Some fourteen year old boys play video games, tease girls or dodge the question of school, only one has made IMCA history as the youngest driver ever to win a State Championship, Wyatt Howard. It happened in 2010, his Rookie Year.
Based out of Price, Utah, Wyatt Howard calls Desert Thunder Raceway home. He starts the 2011 as a fifteen year old teenager, without a driver's license. He's a second generation IMCA Modified driver. In fact, Wyatt took the title of Utah State Champion from his father, Harvey Howard (Utah State Champion 2009)!
Howard's racing started at the age of seven when he raced 8HP go-karts. Between age seven and age twelve, Wyatt competed in 22 races and won three championships.
Now, Howard races in the IMCA modified class in car #72w. It's a full time job, "I'm either building engines for myself or others or I'm working on the race car or my dad's race track all the time." All that work is a small sacrifice for what keeps Wyatt coming back to the track, "I love the adrenalin and going fast in the car and having fun with my family."
Outside of racing, Wyatt plays basketball for his school team, is an outdoor enthusiast and is currently maintaining three years on the school Honor Roll.
Racing is his focus. He has a strong career plan and says the one thing racing has taught him about life is "Neither are spectator sports if you want to win."
With the 2010 season behind him, racing under his belt, Howard is a driver the "new" drivers will be looking up to for advice and inspiration, much like his own heroes, Dale Earnhardt and his father, Harvey Howard. When Wyatt was asked what advice he would give a rookie, he was matter of fact, and wise beyond his years, "Everything matters on and off the track."
It's not just Earnhardt and Dad that are Wyatt's heroes, "Every driver that I have ever met inspired me in one way or another; Some for the things to do things and some for the not to do things."
Traveling to 37 races between Utah, Nevada, Colorado, Wyoming and Idaho in his first season, Wyatt Howard discovered his passion. He set out his short term ambition, "to keep my title as State Champion" and laid out a career path for his long-term ambition, five years from now Howard sees himself "driving for a Nascar team."
The furthest track Wyatt has traveled to compete was Battle Mountain, Nevada. There's two tracks he has his heart on racing Aztec, New Mexico and Boone, Iowa.
Wyatt Howard also drives for a cause, Zero Fatalities. Wyatt's #72 car promotes safe driving with decals on the car that state Zero Fatalities. He reminds race fans to take their driving seriously.
So whose behind the mechanics of this winning driver and his car? "My father makes me do as much or more on the car as anyone else, but my grandfather and Uncle Tuffy do a bunch as well."
While social media is in the works for Wyatt, updates and information can be found through Team Jet Lift on Facebook or the Team Jet Lift Driver Wyatt Howard website.
Bea's Gift Baskets and Gifts announced on Monday, March 28 their sponsorship of Wyatt Howard Racing. Bea's joins other sponsors Zero Fatalities, Savage Services and Bucyrus for the 2011 season.
With one season under his hood, Wyatt doesn't hold a lot of titles, however, the ones he has won are impressive:
- 2010 Utah State Champion
- Rookie of the Year at TWO tracks (Desert Thunder Raceway and Diamond Mountain Speedway)
- Fifth place in points over all at Desert Thunder Raceway
- Third in points overall at Diamond Mountain Speedway
- Three Go-Kart Championships
On January 4, 2011, Wyatt Howard did a podcast with Dirt Cast. Take a moment to hear the amazing story of IMCA's Youngest Ever State Champion from his own perspective.
