Wiscasset Speedway Driver Profile: Tasha Dyer #32
“Racing is a way of life,” said Tasha Dyer. She was introduced to racing at a young age by her grandfather Ed “Bub” Orr. “He loves the sport,” said Dyer. “He would rather work on them then drive them though!”
Her two uncles, Mike Orr and Steve Pierpont are also racers. Dyer said, “Mike started it all when he raced late models in “05. When he stopped racing I picked it up. I ran one race in 2006, then the next year I went full time.”
“My uncle, Steve Pierpont still races Strictly Street. I’ve always been a fan of his. Between him, Mike, and my grandfather, is why I wanted to start racing.”
Dyer, now 20, begins her seventh racing season this year. Dyer has hopes for the coming season, “I am mostly going for top 5 finishes this year,” said Dyer. I want to stay consistent and bring the car home in one piece every week. It would also be nice to get a championship again.”
Last year was best and worst season for me,” said Dyer. “We had a lot of best moments. We had a lot of close races. I was racing in the top three against Corey Morgan and Guy Childs, who are known across the state. We had worst moments too. I rolled over last year. It was terrible. Guy Childs and I were coming around turn three and he clipped me on the left rear. Flipped me into the wall. The flip was the worst moment I have ever had in racing. We also had some disappointing finishes last season. I expected more of myself. I hold myself to high standards. First and second is where I want to be.”
Dyers standard of excellence was apparent in her track record. She moved up through the rookie ranks, racing at Wiscasset Speedway, Beechridge and Oxford. Then, in the season of 2012 Dyer won the Oxford Ladies Women’s Championship. Dyer also won The Winners Circle Championship at Oxford that year. The individual with the most wins at the end of the season gets this trophy. Dyer had nine wins at Oxford in 2012.
One of the best moments in her racing career was at Beechridge Motor Speedway. Dyer said, “I raced six cylinder road runners. I was racing for first against Taylor Lampron. We raced side by side the whole race. With only two laps left to go, I got ahead of her and won the race. It was the first race I won in the season of “11.”
Dyer finished 2013 with 9 top 5’s, including a pair of feature wins. She tied Guy Childs for “Best Average Finish” in the Strictly Street division. Her dedicated pit crew also took home an award for “Best Pit Crew 2013”.
Her crew has been hard at work. Dyer said that with the rule changes this year for Strictly Streets having changed, they were able to make some adjustments to the car. “We have lightened the car quite a bit. We also adjusted our set-up,” said Dyer. “This year it should be both stronger and faster. We also have sponsors to thank. Morse and Doak Builders, C&S Flooring and Carlton Electric.”
Dyer believes that when you are out on the track, you need a lot of luck. “Luck is 70% of it. You can’t control what happens out there- so I like to call it just luck. I just take the wheel, and the car does the rest for me. My car is one of the best out there.”
“We are also here to have fun,” said Dyer. “The first time ever on the track someone neglected to put the hood pins in. I was coming around turn four at Wiscasset and my hood came flying up onto my windshield. I slammed on the brakes and crept very slowly to the backstretch. My whole crew was on the wall all laughing with my grandfather. I was out of my mind. They just put the hood pins in and I was on my way!”
“Last year when the track opened, the car count got better and better each week,” said Dyer. “I hope it continues this year. I hope to see the fans. I used to come to Wiscasset and watch the races. I know what it was like to see the drivers from the stands when I was a kid. Now, I am a driver and put a smile on kids’ faces. It makes it all worthwhile, I definitely do this for the fans also.”
Ken Minot, track promoter, said of Dyer, “Tasha is one of the top female drivers in the region and her popularity with the fans is undeniable. Fans really love to see her take on the “good ole boys”.
For more information about Wiscasset Speedway and the drivers, head to the Wiscasset Speedway website at http:www.wiscassetspeedway.com. Remember, opening day is April 19, 2014 with a 2 PM race start time.
Sources: Lisa Maguire/Wiscasset Speedway PR