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July 01, 2016 at
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1400 Miles and Dreaming
Texas Sprint Car Driver Travels 1400 Miles For Chance to Race at Williams Grove Speedway
PA Sprint Car News| Justin Snyder
Mechanicsburg, PA| July, 1, 2016
Pulling into a hotel parking lot in Zanesville, Ohio, June 30, Chad Koch had a lot on his mind. After two-days of travelling, 1100 miles of roads travelled and multiple state lines being crossed, it was time to settle in for the evening and get some rest.
He’s tired and ready to get some food. Maybe take a shower and relax a little bit before embarking on the final 300 miles of his trip in the morning.
However, he’s got racing on the brain. Instead of dinner, he’s thinking about a bridge crossing the backstretch. Instead of sleep, he’s wondering what kind of beer they drink on beer hill. And instead of his hotel, he’s thinking about tomorrow’s destination…Williams Grove Speedway.
“I can’t wait to pull into the pits and be able to say I raced at Williams Grove Speedway,” said Koch, a native of Wichita Falls, Tx and driver of the No. 35 KMS 305 Sprint Car. “Someone is going to have to pinch me and tell me that this is real, because gosh am I excited.”
Koch, along with his parents, is travelling 2800 miles cross-country for the chance to add his name to the list of drivers who have raced at the legendary ½ mile clay oval. While he had to take vacation from work and the trip is costly and long, it it’s well worth it for this racer.
“My mom told me when I get home that she is going to check us into a psych ward,” said Koch. “She just can’t believe that we’d travel this far just to race a sprint car. But it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”
In the 70’s and 80’s, drivers were migrating from all over the country to race in Pennsylvania. Names like Jan Opperman, Lynn Paxton, Doug Wolfgang and the “who’s-who” of sprint car racing could be found tearing it up weekly at the Mechanicsburg speedway.
In recent years, west coast standouts and former World of Outlaw drivers like Daryn Pittman, Tyler Walker, Justin Henderson and Greg Hodnett have spent time racing in the central PA region.
While he does not carry the name recognition as some of the other invaders who have called Pennsylvanian their racing home, Koch is looking forward to carrying on that tradition for one night.
“It’s really all about the experience and the trip,” said Koch. “I’m a fan first and foremost and I respect the history of this place and the drivers who have come before me. To be able to be even a small part of that is something beyond my wildest dreams.”
To understand why a guy would travel this far just for one night, you have to understand where he came from.
In Texas, there is one sport that dominates the headlines and that is High-School football.
“Just like any other town in Texas, it’s all about Friday night lights and football,” said Koch. “We had racing and such, but nothing like some of the other areas of the country.”
His grandfather and father were heavily involved in drag racing and many nights were spent at the drag strip. While he loved the speed and racing atmosphere he had the want to turn left instead of just going straight.
When he came across a micro-sprint frame sitting in a barn in 2009, he knew that he had found his calling. Using welding skills he had picked up, he purchased the frame and got it put together where he could race.
After experiencing success racing micro’s throughout the state of Texas and surrounding areas and a brief stint racing for an owner in a 360 Sprint Car, he settled on racing 305 sprints in 2014.
“I got hooked on dirt track racing and the adrenaline and just everything about it,“ said Koch. “I knew after the first couple laps that it was something I’d want to do for a long time.”
Growing up a history buff, he started digging into the past of the sport. His dad was a big fan of Doug Wolfgang, so he developed an appreciation for the drivers and the fans of Pennsylvania.
“Just reading about the rivalry of the PA posse and the World of Outlaws made me want to be a part of that culture,” said Koch. “Nothing against where I’m from or anywhere else in the country, but the Pennsylvania fans are second to none and as passionate about Sprint Car racing as they come.”
Through his racing exploits and social media, he made friends with some of the people involved with the 305 PASS/IMCA Series. He longed to race behind the support of the Pennsylvania crowds and he enjoyed talking to his friends about the various tracks.
“They kept asking me when I was finally going to come down and visit,” said Koch. “I always dreamt about it and figured I’d give things a look.”
It only seemed like a pipe-dream, but in February when he was planning out his schedule for the 2016 season he noticed that the PASS series would be racing at Williams Grove. After realizing it was on the same night as the Mitch Smith Memorial during PA Speedweek, the gears started turning in his head and he began to plan for the trip.
“I was already doing a lot of travelling to Oklahoma and other nearby states, so I figured I might as well go all in and check that box off my bucket list,” said Koch. “Not only do I get to race there, but I get to watch the best there is race in a prestigious show.”
He’s most excited about the chance to meet his racing hero, Greg Hodnett. He has various drivers that he patterns his career after, but he respects Hodnett’s ability to win in Pennsylvania and all throughout the country
“He’s just a gasser and in my opinion one of the best the sport has to offer,” beamed Koch. “The fact that he could win on the outlaw tour and then go and have so much success in PA, I think that says a lot about his ability as a driver. If I’m half the driver that he is, I can say I did well”
Justin Loh, speedway general manager, heard about the road trip through social media and was impressed with Koch’s ambition to travel.
“It’s amazing to see a driver travel that many miles on his vacation just to be a part of all the great things Williams Grove Speedway has to off it’s fans and drivers,” said Loh. “I hope it ranks as one of his best all-time vacations going forward.”
Midway through the trip, he stopped at the famed Indianapolis Speedway and was able to take a tour inside and kiss the legendary bricks located at the finish line. While he appreciates the history behind the prestigious track and understands its stature, it is nothing compared to where his trip concludes in Mechanicsburg, Pa.
“Williams Grove is the Mecca of racing to me and it holds a special place in my heart,” said Koch. “I’m sure that’s up for argument, but to me there is no track in the country I’d rather be at on a Friday night.”
Koch is hoping to put on a good show and wants to be competitive in his trip to the speedway, but he is also understanding that winning won’t come easy.
“I’m not coming here expecting to blow the doors off these guys, explained Koch. “If we can pass some cars and learn some things along the way, this trip will be more than a success in my mind.”
He also is hoping to drink a beer following the night’s events on the famed and notorious Beer Hill.
“I don’t know if the fans here realize how blessed they are to have racing like this on a weekly basis,” said Koch. “But I’m going to soak It all in and enjoy the moment. It’s truly a dream come true for this Texas boy to come to Pennsylvania.”
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