Stafford Speedway Late Model driver Ryan Fearn is ready to attack to the 2021 season at the historic half-mile oval with a new outlook behind the wheel each week.
Fearn started 13 of 14 Late Model events the track in 2020, ending the season ninth in the standings with two victories and seven top-five finishes.
It was a victory in the season ending Late Model event at Stafford in 2020 that left him digging into how he approached each week on the track.
“I lack confidence out there behind the wheel,” Fearn said during a recent episode of the Unmuffled podcast. “I’m always thinking about ‘How am I going to get around this guy right now right now and things like that.’ Like thinking a million miles too far ahead. My brain is in another time zone as to compared to where I actually am. Especially the last race of last season, I started like last or something. I’m just sitting there like ‘Whatever, I’m probably not going to win this race.’ And it put my mind in the same time zone if you will. I had the confidence that I could just go out there and run the car, like I didn’t have push myself too far. I kind of wish I could put it into better words.
“Basically I’m hoping to take that similar mindset where I don’t really look at winning at all until the checkered flag falls. If I’m there I’m there. It’s really going to come down to looking at it more like the entire season is a race if I were to go for a championship instead of just trying to go for a win every single week. Just go out there and get good finishes every single week and try to actually put an entire season together. I think 2021 would be a good year for that.”
Fearn also announced that the Fearn Motorsports stable at Stafford will carry a new partnership for the 2021 season. The Fearn Motorsports team also includes Ryan Fearn’s cousin, fellow Late Model competitor Tom Fearn, and his sister, Limited Late Model driver Alexandra Fearn.
“For all three of the cars, myself, Tom and my sister Alexandra, we’ve got Schaeffer’s [Specialized Lubricants] partnering with us. We were talking to Ron Hunley, one of the sales representatives, my dad specifically was talking to him. He met up with him a few times. … Invited him down to the shop and showed him the operation. He wanted to come on board with us with Shaeffer’s oils. A little bit of a product sponsorship there helping us out with the oil budget for the year in our motors. He’s going to be working with Donnie Wood from R.A.D. Auto Machine as well to do a little research and development with this oil. If it ends up being super great hopefully all of our competitors will get on the oil plan too and everybody will have a little bit more horsepower under the hood. Right now it’s looking super promising based on other people that have run it before and what we’ve been seeing so far.”
To listen to plenty more from Ryan Fearn on all sorts of topics, listen to Unmuffled Episode 83.
Kudos for just being out there, but you need to approach the season like you want to win every race. Never look ahead and race in the moment. Similar how a football team plays one game at a time.
More slippery oil. How novel!
Maybe because the car is yellow and it’s really easy to pick out. Or maybe it’s the swashbuckling daring do approach to races. Whatever the reason Ryan is a must watch on race night. One of the most entertaining elements on race night in my view.
It’s a yearly thing now. Where’s Ryan’s head at. Introspective mental gymnastics and torture session. Hoping to find some means of celestial navigation that will allow him to become one with the racing cosmos and find the uncluttered focus it would afford.
Moms a nurse is she. Ask her what some of the worst things she’s had to deal with on the job and navigating times zones in your celestial navigation may drop down on the priority list.
What you should be most concerned about is treating all those skin abrasions you should have from pinching yourself. Grateful to be one of the very few in a cocoon of knowledge. familial affection with all the resources to know you can win any race you’re in.
What’s really going on here. Is it anguilt thing for not meeting unrealistic expectations attached to the Fearn name? Competition within the clan to do well. Why would you be analyzing a race from a macro standpoint when you’re racing it and need to be more fixated on your line and strengths and weaknesses of the people around you you’re passing or may be passing you?
How about a different approach to spotting. One that’s more firm. “I know what you’re thinking Ryan and don’t you dare. Don’t do it, don’t do it, I’m telling you low on the front straight and a dive bomb into one is not going to end well. Patience grasshopper”.
Just joshing. Good luck in 2021.