Wyatt Howard Named Athlete of the Year

Pinnacle High School named Wyatt Howard Male Athlete of the Year on the evening of May 17, 2011. It had nothing to do with his IMCA racing.


Howard is a tremendous athlete in basketball, cross-country and track at Pinnacle High School. 


Outside of the dirt oval track where car #72w thunders, Howard is a tremendous athlete in basketball, cross-country and track at Pinnacle High School.


He ran track and consistently defended his time in the half-mile and mile winning them at every meet.


Howard proved to be a team player by playing an important role in helping the Pinnacle Panthers reach their goals in basketball.


In addition to his athleticism, Howard's grades have him on the Pinnacle High Honor Roll.

Wyatt Howard Racing's Season Opener Cancelled Due to Snow

Wyatt Howard Racing's season began this past weekend in Vernal, Utah. Traveling 112 miles from home to compete at Diamond Mountain Speedway, Wyatt was ready to drive.


Diamond Mountain Speedway is located in Eastern Utah. The track here is banked and shaped like a bowl. The natural clay surface can be slick. It's the track where Wyatt experienced First Place back on September 14, his first of the 2010 season.

Photo by Shawn Stanley

The season opener for Howard challenged the track with late-in-the-season, wet misery as snow flurried. Howard drew the second row inside starting spot for the heat race. 

Photo by Shawn Stanley

Then, just before the IMCA Modified were ready for their heat races, the snow danced harder.

Photo by Shawn Stanley

Diamond Mountain Speedway made the decision to cancel the race. It will continue this Saturday, May 7, 2011 at 11am and be followed by the regular scheduled race at one o'clock.

Wyatt Howard Racing Unveils Zero Fatalities Car

On April 30, 2011 Wyatt Howard climbed through the driver's window and took his seat in car #72 at Vernal, Utah's Diamond Mountain Speedway. It was his first race of the 2011 Season. His car in pristine condition white base with red roof and trim and the billboard for the sponsors who know his talent. The largest logo rests on the side door panels. It's a cause that Wyatt Howard believes in and one his proud to be driving as charity, Zero Fatalities.

While still behind the wheel of his 8HP go-cart, Wyatt's day, driver Harvey Howard, was promoting Utah's Zero Fatalities. Now, together, father and son, along with the Southeastern Utah Health Department and the Utah Department of Highway Safety are sharing the Zero Fatalities campaign with everyone within their scope.

Wyatt Howard unveils his 2011 Zero Fatalities car at Vernal's Diamond Mountain Speedway

Whether spectators are at Wyatt's home track, Desert Thunder Raceway, or another track, the Howard father and son duo can be seen handing out promotions items and sharing the message of Zero Fatalities. The campaign's goal is to alter the public's perception that traffic fatalities are inevitable. By educating the public about minor changes in driving behaviors traffic fatalities can be prevented. 

Ironically, Wyatt Howard isn't old enough yet to have a driver's license. He's behind the wheel of car #72w spreading the message that through proper restraints, exercising attentive driving at all times and staying focused without driving under any influence everyone can decrease the odds, currently at one in 84, projected by the National Safety Council of dying in a car crash.

Wyatt is a talented racer, the youngest ever to finish in the top three in the Western US Region and a driver who in 2010, at the age of fourteen made IMCA history by becoming the youngest driver to win a State Championship. It would be his dad, Harvey Howard, who forfeited the title to Wyatt!

Both Harvey and Wyatt were nominated by the Utah Highway Safety Office in 2010 for the Zero Fatalities Award. On October 18, 2010 Georgina Nowak presented both Harvey and Wyatt Howard with the Zero Fatalities Award at a safety meeting at Bucyrus International in Huntington, Utah.

 April 30,  2011 marks the fifth year the Howard car #72 has driven for Zero Fatalities. 

Meet Wyatt Howard--IMCA's Youngest State Champion

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.

Wyatt Howard Added to the 2011 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational

VINTON, Iowa – Six more IMCA Modified drivers are candidates for the 2011 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational.

Jordan Grabouski swept Beatrice Speedway’s Spring Nationals and Tyler Iverson topped the main event at WaKeeney Speedway’s Spring Fling.

Frostbuster feature winners were Jon Snyder at Boone Speedway and Dan Ratajczak at Benton County Speedway.

Scotty Brown and Matt Martin were $1,000 winners in weekly shows at Boyd Raceway and Kennedale Speedway Park, respectively.

Already on the ballot was Richie Gustin, winner of the Frostbuster at Marshalltown Speedway.

Weather permitting, qualifiers from as many as 18 specials, special series and $1,000 to win weekly shows will become vote eligible for the 2011 All-Star race, to be held Sept. 9 during the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals.

Voting will be conducted on the IMCA website, where voters can cast a ballot once a day for their 10 favorite drivers, from June 1 through the end of July.

The eight-eight drivers on the ballot, listed by region, also include:

ButlerBuilt Western Region – Terry Belcher Jr., Cody Burke, Ryan Cotrell, Zane DeVilbiss, Larry Hood, Wyatt Howard, Danny Lauer, Travis Metz, Shawn Natenstedt, Jason Noll, Travis Peery, Brad Pounds, Cory Sample, Porter Smith, Roy Spielman, Alex Stanford, Nick Sylvester, Tim Ward, D.J. Wood and Justen Yeager.

ButlerBuilt South Central Region – Tim Clonch, Sam Cox, J.P. Dowell, Chris Elliott, Roy Don Mason, Kevin Sustaire, Keith White and Paul White.

ButlerBuilt Central Region – Drew Armstrong, Eddie Belec, Kyle Berck, Will Brack, Joe Cleveland, Brendon Gemmill, Steven Glenn, Corey Lagroon, David Murray Jr., Terry Phillips, Brandon Smith, Dylan Smith, Ken Sweet, Jeff Taylor, Dominic Ursetta, Shawn Walsh, Andy Wilkinson and Bob Zoubek.

ButlerBuilt North Central Region – Chris Abelson, Brandon Beckendorf, Hank Berry, Joren Boyce, Jim Cole, Jason Czarapata, Tim Czarneski, Darin Duffy, Josh Foster, Eugene Gregorich, Jimmy Gustin, Mike Hagen, Clint Hatlestad, Scott Hogan, Vern Jackson, Shawn Kilgore, Les McLenehan, Jeremy Mills, Brian Mullen, Mark Noble, Jay Noteboom, Chris Rakness, Kody Scholpp, Shawn Strand, Aaron Turnbull, Tyson Turnbull, Jacob Waterman and Jeff Waterman.

ButlerBuilt Eastern Region – Scott Bennett, Joshua Borton, Eddie Brannon, Kevan Cook, J.J. Courcy, Chris Fleming and Chad Wernette.

Originally posted on IMCA.com

Wyatt Howard Races IMCA Duel in the Desert

LAS VEGAS, NV. (November 13, 2010)- 2010 IMCA Modified Utah State Champion, Wyatt Howard of Price, Utah entered the 13th annual IMCA Duel in the Desert at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada for the first time in. The rookie raced well as he competed against 231 other IMCA Modified drivers and was the best Utah driver all weekend. 


Howard started the weekend off by winning his heat race, which was his first ever race on the half mile famous speed-plant. Howard made the A-Main Qualifying Feature which the top-four finishers in that race made the $7,777 to win main event for Saturday.


Howard started third but fell to eighteenth due to the over aggressive driving by the other drivers. Howard was seen racing against IMCA's best in that feature. Howard did the same for Friday as he won his B-Feature, making another qualifying feature. Howard raced to a twenty-first finish after starting near the rear of the field. 


Howard had to race the likes of “The Animal” Jeff Taylor and 2009 IMCA Supernationals winner, Randy Havlik. Howard then had to run in the Last Chance Qualifier on Saturday (Winner advances to main event), Wyatt finished only a few spots off of making the feature.


All in all, Howard had a really good weekend and will be a force to reckon with in 2011.


Originally posted TeamJetLiftRacing.com

Wyatt Howard Announced as Freshman IMCA Modified Winner

LINCOLN, Neb. – A final group of four rookie drivers each received $100 gift cards from Speedway Motors after earning career first feature wins during the 2010 season.

Freshman IMCA Modified winners were Christopher Crompe, at Ventura Raceway and Wyatt Howard at Diamond Mountain Speedway.

Christopher Wiltse recorded his first IMCA Sunoco Stock Car victory at Independence Motor Speedway and Cory Kyle won his first Mach-1 Sport Compact feature at Shelby County Speedway.

“More than 90 drivers who met all the rookie eligibility requirements won feature races this season,” noted IMCA Marketing Director Kevin Yoder. “I anticipate that this program with Speedway Motors will be equally successful and as popular with our drivers next season.”

Post originally posted at IMCA.com

Wyatt Howard at Diamond Mountain Speedway

VERNAL, UTAH (June 19, 2010) - Wyatt Howard of Price, Utah traveled to the Diamond Mountain Speedway in Vernal, Utah, the day after he spent his Friday at the Fairgrounds Speedway in Cortez, Colorado, over 400 miles away.

Howard did not do well in his heat race but by the feature, he was seen starting in the twelfth spot and found himself battling for the win with a couple laps left. While working on the leader, the car had a terrible “push” and ended up falling back to finish fourth after being passed by track points leader Don Hardinger of Vernal and Levi Pummell of Vernal.

Howard will now get set to do battle at the Battle Mountain Raceway in Battle Mountain, Nevada when the Wild West Modified Tour rolls into Nevada.


Post originally from Big West Racing

Wyatt Howard Takes Third at Diamond Mountain Speedway

VERNAL, UTAH (May 1, 2010)- Wyatt Howard of Price, Utah entered his first race of the 2010 season and also his first race in an IMCA Modified. Howard cut his teeth at the Desert Thunder Go-Kart ranks a few years ago, now he is piloting the #72W IMCA Modified. The car that his father drove for the last couple of years. Howard was seen lined up in the eighth position in his heat race. Howard crossed the finish line in the third spot. Howard then finished in the third position in the feature also after the races getting snowed out. Howard then will travel to the Desert Thunder Raceway in Price, Utah for the season opener at Price.


Originally posted TeamJetLiftRacing.com