Culver A True Home Track Champ
Lake Erie Driver Enjoys First Title With Hometown’s Support
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Randy Culver is living a charmed life as a hobbyist racer. Just seven years after transitioning from the grandstand to the garage, he’s a champion at his hometown track.
Culver grew up as a self-described gearhead and racing fan in North East, Pennsylvania. He followed drag racing and watched the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series religiously on television, but had no direct connection to the sport. No relative or acquaintance that raced. He was just a fan.
2014 NASCAR WHELEN ALL-AMERICAN SERIES TRACK CHAMPIONS
Everything changed in 2002 when Lake Erie Speedway opened in his home town. Culver immediately started attending races regularly at the .375-mile asphalt oval, and in 2007 when discussions began for the development of a modified division at the track, he started to wonder about what it would be like to get behind the wheel.
“One of my neighbors that has a garage said, ‘Why don’t you build a car and come out here and have some fun,’ and I was already going there by myself anyway, so I figured I might as well go have some fun with the boys,” Culver said.
At 43 years old, Culver had no racing experience in any way, shape or form.
“Me and a buddy put a car together and went out and raced in the inaugural year of the modified division in 2008,” Culver said. “I was really the only true rookie out there. The other guys had been racing for years in other classes.”
Culver finished eighth in points as a true rookie and won the season finale. The five subsequent seasons saw him finish third place twice and three times as the championship runner-up.
“When you’re so close to being a champion so many years in a row, that’s kind of what kept me going,” Culver said. “I was only going to do this two or three years just to be able to say that I used to race, but I turned out to be pretty good at it so I stuck with it.”
It all came together for Culver in 2014. He won seven of 13 starts in the Plyler Overhead Door Modified division behind the wheel of his No. 24 Parmenter Excavating Chevrolet to capture his first Lake Erie championship by 63 points over Eric McCray.
Now 50, Culver’s seven wins led all NASCAR Whelen All-American Series competitors in the state of Pennsylvania.
He’s come a long way in a relatively short amount of time.
“I was bound and determined to be No. 1,” Culver said. “I wasn’t going to give up until I got the championship, and it paid off. I’m thrilled to death to finally get there, especially competing against guys that have been racing their whole lives.”
Culver was doubly fortunate to be able to achieve this success at his hometown track. A well-known member of the community, he’s benefited from a great following at Lake Erie on summer Saturday nights.
“A lot of people root for me. We’re good, we’re fast, and people like that,” Culver said. “It’s great racing in front of my family. It’s brought my family together. They used to go camp on the weekends, but now they’re at the track and it’s a family affair.
“We have a party in the pits after every race and we have a big following from the people in the stands that come over to see us after the races. It’s a great time and absolutely fantastic to race in front of my hometown.”
It’s those type of local relationships that have afforded him the opportunity to seek the success he has attained. The manpower behind the championship consisted of crew chief Rick Sornberger, Frank Graham and Rick Wylie, but he has a tremendous haul of associate sponsors that also contributed, including: Erie Hard Chrome, Conn Asphalt & Blacktop Recycling, Sornberger Automotive, LB Water, National Road Utility Supply, Atlantic States Ductal Iron Pipe, The Straw Hat, Eagle Precision, Bob Martin State Farm Insurance, Weaver’s Hillside Homes, Pennsylvania Electric Motor Service and Hill Engineering.
Culver will attempt to defend his Lake Erie title, and also plans to run a few races at fellow Whelen All-American Series track Lake County Speedway in the spring, but he can still take a moment to bask in the glow of his 2014 accomplishments.
“This year was just nothing but a dream,” Culver said. “There’s no way another year will duplicate this year for me, it was just that good of a year. Everybody involved with our race team had a great time and it was just an unforgettable year.”
Culver drove his No. 24 Parmenter Excavating Chevrolet to seven wins in 13 starts this past season. Mark Bell Photography
Sources: Jason Cunningham, NASCAR PR