratoga Speedway with a big 50-lap victory.

It took Quick some time to find himself on tour, but he did find success racing weekly at the track of champions. In 2013 he had multiple feature wins, which led to the most memorable moment of his career in October when he won the Futures race at Super Dirt Week.

After spending all that time predominantly at one track, Ricky Quick decided to stretch his legs a little and go on tour with the King Of Dirt Racing Sportsman Modified Series where he enjoyed his time on the road.

“It was fun for us to travel to different tracks this past season. We met new drivers and fans along with also racing some familiar competition at different tracks and compete with them,” said Ricky Quick, driver of the Palmer’s Service Center number 84.

He found himself battling for the Fastline Performance Newcomer Of The Year with fellow tour newcomer Marty Kelly III. Fastline Performance has been supportive of King Of Dirt Racing efforts to reward drivers who follow the tour and earn products. In the past they’ve given out a standard set of Fox Racing Shocks, but through the summer promoter Rob Hazer and owner Mike Walton discussed added value for the driver and product.

“We’ve always promoted the race within a race, which is our Newcomer Of The Year Award. It’s one of our bigger awards and we wanted to continue to increase its value to drivers. Mike and I talked about titling it with Fastline Performance and rewarding the driver who earns the award with the shock package. Mike said let’s do it and Ricky earned it,” said KOD promoter Rob Hazer.

Quick took a moment to reflect on his efforts in 2018 on the Andy’s Speed Shop King Of Dirt Racing Sportsman Modified tour saying, “Our first year on the KOD tour was up and down. We had car issues the first half of the season and bad luck the second half. I feel we could’ve done better if the car was dialed in to start, but we were able to have a few good races and earn the Newcomer Of The Year so that was good.”

Of course there is always a support system for any driver who races weekly or on tour and Quick had no shortage of folks behind the scenes who help him get to the track beginning with his parents Richard and Debbie Quick.

“I have to start by thanking my parents Richard and Debbie. Their continued support throughout my racing career means more than I could explain,” said Quick.

He continued by thanking his girlfriend Tanya Purcell by saying, “I have to thank my girlfriend Tanya. Her support at the track is super helpful, especially some nights when she’s my only pit crew. She’s my biggest supporter and I appreciate that,” said Quick.

Sponsors are huge for teams competing in the modern era and Quick has a number of them who help him field a competitive race rod starting with the fine folks who also field the 2018 KOD 358 Modified Champions Teo Pro Cars, Alton and Carole Palmer.

“I have to give a huge thanks to the Palmers (Alton and Carole) for their help and support. They along with my other sponsors Leffler Enterprises, Hometown Pub & Grub, Showstopper Designs, All Seasons Equipment, Cliff’s Body Repair, First National Bank of Scotia, and the Gibbon’s Family have given me huge support and I can’t thank them enough,” Quick concluded.

Ricky Quick joins fellow drivers Jeff Watson (2017), Cody Hunt (2016), and Jason Gray (2015) as Fastline Performance Newcomer Of The Year award recipients. Quick will he honored among his peers at the annual Night Of Champions Banquet where he’ll receive his hardware and brand new set of standard Fox Racing Shocks courtesy of Fastline Performance for his efforts.