Kodie Conner – “If you have a dream, follow it…”
Michelle Hoskin, December 18th, 2014
@Fluent_in_14
Here at Racegear.com we love promoting young drivers and watching their progress throughout the years and grow into seasoned vets. One such young driver that we are focusing on this week is Kodie Conner, a budding young 13 year old, who started racing Quarter Midgets at the tender age of 4 ½ years old. At 4 ½ years old, most kids are playing with their toys, learning their colors and numbers, and enjoying Nursery School activities; Not our future NASCAR drivers! They are racing with other kids their age with the same dreams – WINNING.
A ‘young’ Kodie
How many 13 year olds can boast that, “When I was just 5 years old my dream was to win races and now I have 145 wins! When I started in the Late Models I wanted to win, I ended up winning 5 out of the 10 races I raced in the Pro Late and had the most wins out of anyone in the whole PASS Series!”?
Kodie isn’t one to boast or brag, but I think he deserves the right to feel very accomplished, no matter his age. When asked about his racing career thus far, Kodie commented that “I raced them until I was 8 years old, then I moved up to a Bandolero and I raced them from the ages of 8 – 12 and once I turned 12, I decided it was time to move up to Late Model Stock Cars…I have been racing for 9 years and I have 145 wins and 12 championships!”.
Kodie and his #45 car
Like most young aspiring racers, racing is in their blood. Kodie stated that “My Father, Grandfather, and Uncle all raced. They raced at Wall Stadium and in Flemington. Kodie grew up and lives in the NASCAR dream city of Kannapolis North Carolina…the city known for the Earnhardt’s and Stewart-Haas racing, among countless other racing shops.
We posed a few questions to Kodie which he happily answered for us:
Your favorite NASCAR driver/drivers? “My most favorite driver is Jeff Gordon, never met him yet. My second favorite is Tony Stewart and I actually met him on 12-13-14 at PRI! My third Favorite driver is Travis Kvapil, I talk to him at least once a week, I driver coach his son Carson Kvapil in the Bandolero division!” I LOVE the fact that a 13 year old coaches another aspiring driver, but should I be surprised? No, considering this 13 year is already way beyond his given age.
I heard you went to the PRI show in Indianapolis this year…: “This past PRI show was my very first one! I enjoyed it, I got to meet a lot of good people and a few NASCAR and Modified drivers!”
Kodie and Dennis Michelson, RTR – PRI 2014
Your favorite track? “I honestly don’t have a favorite track, I love them all! If I would have to say, it would be Myrtle Beach Speedway!”
Do you get to go to many NASCAR races? “I don’t really have time to go to NASCAR races due to working on the car, it’s only dad and I working on the car.”
What types of races/cars do you race in? “I currently only drive a Pro Late Model in the PASS South Series, (Pro All-Star Series). When we have a few extra bucks I like to run the Super Late Model.”
Favorite food? “My favorite food is pasta, especially when my mom makes it, that’s the best!” – LOVE the shout out to Mom ☺
Favorite win so far? “The memory I feel has been one of the greatest is my first full-size car win!”
Favorite music to listen to? “I listen to any kind of music, it depends on the occasion.”
If you could race against ANY racer, who would it be and why? “I honestly wouldn’t care who I would want to race against because every driver knows something different that I could learn from, if I could I would race against any of the NASCAR drivers!” – Does this sound like a reply from a 13 year old?? Not in my book, GREAT answer buddy!
School: “I am in the 8th grade. My favorite subject is math.”
Favorite all-time movie? “My favorite movie is Days of Thunder!”
Money or Fame? “ I wouldn’t say I’m in the racing business for money or fame. I’m in racing because that’s what I love to do and I want to do it for the rest of my life!” – Again…this kind of comment out of a 13 year old? LOVE it!
Have you been in any wrecks and does this scare you? “I have been in many wrecks, some wrecks I have been sent to the hospital and some wrecks we got the car ready for the race. All wrecks, they’re scary no matter what because you don’t know if that will be your last breath or not.” – Pretty in-depth thought for a 13 year old!
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? “In 10 years I see myself in NASCAR.” – We do too Kodie!
Fans? “I think very highly of my fans, I love them all and I can’t thank them enough for staying with me through my career so far!”
Family? “My Brother is Zak, my Mom is Lis, my Dad is Shannon, my Grandpa is Jerry, my Uncle is Pride, my Aunt is Beth, my one Cousin is Carsin, my other Cousin is Maddie, my third Cousin is Dakota, and they’re all Conner’s. My one Aunt is Deb Packard, my one Uncle is Norman Packard and my Great Grandmother is Anna Packard.” – LOVE the shout-outs!
How many races per season? “Usually in the Pro Late Model there are 10-13 races per season.”
Your moto? “I would tell kids, if you have a dream follow it!”
Would you like to thank anyone while we have you here? “I would like to thank, Jerry Conner Ins. Three-way Plumbing, CRC automotive, Perfect Fuel, The drive shaft shop, Aircom Audio, Race Day Motorsports, Miller Welders, Scott Fillmore, and Jeff Fultz Racing for everything they do for me and for a great 2014 season!” – and ANYONE else he may have forgotten!
From his website, KodieConnerRacing.com: To get a jump on the 2015 season the team has acquired a Super Late Model from Daniel Hemric and Hoyt Demis, and Conner will make his debut at Hickory Motor Speedway by doing double duty in both the Super and Pro Late Model. “I cannot be more thankful to my car owner, and grandfather Jerry Conner for believing in me and making this happen.” said Kodie Conner.
Please visit Kodie on his website, www.KodieConnerRacing.com
Become a fan and like Kodie Conner Racing on Facebook
Follow Kodie on Twitter, @KodieConner
