Walls Ford Off-season driver
You Asked, We Answered
Segment #1 "Radical" Ricky Bly
It's now time for our very first segment of the Wall’s Ford Off-Season Driver. This week's Off-Season Driver features a three time Claremont Motorsports Park Champion. Everyone knows him as “Radical”. Ricky Bly has over 100 wins in his 22 year career in stock car racing. He has won three Championships, with the first one coming in 2017, then following up in 2018 in the 103 Heads-Up Late Model Sportsman division. Bly ran away in 2022, winning 13 races this season at Claremont Motorsports Park, and cleaning up the 2022 Late Model Sportsman Championship for the third time in his career.
Kasen Hodgdon sat down with Ricky Bly over the New Year’s weekend to do a little Q&A about his racing career, and what he thinks his 2023 plans are.
KH: Where was your first feature win?
RB: Claremont Motorsports Park.
KH: When did you start racing and where were you?
RB: I started at Claremont Speedway in 2000.
KH: So every great race car driver has his or her own nickname, who came up with ''Radical?”
RB: George Powers, long-time Claremont Motorsports Park and Canaan Speedway announcer.
KH: What was your first race car?
RB: A VW Scirocco.
KH: What are your plans for 2023, are you planning on staying at Claremont or going to head a different route?
RB: We are going to go American Canadian Tour racing this summer.
The American Canadian Tour is the number one top Late Model touring division in New England. It has seen some of the best drivers from all over, and the three time CMP champ is ready to test the waters and try for his first ACT victory in 2023.
The 41 year old driver has won in a ACT type tour Late Model at both Claremont and Canaan when the tracks ran the same rules.
Thanks to Walls Ford for being our very first sponsor of the 2023 season and sponsoring the winters Off-Season Driver!!!
Segment #2 Ryan Kuhn
We are back with Segment #2 of the Wall’s Ford Off-Season Driver.
Today we have the 2018 Seekonk Speedway Late Model champion and the 2022 (PASS) Pro All Star Series Super Late Model Champion. The driver of the Everett's Auto Parts 72, Ryan Kuhn. We got to sit down and interview Ryan over the phone this past week, and got some pretty cool information from the young driver out of the state of Massachusetts.
KH - When did you start racing and where?
RK - 2011 in Champ Karts at 106 Raceway Park
KH - When and where was your first race win?
RH - 2011 at Woodstock Fair in the Jr. Sportsman Champ class
KH - How many championships do you have?
RK - 6 Championships
KH- What was your first race car?
RK - First actual race car was a Legend Car
KH - What is your favorite race track?
RK- New Hampshire Motor Speedway
KH - How many wins do you have in total?
RK - Around 50 give or take
KH - Every great race car driver has his or her own nickname, who came up with “The Rocket”?
RK - Someone from the Seekonk Speedway community.
KH - Who is your favorite driver of all time?
RK - Ryan Preece, Ross Chastain, and Kyle Larson
KH - Do you have a favorite race of all time?
RK - Oxford 250 or Snowball Derby
KH - What are your plans for the 2023 season?
RK - As of right now there are no solid plans for 2023. Going to try and do a little bit of everything.
The driver wasn't planning on a full season in 2022 then went on to win the 2022 Pro All Star Series Super Late Model Championship. “We are going to run a select schedule with both PASS and ACT but that’s all we have figured out so far.”
Twenty-one year old Kuhn has had a very successful short racing career. He has raced to six championships between Go Karts and full size cars. The Massachusetts native is a former American Canadian Tour rookie of the year; he is also a Seekonk Speedway and Pro All Star Series Champion.
Thanks to Walls Ford for making these Off-Season Spotlights happen!
Segment #3 Logan Powers
We are ready for our week #3 Walls Ford off-Season Driver. Logan Powers has cruised up the racing ladder and is just coming off one of his most memorable wins in his career. Powers was the 2022 Thunder Road Flying Tiger Mini Milk Bowl Champion. Kasen got to talk with Logan about his passion for racing and what level he hopes to be at in the next three seasons.
KH - When did you start racing and where?
LG - I started racing in 2016 for a couple races at Speedway 51 (which is now known as Riverside Speedway) and the Milk Bowl at Thunder Road. 2017 was my first full time year in a Street Stock at Thunder Road.
KH - When and where was your first race win?
LP - 2017 I captured 2 wins in my first season.
KH - What was your first race car?
LP - A 1997 Chevy Cavalier
KH - What is your favorite race track?
LP - I really enjoyed WMMP but I love Thunder Road
KH - How many wins do you have in total?
LP - I have 5 total wins. Three in the Street Stocks and two in the Tigers
KH - Who is your favorite driver of all time?
LP - I am biased about a favorite driver. I watched my dad Shawn Fleury wheel around Thunder Road all my life, so he easily is my favorite.
KH - Who inspired you to race?
LP - My Dad Shawn Fleury because he's my hero and the reason why I started racing.
KH - Where do you see yourself in the next three years?
LP - In three years I'm not really sure where I'll be in racing. I've always loved the Tiger division. Late Models are fun but the tigers are some of the best racing and somewhat affordable divisions. Either way my goal is obviously a championship and I hope to gain more wins and consistency in my future.
The 23 year old driver is currently running in the Lenny's Shoe & Apparel Flying Tiger division at the “Nation’s Site of Excitement” Thunder Road. He is planning on racing in the division full time once again at Thunder Road and possibly racing the Flying Tiger Triple Crown events at White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, New Hampshire in 2023.
We want to thank our Off-Season Driver sponsor Walls Ford for bringing you all these off-season reports.