January 20, 2022 • 40 mins
This week the guys sit down with 2022 Chili Bowl winner Tanner Thorson. Thorson was the 22nd driver to win the acclaimed "Golden Driller" out of a field of 381. Enjoy reliving the week of exciting action from Tulsa Oklahoma.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Skinny with Riego and Kenna is a production of
I Heart Radio. I'm Tanna Thorson and this is a
skinny from the bath Heads I Wear Studios in Speedway, Indiana.
This is the Skinny brought to you by Toyota, Rhino Classified,
General Tire and Dream Giveaway. This segment of the Skinny
(00:23):
is brought to you by Toyota. Welcome to the Skinny.
We have a very special guest that will join us
here today. Can stout Rico Elmore back on the set.
Welcome back, my friend. I know you had a busy
week at the Chili Bowl. I did it was it
was highly intoxicating. I mean it was unbelievable infectious if
(00:44):
you will so. Uh. The guests that we will have
on here today is an extremely talented race car driver
and has been proving that for a number of years.
If you're in the open wheel ranks meaning sprint cars
midget you certainly are very familiar with his name, but
he might be one of the most successful driver you've
never heard of. If you're not in those rinks. His
name's TANNERD. Thorson originally had of Nevada, but now in
(01:05):
the Oklahoma area. Driving for rhin Bold Underwood Motorsports this
past week and a spike with a Stanton and put
that stanting on top of the box and that beautiful
golden drillers sitting right alongside. For thirty six years they've
been competing at the Chili Bowl, and he became the
twenty second different winner at the Chili Bowl. It is
not an easy task by any stretch of the imagination.
(01:28):
And Tanner Man, oh man, you've been close. You've been
close a number of times and certainly had what it
what everything that you needed I think to win it,
but just couldn't couldn't get there. And you were a
proof to the point of how difficult it is to
win that race. Yeah, definitely, Man, thanks thanks for having
me on first of all, And um, yeah it was.
(01:50):
It was difficult over the years. Um, I've had great
cars and good owners over the years, and but nothing
tops this year. UM. Car Wise, car owner team, UM,
everybody affiliated with with my race car, UM is why
it was possible. So um it was a good year.
(02:12):
Um last year was my best year of trying right,
ran third, and um I knew we had more in
the tank just kind of using my race car up
at the start in the middle of last year's race,
and um, I just knew I needed to be up
front and start this one. Yeah, you know you talked
about last year. I would even go back to two
thousand seventeen, two thousand eighteen. Both of those years you
(02:35):
came from the soup man. You came from the sea
to finish fourth, extremely impressive run. And then as you
talked about, uh, last year one actually two thousand fifteen
and two thousand twenty one you came out of the
be finished fourth and two thousand fifteen, and then as
you talked about finished third in two thousand one behind
Justin Grant, behind Kyle Larson, And you're watching those guys,
(02:57):
what's going through your brain? I mean, are you thinking,
like what does it take to finally beat these guys? Yeah, Um,
you know I've beat Larson beat Grant before and in
years passed, and um, you know, racing outdoors, and UM,
I knew they were gonna have both have really good cars,
and I'm just based off their prelum nights and it
was just a matter of kind of being there at
(03:18):
the end. Um I knew before, like right before I
got behind them that my car was kind of used up,
just based off tires and and I could feel that
my my tires were getting you know, lower on air
under those last few yellows, and um, it was just
a matter of having the car. I I was the
only way I was going to really capitalize. Last year
(03:39):
was based off of them to wrecking each other, and
it came pretty damn close. So um, and I almost
obviously got in the wreck as well. But um, my
car was just used up last year was bent from
my prelumn night when I flipped in the heat race,
and um, I was just kind of going going off
of ride heights and not really blocks, you know, to
(04:00):
set it up. So it was it was beat up
and um, but we made the best of it. Yeah, unbelievable.
I stopped by your pit on the way out. I
was I was beat up myself by then, so I
had to I had to exit keep up and keep
up anymore. So But but now, man, congratulations. I mean,
(04:24):
we've been doing this a long time. And of course,
you know Stout was part of the original you know
HBO pay per view what ten years ago? Is that
what we did ye two thousand and eight, and uh,
you know, We've been going there a long time. We've
watched a lot of people run through that place and
(04:45):
get ran over by that place literally, and for you
to you to be able to pull it off, I
mean it was, it was. It was awesome to see
because I listen friends with a lot of the guys
out there, you know, Larrence and Bell, I mean great,
I mean all those guys, known them all for a
long time. But it was fun to see somebody else
(05:07):
put it together. And it was. It was one of
those things where, uh, you know, Monday night, you don't
have any idea who's gonna be where, and uh so
we we I mean I would like, I guess I'd
like to see the odds, you know, the Vegas odds,
what that would look like, because I bet there's some
(05:28):
dark horses there that that come through that you just
don't even think would be there. Yeah. And and actually
on Monday night, I was doing my prep work Monday Tuesday,
you know, we're listening to Flow and watching all the races,
and as I was doing my stats on you, I
looked at that. I was like, man, he's doing like
he's you were my pick on Monday night. If I
had to pick a driver on Monday night. You were
(05:50):
my pick, and and the next one was going to
be justin Grant. I just figured you would do I
mean and looking at at what you had done and
run through the soup, and I mean, three time National
Midget Driver of the Year, you know, two th sixty
youth Sacon National Midget Champion. I mean, you're a dude
that that not only can you get it done, but
you've proven that that you've been doing it for many,
many years. So it's not by having chance, you know.
(06:12):
And then I thought it was super cool what Rico
said after the end of the race. They were interviewing
Rico and he said, it's really cool that Tanner Thorsen
won this thing because he's not just a driver. He's
the guy that owns a team. He's a guy that
that works on the race car, builds the race car,
drives the race car. I mean he he takes care
of everything. So it's really cool to see somebody that's
(06:34):
hands on come out here and secure the deal. Yeah.
I wish I owned the team, but I well, I
know this team. You don't, but but you know what
he you know what he means. Yeah, so you know UM,
I grew up with Rico racing, UM go cards with them,
and then you know, his dad actually picked me up
(06:56):
to run their outlaw car program and UM won multiple
championships and won every race under the moon, UM as
far as outlaw carts on the West Coast, and UM,
you know, David is like another father to me. Um.
You know, I talked to him multiple times a week,
and UM, you know, there's that those two guys are
(07:17):
like family. You know, it's a brother father figure to me.
So UM to hear that from Rico, to be able
to race against Rico head to head, it's it's awesome,
you know. And UM, you know, he he gets it,
he understands, and I think he was a little more
happy for me because of that. Obviously it just are
(07:38):
relationship over the years. So UM, it's a it's pretty awesome.
It's hard. It's hard to kind of speak on it,
just because I still haven't let this really I mean
I have, I've been trying, but it's it's still unbelievable.
I don't even know if this sucker is real or not,
you know, So it's yeah, it's it's just pretty awesome
(07:59):
to hear that, you know, Keith also came up, Bell
and just everybody that you know had such a strong
impact over you know, the last well since two thousand,
two thousand, probably ten for me through Rico and David,
but after that, you know, Keith and Bell and you
know even Larsen. Just racing with them and learning so
much from them, it's pretty awesome for to hear what
(08:21):
they've said to me and about me. So a quick
question you because you said you could feel the tire
getting soft a little bit later in the race. And
I don't know if that you were referring to this year,
if you were referring to twenty one, But what happens here?
What's the dynamics that that the pressure would be going
low later on in a race like that? Um So,
(08:42):
I was kind of referring to one, um, but even
this year you could I could kind of feel it.
Um you know, two down twenty one. I just ran
the tire so hard and with sliding guys left and right,
and um coming from the back up to the front.
I used to put a lot of wear and tear
on your tire and and kind of make it, you know,
like gum so and just kind of gooey and and
doesn't really get traction like it would before. And uh,
(09:05):
you know I started feeling that a little bit um
at the end of this year, just based off the
line I was running in three and four and kind
of sliding myself and trying to get to the grip.
But um, yeah, just changes your kind of feel the
race car. And um, you know, with my shock package
and with factory Kane shocks and now you know these
new torsion arms that I have on from Stevie Smith
(09:28):
new tie torsion arms. Um, I have a lot of
fuel in my race car. And and I don't know
if it's just me kind of learning from learning about
my race car and knowing about my race car or whatnot,
but I sure know like shocks and you know, rear
torsion arms and and even my front springs with Draco
the Purple Spring Company. Um, I have a lot of
(09:50):
feel in my race car. So I can you know,
kind of tell when something's going away or getting better.
So um, just kind of gotta change of driving style
up a little bit. And um, you know, as those
tire pressures were going down, you know, you try to
keep them warmed up to keep air and them, but
you don't want to warm up too much under the
yellow because you don't want them to, you know, get
(10:11):
gummy again. So it's kind of just a it's kind
of a weird, weird sensation, right, It's just just a
different deal that you kind of have to take your
best judgment on and go for it. Um, talk to
me about the dampers on that thing, the shocks on
that thing? Is that something? Do you revalve those yourself?
I'm clearly you have a shock Dinah, You're gonna make
(10:32):
sure everything matches. But if you get to a place
like that and you're not happy with it. I know
you have a lot of experience there at the Chili Bowl,
so you probably show up with those things right in
the window. But is it something that do you ever
take those things apart and reb abum when you're at
an event? I don't. Um. You know, Willie Kane with
Factor Kane, shocks and and Colcane, They've got me set
(10:53):
up pretty pretty good. Um. You know, if I don't
like a shock, I got a couple in the trailer
that I can switch to two to go back the
baseline to make sure it's not the shocks make sure
it's a car or vice versas. So um, yeah, we've
definitely had times, you know, throughout the year where I
send shocks back next day, m up to Washington and
um and they the next day right back just to
(11:15):
keep me, you know, satisfied with with what we got going.
So um, you know, Willie Kane and Cole there probably
the two biggest supporters of my race car and my team. Um,
you know, they want nothing but the best for me,
and um, they go above and beyond with anything dumb
(11:36):
or stupid. I want to try if they think it's dumb. Um,
just just so I have a feel that I want
so UM, I don't necessarily take them apart. I'd have
changed shafts and and bodies on them before in the
nick of time, just because we don't have time to
next day and back forth. But um, you know, Willie
(11:57):
is so smart with the shock game, and I know
what I want to feel, and um, I got my
numbers and he's got his numbers, and you know, we
just we got a good game plan around it. Great
experience for sure. Hey, we're gonna take a quick break here.
We have the Chili Bowl Nationals winner with us here
today on the Skinny Tanner Thorson stick whin the school
be right back just a moment. This segment of the
(12:19):
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country in we got you at Rhino dot Co. Once again,
Welcome back to the skinny. We have Tanner Thorson with
(13:22):
us here today, of course, fresh off of his win
and Tulsa, Oklahoma at the thirty six running of the
Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget National. Is an incredible run here, Hey, man,
I gotta take you into this race. So you do
a great job. You follow you keep up with Bell.
Of course Bell started off on the pole. You had
a great run. I guess we should back up a
little bit more. A great run in your heat race,
(13:43):
first heat race of the week for you, and every
driver that I heard said that's the most difficult race
of the week. You go from ninth the second and
then six to third in your qualifiers. So a beautiful job.
They're on your pre limb night. Set you up great.
Do a great job on the poll shuffle as well.
Take your way forward on that with the exception of Bell,
(14:04):
and start there on the front row, so you keep
up with him, following him through traffic. He's not getting away,
and finally you get your opportunity to get in front
of him. Man, talk to me about it. Yeah, it
was pretty crazy, um. Start of the race. I that
pull shelfle I wanted to start on the bottom of
the racetrack, just based off of the year's pass and
(14:24):
how much they worked the race track. And um, so
I was gonna go after Bell or let Rico go
by and try to be third, and um I looked
up at the board and and saw Rico was back
there right with Grant, And I knew if I let
Rico by and Grant go by me, then I'd be
sitting there second row outside and even a worse spot.
(14:45):
So kind of went after Bell and UM started from there,
and I was able to kind of, you know, slide
Bell on that pull shuffle, so I kind of knew
where we kind of stood off, and UM started that race.
I went from the outside and dove in right behind
him and followed him for quite some time. He pulled
away from me at the start, and I was having
(15:06):
a hard time, not hard time, but I was having
some difficulty keeping my front end on the ground. And
um that was just due to how much grip there
was and how much how much drive my car had.
UM so I knew I was set up pretty good
for the end of that race because Bell was able
to just really yank away from me, and I was
trying my hardest to stay with them, but I didn't
(15:28):
want to wear my stuff out as well, So UM,
you know, we raced and I kept showing my nose
once he got the lop traffic and trying to get
him to kind of either go to the top or
try something and keep pressure on him so he knew
I was there, and UM, you know, we got a yellow,
and then finally he went up to the top, and UM,
I followed him and was able to stay right with
him when we got the lot traffic again. UM, got
(15:52):
a lot of traffic again, and he yanked away from
He got through them guys really easily, and UM yanked
away and I think he had about a straight away
on me, and UM, I finally got by them guys,
and I ran them back down really quick, and then
a yellow came out. So UM that yellow came out.
Buddy threw a slider on me on the restart, and
(16:15):
I knew it was time to get going then, because
you definitely don't want to be under fire from a
Keith Skon's car. You're right, I mean, they got the best,
probably the most stout team out there, from the first
driver the last driver, and UM, as soon as that happened,
I knew I had to get going, and I was
able to run a line after I crossed Buddy over
that I happened to be looking at when I was
(16:37):
rolling around there under yellow. UM, but Buddy actually forced
me to run it, and that was the the race
winner right there. That was that was the line that
one won me the race. So UM was able to
kind of run the slider line three and four caught
on bell and then the next lap I did it
again and um, I was able to just drive away. Yeah,
(16:58):
it's uh, pretty amazing to watch. But you know, one
of the things that I wanted to tell you that
you know, in all the years that that, of course
we've been going, there's been success by many different uh
you know, many different engine builders. But to watch Stanton
get back there, it was it was pretty unbelievable because
(17:19):
you know what, there's probably nobody that works much harder
than those guys in the gig and uh, you know,
Eric's at the track supporting these guys all the time,
and it was awesome. I was. I was happy for
them as well as you know, the team and uh
and some some new blood up there running that thing.
So and you were talking about Dave David Abrew what
(17:44):
an amazing guy. When we raced Sonoma for the n
h r A event. Uh, we went and had lunch
with him, and unfortunately I wasn't able to go on
up to the house or up to the uh you
know winery with them, uh, which I heard got even
more interesting. So I'm very upset that I missed that.
(18:07):
But yeah, all right, but it was. I mean, I
I really really enjoy spending time with him. I mean,
he's just he's an amazing guy and uh and geez smart,
beyond smart with with many things, but has helped has
(18:27):
helped a lot of people out in racing that I
don't think a lot of people know. So it's it's
pretty wild. Yeah. Um, I'll touch on Gary real quick
and David. Um you know Gary. So I actually ran
for Fight Fight three cars that you know Darren Hagen
ran for at one, and um, I actually got Gary
(18:50):
his first win with the s R eleven through them
and it was my second race in that in that car.
So um to be able to do that right and
be build a relationship with Gary even though I wasn't
running his motors because at that time I was running
for Keith and for Toyota, I built a relationship there
and then you know, once I got the three C stuff,
we kind of picked up on our on our friendship
(19:12):
and everything at that point. And um to win the
Chili Bowl with the s R eleven for its very
first time and put Gary back in victory lane since
I want to say two thousand five, maybe five or six,
whatever year Tracy Hines won, um is it is incredible.
I mean I that dude is one of the biggest
(19:34):
badasses in racing. Um, and people don't really know how
much he has done for the sport when it comes
down to wing cars, silver crown, everything. So um, you
know him and Eric work above and beyond for me. Um,
I called him up bitching a lot, and I also
call up and and thank them a lot. So um
(19:56):
that's because of ers. Don't don't think they just bitch
a lot. They don't thank you afterwards. So that's that's cool,
that's good to hear. Yeah, I'm hard on them, guys.
I'm hard on them guys. It's you kinda have to
be if you want to you want success. And at
first they're probably like, oh, this kid, this kid, and
now like when I call him and bitch about them.
(20:17):
They know it's a legit reason or or there's something
legit wrong. So um. I haven't had to bitch at
him lately, so that's been nice. So um. But Gary
is more deserving of this him and Eric or Murder
deserving of this win and putting the SR Loving back
in Victory Lane and with him back in Victor Lane
(20:38):
at Chilia Boll and then SR Loving and Victory Lane
than anybody in that pit. I'd say, no one, no
one's went with this motor and I've seen it. Um.
It was drawn out on a napkin and Gary got
it done. So um. And then you know David Abrews,
like I said, father figure to me and just one
(20:59):
of the US guys in my in my what you'd say,
my friendship relationship. But he's a good person. Yeah, this
all around good person. Let's take a quick break right
here and we'll be back with a little more from
Tanna Thorson. This segment of the Skinny is brought to
(21:20):
you by Toyota. What's getting Welcome back to the Skinny.
We have the winner from the thirty six running of
the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals on with us Tanner
thorson an incredible run, and we're kind of talking our
way through that race. I want to finish that subject
up because with six to go, you guys were in
the thick of traffic. You had Brady Bacon and I
believe it was Shane Golabic, if I'm not mistaken, right
(21:43):
there in front of you guys, and suddenly Bell came
from nowhere slid you took the lead right about then
Brady Bacon and glib get together. Brady Bacon goes to
the second story slams that thing on the ground. You
did hit Golabic, uh, And I was curious, man, So
you're gonna have a right rear flat or something because
you hit him enough to move the car. Uh, And
(22:04):
somehow Bell slid through. But talk to me through that
little scenario. Yeah, just everybody racing as hard as they can, right.
I mean, we got whether there's three and ninety cars
or something, and those were the fastest twenty four cars
out there. So, um, you know, everybody's just running for
position and it's hard. It was hard to pass, and um,
(22:25):
just like Thursday night, it's almost better to be running
second and Uh. You know, Bell got by me, and
I knew I had a fast enough car soon as
he showed me. As there, I was going back forward
and um, obviously lucky enough for me, there was a
yellow and uh I was able to keep my spot.
But I don't think uh, I don't think that would
(22:46):
have changed if there wasn't a yellow. I was. I
was down and determined about that. So um, yeah, I
got into I think it was actually Colby Copeland that
was in that car, maybe, yes, yes, yes, not Um,
and I hit him. I hit him hard, and I'm
(23:07):
lucky enough. I got you know, Spike Chassis building me. Um,
custom side bumpers and were bumpers. Um, that don't necessarily
been very easy, so um we'll say that. And uh
it pushed this bumper about a half inch away from
my tire, my regular tire, And I mean it had
to have been super close when the tire would have
(23:28):
blown up. So UM, thank god for them there far
because if I didn't have those, um, it would have
been an the tire for sure and would have lost
the tire. Yeah, and we saw that happen a number
of times where those nerve parts get pushed back into
the tire and their nights done and uh yeahwards watching
that and I was like, well, of course the yellow
flag benefited you. I was really curious what your thoughts
(23:48):
were if you would have been able to have something
to passing back. Clearly you do feel that way, and
I thought it was really cool what you said earlier
in the interview as well as well whenever you said, man,
I was a little too hooked up, and he was
hooked up for early on, so you kind of knew
it was gonna come to you. Is that track slicked
off a little bit, but you got that that break
from the yellow It made life a little bit easier.
And and then of course you you dodge the bullet.
(24:09):
They say there's always a lucky moment somewhere along the way,
and for that damage not to be severe, you know,
it certainly gave you an opportunity to go out there
and and seal the deal. Yeah, I mean, you're as
much as you want to say, you win these races
because you're good. It's a majority of its luck, especially
there in that building. Um, you know, I was lucky
(24:32):
enough to obviously not get that nerf bar punch back
in my tire, and um, I was lucky enough to
get through my heat races on my prelumn night, and
I was lucky enough to still run second on my
prelum Nite to Bell. So, um, luck is is a
bigger thing to have been skill at that point. And
obviously you've got to be good to win these races,
(24:52):
but you also need a lot of luck. And um,
I told my guys, I said, if I don't win this,
my car is probably destroyed. So um, I was down
and determined that this thing, you are coming back as
a hunter percent man hunter percent. I told Bell too,
I said, I was. I was winning that thing like
(25:16):
I was one of minute or you weren't. Yeah, right right, yeah,
I mean it's the name of the game. So Tanner,
did you did you run with CEV out out West
as well as at about the same time. Yeah, we
we grew a bracing go cards together. Yeah, okay, that's
kind of what I thought. We had him on. And
(25:37):
of course you know we've helped him out with fat
heads for you know, a few years and and uh,
great great guy as well. And I was, I was,
I was watching him run and watched him go from
absolutely he wrote just out of it in his in
the pre limn night and I mean it was it
(25:59):
was unbelieved doable because he was there, he was there,
he was ready. I mean like you know, he was
gonna get there. And I mean, Swindel there there. You
know a lot of people have caught up and it
isn't like it used to be. Although they're still you know,
they're still great, they're still good. There's still else, but
you know it, it was just amazing to watch it.
(26:23):
And and that's what happens. And you were talking about
that building, there's a there's a lot of luck that
goes in there from time to time that that you're
able to pull through, you know, whatever it may be.
And uh so it's fun to see that. It's fun,
you know Kaylee Bryson making it in I was, I was,
(26:43):
I was very impressed. I mean she she was not
going to be tonight. I mean, did you get to
see her run that part stout? Yeah, I mean just
just just unbelievable. But yeah, all the guys from Toyota
that were there and I've you know, I've had a
long relationship ship with those guys and uh they couldn't
say enough great things about about Tanner winning, and yeah
(27:06):
we came up one shot, but you know what it was, Okay,
we came up short too, So it was it was
pretty cool to hear that. I think it was kind
of the theme of the theme of the week is
is what I felt was. You know, it seemed like
we always had the dominant players on their prelimb nights.
You know, McIntosh had to working. I think Larson had, God,
what do you have. I think he had four working,
(27:27):
and maybe it's five consecutive now for sure, Rico five
consecutive now, uh Bell seven consecutive pre limb wins. But
every one of those drivers were put to the test.
I mean macintoss, you know, got beat as as Karrick
jumped in there, Larson got beat, and uh Rico nearly
(27:47):
got beat with Chase Randall passed him down on the
bottom and then decided to go to the top. I
think if he stays on the bottom, man, he gives
Rico everything he can handle, and then of course you're
all over Bell. So I felt like the entire field
where some of those cars have been dominant in the
past years, they're not dominant anymore. All of you guys
are really really close. Yeah, I just think it's the
(28:10):
times change, right, And I mean, um, I've been fortunate
to be fast for several several years there and being
different cars and being with Keith as well, So UM,
I think times coming. You know you mentioned that, like
what do you say, Kevin or the Swindell's. You know,
people have caught up and I just be curious to
(28:32):
see and I've I've said this to him, is where
would they stand if Kevin was still racing it? You know,
That's that's always been my question because that car is
fast and logan shows it, but that car is also
built for Kevin, So what would Kevin be doing? I
(28:52):
think Kevin would all be given us fits, no doubt,
if not waxing our assets. So um yeah, it's just
it's it's crazy to see the times just from when
I started racing in two thirteen to now, um of
where where everybody's at and where they stand and how
they go throughout a year. I never really paid attention
(29:14):
to that, um over the years, But you know the
last couple of years, I've I've really paid attention just
to how fast one team goes and then they kind
of slowed down and they fade off and then they
get back at it, and UM, it's been kind of
my goal to just stay consistent, you know, as much
as I can throughout the years. Hey, man, I'm gonna
(29:37):
ask you to reflect back here one more time. Was
were closer to the end of this show two thousand nineteen,
you finished tenth at the Chili Bowl, and then about
a month and a half later or so, you're in
a nasty wreck, crack sturring them, broken ribs punctured along.
You were in a bad way. Dude, it was. It
was a tough, tough moment for you, and you did
(29:59):
what Tanner Thorston us. I mean, I think everybody, all
of your friends, all your colleagues, everyone, everybody that that
has watched you through your career understands that you're a
badass dude. You're a scrapper and that's what it is. Uh.
And three months later you won your first race. After that,
after that incident, Uh, talk me through that time, man,
How hard was it for you? Um? Difficult? I mean
(30:22):
I didn't know if I was gonna be able to
race again, or be at least be able to race
to the to the level I was. Um, you know,
I said not damn hospital bed. And you know, just
like doctors do, they tell you, you know, you can't
do this, you can't do that, and it's gonna be
nine months and blah blah blah blah blah. And Um,
(30:43):
I feel like I've always been kind of a go
getter and um always been kind of told no and
and still done it to a certain extent. Um, But
it was it was a hard time. I definitely changed
my outlook on a lot of things. Um, I feel
like maybe me a better person and and and kind
of built my built my my end goal up even
(31:06):
higher just based off of how fast I got back
and and and my success after that. So um, I definitely,
you know, took a big look at what I was
doing in my life and um, you know it it
changed me for the better. M Yeah, an incredible time,
(31:26):
I mean, and of course we were all afraid for you,
and we're all wondering the same thing. But to come
back as quickly as you did and put that thing
back on top of the box again was I think
it was a relief to everybody. And then of course
to see you proceed the way you have up until
you know this past Saturday night, Uh, it's quite an
(31:46):
effort man, and Rico said it. You know, we were
I think everybody was just really happy with the outcome.
I mean, from from the chassis builder to the engine
builder and uh sentimentally to you. Uh to watch you
race as hard as you've raced for so long and listen, man,
I mean, there's a lot of luck inside of that building.
But when the same people keep winning all the time, uh,
they make a lot of their luck, you know. I mean,
(32:07):
you guys are incredibly talented and you know your two
thousand thirteen National Midget Rookie of the Year you talked
about starting off in two thousand thirteen and uh, and
to do everything you've done along the way, that's that's
far from luck. That's a lot of preparation, that's a
lot of hard work, and it's a massive amount of
skill that you have. It just comes down to dedication
(32:28):
to the sport. I feel like, and you know, when
I was givor tunity, I had to strike on it
and if I wanted to, you know, race cars for
a living, I had to you know, make it um,
make it work. So um. You know, before I was
racing for Keith, I was sitting back in Avada racing
go carts in California every weekend, and um, you know,
(32:50):
my mom worked at the Sheriff's office, and I thought
that was kind of kind of gonna be my route
on what I was gonna do in life. I didn't
even know what midget racing was, except for you know,
I knew re it was going back and forth, and
I knew a little bit about Chili Bowl and I
started going to Chili Bowl in two thousand and eleven,
I think with David Debreu, and UM, I thought I
was gonna be a cop police officer. That was kind
of my goal in life. And once I went midget
(33:12):
racing and realized like this was this was a job,
you know, I felt like I just strapped down and
went forward. And um, you know my my career chief
that I met with and two fifteen, um Leelander, and he,
uh he kept telling me I was a student of
the sport back when I was working with them in
(33:33):
fifteen and then back in eighteen again, and UM, I
feel like I've definitely like taken that and and built
off that. Um, it's something that like I want to
be the best. I want to I want to be
one of the best and one of the top guys
in this sport, whether it's midget non wing or wing
cars or whatever. So and at that point you just
(33:53):
kind of have to have dedication and and and do
your best at everything you do. So tell us what's
your plans for twenty two? That was my question earlier,
and uh, I think we got broke. So what's your plans. Um,
We're gonna race win cars quite a bit. That's Andy
(34:14):
wants to do it. I want to do it. The
team wants to do it. Um, well, I think the
team wants to do it. But we're gonna we're gonna
we're gonna go down to Florida and run the USAG
Magia hand On win car down there at Bubba and
then um, I think we'll go to East Bay with
the All Stars and then uh, you know kind of
shoot from there on what we're gonna do. We kind
(34:35):
of have a a schedule put together, just haven't really
went over it together, and UM, I don't know, we'll see.
I think you'd be great in the All Stars, man,
You're you are dedicated and you know, stepping up to
that level. I mean, not taking anything away from Usach. Uh,
because there's there's an unbelievable amount of things that go
(34:57):
on in Usack that it's not easy to win, and
anybody can I mean I shouldn't say anybody. There's probably
five to six cars that could win any night. Uh,
you know that you're battling in and out with and
so you you're taking it to the All Stars. I
mean we watched what Sunshine did over there, which you know,
(35:19):
he's he's doing great. I think that you know, with
Grant sliding over there doing a little bit, I mean,
the All Stars are going to have a pretty pretty
badass package over there, which is which is going to
be pretty exciting. Yeah. I think Tony's worked really really
hard to get the All Stars where they are. Um,
(35:42):
you know, he puts a lot of effort into it.
And obviously you know the Outlaws are the are the
top you know wing team. Um, but I think Tony
has a really good close second and uh, you know,
I just I gotta go where the money's at. Playing simple, Um,
go back to talking about it, you know, racing for
a living and um, it's just yeah, you're not gonna
(36:07):
live the I'm not going to live the life I
want to live, you know, just racing midgets and non
win cars like we did. UM, So I just kind
of have to, you know. I feel like it's kind
of everybody's route here lately is trying to make more
money doing what we love to do, and wing racing
just seems to be the route that everybody's going. Um.
(36:29):
And once again not taking anything away from USACK, like
you said, it's just um USACK is such a big
sanctioned you know series that. UM. I wish we could
race for more and it would be a lot easier
to stay around all the time. UM, But some people
gotta gotta jump and go when when they when the
(36:50):
opportunities prevail. Well, I think we're getting ready to wrap up.
But one thing that I want to tell you, don't
lose your interview skills, because after you one, I was
like my man as I clearly didn't. I mean I
knew who you were, and you know, I've watched your
race a lot, and uh, and I love it. I
mean that is that is the most fun when you
(37:12):
see somebody come out and they're that energized and that entered,
I mean just ready to rip, you know and let
it lay it all about to pass out. Was later, Yeah,
drunk was being later, but I'll drop to pass out.
When I went across the flag stand, I just grabbed
my string well out of the trailer and it's bent like.
(37:34):
I don't know why, but I think I grabbed it
so hard and pushed down because I was so just
pumped up. I mean, the whole thing is just like
an opposite dish wheel just out. That's great, great, And
you definitely put Gary's motor to the test. I know you.
You tried to kill it, but it was still running
when you shut it off. So I'm sure Gary will
(37:55):
go in there and take a look at the valve
train and that when it probably needs a little massaging.
Right that. Let me tell you that things staying in there.
I told Gary, I said, I text Gary. I said hey, Gary,
I told him, thank you, you you know, and went on
and I said, hey, by the way, I'm sorry about
the motor, and he said, you win that race, you
do whatever you want. I was like cool, I said,
(38:17):
by the way, we need to talk about this motor
because I don't think it's coming out of this car.
He said, okay, well let's figure it out. So um yeah, man,
it's uh surreal feeling. And you know, I got a
lot of great people that are behind me, with Factor King, Shocks,
Mike Chassis's staying, SR Levin a L Drive Lines, um
(38:38):
Amy Electrical, just all of our guys, Um Brown and
Miller Bradbury Company. They came on board this week on
Casey's car and then also online. And you know, just
a lot of great people and chemistry is everything when
it comes down to having success, and I just can't
thank all my guys enough for it. Well, you said
(39:00):
it just a few moments ago that you want to
you want to dig hard and you want to be
the best. Well, you, my friend, as it stands right now.
You know, if you win the USACK National Midget Championship,
somebody might argue there's some other players and some other
sanctioning bodies, but when three eight one of them show
up and it's a record number of entries, you, my friend,
are the absolute best and the planet as it stands
(39:23):
right now today, congratulations. Yeah, thank you guys, and thanks
for all the support and um you know, hopefully we
can get back on here and talk to you guys
here soon. Awesome. Tanner Thorston with US here on the
Skinny an exciting moment. Thanks for the memories. It was
a pleasure to watch you do what you do man
so much fun. Thanks for watching. We'll see in the
(39:44):
next episode. Thanks for being with us here on the Skinny.
This episode has been brought to you by so hoy Yota.
Rhino classifies dream giveaway and general tire for the latest
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check out bad Hits dot com. That's bad Heads with
(40:05):
a Ze. Production facilities provided by fat Heads I Wear Studios,
(40:28):
All rights reserved. The Skinny with Freeco and Kenna is
a production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from
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The Skinny with Riego and Kenna is a production of
I Heart Radio. I'm Tanna Thorson and this is a
skinny from the bath Heads I Wear Studios in Speedway, Indiana.
This is the Skinny brought to you by Toyota, Rhino Classified,
General Tire and Dream Giveaway. This segment of the Skinny
(00:23):
is brought to you by Toyota. Welcome to the Skinny.
We have a very special guest that will join us
here today. Can stout Rico Elmore back on the set.
Welcome back, my friend. I know you had a busy
week at the Chili Bowl. I did it was it
was highly intoxicating. I mean it was unbelievable infectious if
(00:44):
you will so. Uh. The guests that we will have
on here today is an extremely talented race car driver
and has been proving that for a number of years.
If you're in the open wheel ranks meaning sprint cars
midget you certainly are very familiar with his name, but
he might be one of the most successful driver you've
never heard of. If you're not in those rinks. His
name's TANNERD. Thorson originally had of Nevada, but now in
(01:05):
the Oklahoma area. Driving for rhin Bold Underwood Motorsports this
past week and a spike with a Stanton and put
that stanting on top of the box and that beautiful
golden drillers sitting right alongside. For thirty six years they've
been competing at the Chili Bowl, and he became the
twenty second different winner at the Chili Bowl. It is
not an easy task by any stretch of the imagination.
(01:28):
And Tanner Man, oh man, you've been close. You've been
close a number of times and certainly had what it
what everything that you needed I think to win it,
but just couldn't couldn't get there. And you were a
proof to the point of how difficult it is to
win that race. Yeah, definitely, Man, thanks thanks for having
me on first of all, And um, yeah it was.
(01:50):
It was difficult over the years. Um, I've had great
cars and good owners over the years, and but nothing
tops this year. UM. Car Wise, car owner team, UM,
everybody affiliated with with my race car, UM is why
it was possible. So um it was a good year.
(02:12):
Um last year was my best year of trying right,
ran third, and um I knew we had more in
the tank just kind of using my race car up
at the start in the middle of last year's race,
and um, I just knew I needed to be up
front and start this one. Yeah, you know you talked
about last year. I would even go back to two
thousand seventeen, two thousand eighteen. Both of those years you
(02:35):
came from the soup man. You came from the sea
to finish fourth, extremely impressive run. And then as you
talked about, uh, last year one actually two thousand fifteen
and two thousand twenty one you came out of the
be finished fourth and two thousand fifteen, and then as
you talked about finished third in two thousand one behind
Justin Grant, behind Kyle Larson, And you're watching those guys,
(02:57):
what's going through your brain? I mean, are you thinking,
like what does it take to finally beat these guys? Yeah, Um,
you know I've beat Larson beat Grant before and in
years passed, and um, you know, racing outdoors, and UM,
I knew they were gonna have both have really good cars,
and I'm just based off their prelum nights and it
was just a matter of kind of being there at
(03:18):
the end. Um I knew before, like right before I
got behind them that my car was kind of used up,
just based off tires and and I could feel that
my my tires were getting you know, lower on air
under those last few yellows, and um, it was just
a matter of having the car. I I was the
only way I was going to really capitalize. Last year
(03:39):
was based off of them to wrecking each other, and
it came pretty damn close. So um, and I almost
obviously got in the wreck as well. But um, my
car was just used up last year was bent from
my prelumn night when I flipped in the heat race,
and um, I was just kind of going going off
of ride heights and not really blocks, you know, to
(04:00):
set it up. So it was it was beat up
and um, but we made the best of it. Yeah, unbelievable.
I stopped by your pit on the way out. I
was I was beat up myself by then, so I
had to I had to exit keep up and keep
up anymore. So But but now, man, congratulations. I mean,
(04:24):
we've been doing this a long time. And of course,
you know Stout was part of the original you know
HBO pay per view what ten years ago? Is that
what we did ye two thousand and eight, and uh,
you know, We've been going there a long time. We've
watched a lot of people run through that place and
(04:45):
get ran over by that place literally, and for you
to you to be able to pull it off, I
mean it was, it was. It was awesome to see
because I listen friends with a lot of the guys
out there, you know, Larrence and Bell, I mean great,
I mean all those guys, known them all for a
long time. But it was fun to see somebody else
(05:07):
put it together. And it was. It was one of
those things where, uh, you know, Monday night, you don't
have any idea who's gonna be where, and uh so
we we I mean I would like, I guess I'd
like to see the odds, you know, the Vegas odds,
what that would look like, because I bet there's some
(05:28):
dark horses there that that come through that you just
don't even think would be there. Yeah. And and actually
on Monday night, I was doing my prep work Monday Tuesday,
you know, we're listening to Flow and watching all the races,
and as I was doing my stats on you, I
looked at that. I was like, man, he's doing like
he's you were my pick on Monday night. If I
had to pick a driver on Monday night. You were
(05:50):
my pick, and and the next one was going to
be justin Grant. I just figured you would do I
mean and looking at at what you had done and
run through the soup, and I mean, three time National
Midget Driver of the Year, you know, two th sixty
youth Sacon National Midget Champion. I mean, you're a dude
that that not only can you get it done, but
you've proven that that you've been doing it for many,
many years. So it's not by having chance, you know.
(06:12):
And then I thought it was super cool what Rico
said after the end of the race. They were interviewing
Rico and he said, it's really cool that Tanner Thorsen
won this thing because he's not just a driver. He's
the guy that owns a team. He's a guy that
that works on the race car, builds the race car,
drives the race car. I mean he he takes care
of everything. So it's really cool to see somebody that's
(06:34):
hands on come out here and secure the deal. Yeah.
I wish I owned the team, but I well, I
know this team. You don't, but but you know what
he you know what he means. Yeah, so you know UM,
I grew up with Rico racing, UM go cards with them,
and then you know, his dad actually picked me up
(06:56):
to run their outlaw car program and UM won multiple
championships and won every race under the moon, UM as
far as outlaw carts on the West Coast, and UM,
you know, David is like another father to me. Um.
You know, I talked to him multiple times a week,
and UM, you know, there's that those two guys are
(07:17):
like family. You know, it's a brother father figure to me.
So UM to hear that from Rico, to be able
to race against Rico head to head, it's it's awesome,
you know. And UM, you know, he he gets it,
he understands, and I think he was a little more
happy for me because of that. Obviously it just are
(07:38):
relationship over the years. So UM, it's a it's pretty awesome.
It's hard. It's hard to kind of speak on it,
just because I still haven't let this really I mean
I have, I've been trying, but it's it's still unbelievable.
I don't even know if this sucker is real or not,
you know, So it's yeah, it's it's just pretty awesome
(07:59):
to hear that, you know, Keith also came up, Bell
and just everybody that you know had such a strong
impact over you know, the last well since two thousand,
two thousand, probably ten for me through Rico and David,
but after that, you know, Keith and Bell and you
know even Larsen. Just racing with them and learning so
much from them, it's pretty awesome for to hear what
(08:21):
they've said to me and about me. So a quick
question you because you said you could feel the tire
getting soft a little bit later in the race. And
I don't know if that you were referring to this year,
if you were referring to twenty one, But what happens here?
What's the dynamics that that the pressure would be going
low later on in a race like that? Um So,
(08:42):
I was kind of referring to one, um, but even
this year you could I could kind of feel it.
Um you know, two down twenty one. I just ran
the tire so hard and with sliding guys left and right,
and um coming from the back up to the front.
I used to put a lot of wear and tear
on your tire and and kind of make it, you know,
like gum so and just kind of gooey and and
doesn't really get traction like it would before. And uh,
(09:05):
you know I started feeling that a little bit um
at the end of this year, just based off the
line I was running in three and four and kind
of sliding myself and trying to get to the grip.
But um, yeah, just changes your kind of feel the
race car. And um, you know, with my shock package
and with factory Kane shocks and now you know these
new torsion arms that I have on from Stevie Smith
(09:28):
new tie torsion arms. Um, I have a lot of
fuel in my race car. And and I don't know
if it's just me kind of learning from learning about
my race car and knowing about my race car or whatnot,
but I sure know like shocks and you know, rear
torsion arms and and even my front springs with Draco
the Purple Spring Company. Um, I have a lot of
(09:50):
feel in my race car. So I can you know,
kind of tell when something's going away or getting better.
So um, just kind of gotta change of driving style
up a little bit. And um, you know, as those
tire pressures were going down, you know, you try to
keep them warmed up to keep air and them, but
you don't want to warm up too much under the
yellow because you don't want them to, you know, get
(10:11):
gummy again. So it's kind of just a it's kind
of a weird, weird sensation, right, It's just just a
different deal that you kind of have to take your
best judgment on and go for it. Um, talk to
me about the dampers on that thing, the shocks on
that thing? Is that something? Do you revalve those yourself?
I'm clearly you have a shock Dinah, You're gonna make
(10:32):
sure everything matches. But if you get to a place
like that and you're not happy with it. I know
you have a lot of experience there at the Chili Bowl,
so you probably show up with those things right in
the window. But is it something that do you ever
take those things apart and reb abum when you're at
an event? I don't. Um. You know, Willie Kane with
Factor Kane, shocks and and Colcane, They've got me set
(10:53):
up pretty pretty good. Um. You know, if I don't
like a shock, I got a couple in the trailer
that I can switch to two to go back the
baseline to make sure it's not the shocks make sure
it's a car or vice versas. So um, yeah, we've
definitely had times, you know, throughout the year where I
send shocks back next day, m up to Washington and
um and they the next day right back just to
(11:15):
keep me, you know, satisfied with with what we got going.
So um, you know, Willie Kane and Cole there probably
the two biggest supporters of my race car and my team. Um,
you know, they want nothing but the best for me,
and um, they go above and beyond with anything dumb
(11:36):
or stupid. I want to try if they think it's dumb. Um,
just just so I have a feel that I want
so UM, I don't necessarily take them apart. I'd have
changed shafts and and bodies on them before in the
nick of time, just because we don't have time to
next day and back forth. But um, you know, Willie
(11:57):
is so smart with the shock game, and I know
what I want to feel, and um, I got my
numbers and he's got his numbers, and you know, we
just we got a good game plan around it. Great
experience for sure. Hey, we're gonna take a quick break here.
We have the Chili Bowl Nationals winner with us here
today on the Skinny Tanner Thorson stick whin the school
be right back just a moment. This segment of the
(12:19):
Skinny has been brought to you by General Tire. It's
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General Tire dot com today. This segment of the Skinny
is brought to you by Rhino Classified. Tired of all
those ads and random stuff that shows up when you're
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You need the trailer to move your baby around the
country in we got you at Rhino dot Co. Once again,
Welcome back to the skinny. We have Tanner Thorson with
(13:22):
us here today, of course, fresh off of his win
and Tulsa, Oklahoma at the thirty six running of the
Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget National. Is an incredible run here, Hey, man,
I gotta take you into this race. So you do
a great job. You follow you keep up with Bell.
Of course Bell started off on the pole. You had
a great run. I guess we should back up a
little bit more. A great run in your heat race,
(13:43):
first heat race of the week for you, and every
driver that I heard said that's the most difficult race
of the week. You go from ninth the second and
then six to third in your qualifiers. So a beautiful job.
They're on your pre limb night. Set you up great.
Do a great job on the poll shuffle as well.
Take your way forward on that with the exception of Bell,
(14:04):
and start there on the front row, so you keep
up with him, following him through traffic. He's not getting away,
and finally you get your opportunity to get in front
of him. Man, talk to me about it. Yeah, it
was pretty crazy, um. Start of the race. I that
pull shelfle I wanted to start on the bottom of
the racetrack, just based off of the year's pass and
(14:24):
how much they worked the race track. And um, so
I was gonna go after Bell or let Rico go
by and try to be third, and um I looked
up at the board and and saw Rico was back
there right with Grant, And I knew if I let
Rico by and Grant go by me, then I'd be
sitting there second row outside and even a worse spot.
(14:45):
So kind of went after Bell and UM started from there,
and I was able to kind of, you know, slide
Bell on that pull shuffle, so I kind of knew
where we kind of stood off, and UM started that race.
I went from the outside and dove in right behind
him and followed him for quite some time. He pulled
away from me at the start, and I was having
(15:06):
a hard time, not hard time, but I was having
some difficulty keeping my front end on the ground. And
um that was just due to how much grip there
was and how much how much drive my car had.
UM so I knew I was set up pretty good
for the end of that race because Bell was able
to just really yank away from me, and I was
trying my hardest to stay with them, but I didn't
(15:28):
want to wear my stuff out as well, So UM,
you know, we raced and I kept showing my nose
once he got the lop traffic and trying to get
him to kind of either go to the top or
try something and keep pressure on him so he knew
I was there, and UM, you know, we got a yellow,
and then finally he went up to the top, and UM,
I followed him and was able to stay right with
him when we got the lot traffic again. UM, got
(15:52):
a lot of traffic again, and he yanked away from
He got through them guys really easily, and UM yanked
away and I think he had about a straight away
on me, and UM, I finally got by them guys,
and I ran them back down really quick, and then
a yellow came out. So UM that yellow came out.
Buddy threw a slider on me on the restart, and
(16:15):
I knew it was time to get going then, because
you definitely don't want to be under fire from a
Keith Skon's car. You're right, I mean, they got the best,
probably the most stout team out there, from the first
driver the last driver, and UM, as soon as that happened,
I knew I had to get going, and I was
able to run a line after I crossed Buddy over
that I happened to be looking at when I was
(16:37):
rolling around there under yellow. UM, but Buddy actually forced
me to run it, and that was the the race
winner right there. That was that was the line that
one won me the race. So UM was able to
kind of run the slider line three and four caught
on bell and then the next lap I did it
again and um, I was able to just drive away. Yeah,
(16:58):
it's uh, pretty amazing to watch. But you know, one
of the things that I wanted to tell you that
you know, in all the years that that, of course
we've been going, there's been success by many different uh
you know, many different engine builders. But to watch Stanton
get back there, it was it was pretty unbelievable because
(17:19):
you know what, there's probably nobody that works much harder
than those guys in the gig and uh, you know,
Eric's at the track supporting these guys all the time,
and it was awesome. I was. I was happy for
them as well as you know, the team and uh
and some some new blood up there running that thing.
So and you were talking about Dave David Abrew what
(17:44):
an amazing guy. When we raced Sonoma for the n
h r A event. Uh, we went and had lunch
with him, and unfortunately I wasn't able to go on
up to the house or up to the uh you
know winery with them, uh, which I heard got even
more interesting. So I'm very upset that I missed that.
(18:07):
But yeah, all right, but it was. I mean, I
I really really enjoy spending time with him. I mean,
he's just he's an amazing guy and uh and geez smart,
beyond smart with with many things, but has helped has
(18:27):
helped a lot of people out in racing that I
don't think a lot of people know. So it's it's
pretty wild. Yeah. Um, I'll touch on Gary real quick
and David. Um you know Gary. So I actually ran
for Fight Fight three cars that you know Darren Hagen
ran for at one, and um, I actually got Gary
(18:50):
his first win with the s R eleven through them
and it was my second race in that in that car.
So um to be able to do that right and
be build a relationship with Gary even though I wasn't
running his motors because at that time I was running
for Keith and for Toyota, I built a relationship there
and then you know, once I got the three C stuff,
we kind of picked up on our on our friendship
(19:12):
and everything at that point. And um to win the
Chili Bowl with the s R eleven for its very
first time and put Gary back in victory lane since
I want to say two thousand five, maybe five or six,
whatever year Tracy Hines won, um is it is incredible.
I mean I that dude is one of the biggest
(19:34):
badasses in racing. Um, and people don't really know how
much he has done for the sport when it comes
down to wing cars, silver crown, everything. So um, you
know him and Eric work above and beyond for me. Um,
I called him up bitching a lot, and I also
call up and and thank them a lot. So um
(19:56):
that's because of ers. Don't don't think they just bitch
a lot. They don't thank you afterwards. So that's that's cool,
that's good to hear. Yeah, I'm hard on them, guys.
I'm hard on them guys. It's you kinda have to
be if you want to you want success. And at
first they're probably like, oh, this kid, this kid, and
now like when I call him and bitch about them.
(20:17):
They know it's a legit reason or or there's something
legit wrong. So um. I haven't had to bitch at
him lately, so that's been nice. So um. But Gary
is more deserving of this him and Eric or Murder
deserving of this win and putting the SR Loving back
in Victory Lane and with him back in Victor Lane
(20:38):
at Chilia Boll and then SR Loving and Victory Lane
than anybody in that pit. I'd say, no one, no
one's went with this motor and I've seen it. Um.
It was drawn out on a napkin and Gary got
it done. So um. And then you know David Abrews,
like I said, father figure to me and just one
(20:59):
of the US guys in my in my what you'd say,
my friendship relationship. But he's a good person. Yeah, this
all around good person. Let's take a quick break right
here and we'll be back with a little more from
Tanna Thorson. This segment of the Skinny is brought to
(21:20):
you by Toyota. What's getting Welcome back to the Skinny.
We have the winner from the thirty six running of
the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals on with us Tanner
thorson an incredible run, and we're kind of talking our
way through that race. I want to finish that subject
up because with six to go, you guys were in
the thick of traffic. You had Brady Bacon and I
believe it was Shane Golabic, if I'm not mistaken, right
(21:43):
there in front of you guys, and suddenly Bell came
from nowhere slid you took the lead right about then
Brady Bacon and glib get together. Brady Bacon goes to
the second story slams that thing on the ground. You
did hit Golabic, uh, And I was curious, man, So
you're gonna have a right rear flat or something because
you hit him enough to move the car. Uh, And
(22:04):
somehow Bell slid through. But talk to me through that
little scenario. Yeah, just everybody racing as hard as they can, right.
I mean, we got whether there's three and ninety cars
or something, and those were the fastest twenty four cars
out there. So, um, you know, everybody's just running for
position and it's hard. It was hard to pass, and um,
(22:25):
just like Thursday night, it's almost better to be running
second and Uh. You know, Bell got by me, and
I knew I had a fast enough car soon as
he showed me. As there, I was going back forward
and um, obviously lucky enough for me, there was a
yellow and uh I was able to keep my spot.
But I don't think uh, I don't think that would
(22:46):
have changed if there wasn't a yellow. I was. I
was down and determined about that. So um, yeah, I
got into I think it was actually Colby Copeland that
was in that car, maybe, yes, yes, yes, not Um,
and I hit him. I hit him hard, and I'm
(23:07):
lucky enough. I got you know, Spike Chassis building me. Um,
custom side bumpers and were bumpers. Um, that don't necessarily
been very easy, so um we'll say that. And uh
it pushed this bumper about a half inch away from
my tire, my regular tire, And I mean it had
to have been super close when the tire would have
(23:28):
blown up. So UM, thank god for them there far
because if I didn't have those, um, it would have
been an the tire for sure and would have lost
the tire. Yeah, and we saw that happen a number
of times where those nerve parts get pushed back into
the tire and their nights done and uh yeahwards watching
that and I was like, well, of course the yellow
flag benefited you. I was really curious what your thoughts
(23:48):
were if you would have been able to have something
to passing back. Clearly you do feel that way, and
I thought it was really cool what you said earlier
in the interview as well as well whenever you said, man,
I was a little too hooked up, and he was
hooked up for early on, so you kind of knew
it was gonna come to you. Is that track slicked
off a little bit, but you got that that break
from the yellow It made life a little bit easier.
And and then of course you you dodge the bullet.
(24:09):
They say there's always a lucky moment somewhere along the way,
and for that damage not to be severe, you know,
it certainly gave you an opportunity to go out there
and and seal the deal. Yeah, I mean, you're as
much as you want to say, you win these races
because you're good. It's a majority of its luck, especially
there in that building. Um, you know, I was lucky
(24:32):
enough to obviously not get that nerf bar punch back
in my tire, and um, I was lucky enough to
get through my heat races on my prelumn night, and
I was lucky enough to still run second on my
prelum Nite to Bell. So, um, luck is is a
bigger thing to have been skill at that point. And
obviously you've got to be good to win these races,
(24:52):
but you also need a lot of luck. And um,
I told my guys, I said, if I don't win this,
my car is probably destroyed. So um, I was down
and determined that this thing, you are coming back as
a hunter percent man hunter percent. I told Bell too,
I said, I was. I was winning that thing like
(25:16):
I was one of minute or you weren't. Yeah, right right, yeah,
I mean it's the name of the game. So Tanner,
did you did you run with CEV out out West
as well as at about the same time. Yeah, we
we grew a bracing go cards together. Yeah, okay, that's
kind of what I thought. We had him on. And
(25:37):
of course you know we've helped him out with fat
heads for you know, a few years and and uh,
great great guy as well. And I was, I was,
I was watching him run and watched him go from
absolutely he wrote just out of it in his in
the pre limn night and I mean it was it
(25:59):
was unbelieved doable because he was there, he was there,
he was ready. I mean like you know, he was
gonna get there. And I mean, Swindel there there. You
know a lot of people have caught up and it
isn't like it used to be. Although they're still you know,
they're still great, they're still good. There's still else, but
you know it, it was just amazing to watch it.
(26:23):
And and that's what happens. And you were talking about
that building, there's a there's a lot of luck that
goes in there from time to time that that you're
able to pull through, you know, whatever it may be.
And uh so it's fun to see that. It's fun,
you know Kaylee Bryson making it in I was, I was,
(26:43):
I was very impressed. I mean she she was not
going to be tonight. I mean, did you get to
see her run that part stout? Yeah, I mean just
just just unbelievable. But yeah, all the guys from Toyota
that were there and I've you know, I've had a
long relationship ship with those guys and uh they couldn't
say enough great things about about Tanner winning, and yeah
(27:06):
we came up one shot, but you know what it was, Okay,
we came up short too, So it was it was
pretty cool to hear that. I think it was kind
of the theme of the theme of the week is
is what I felt was. You know, it seemed like
we always had the dominant players on their prelimb nights.
You know, McIntosh had to working. I think Larson had, God,
what do you have. I think he had four working,
(27:27):
and maybe it's five consecutive now for sure, Rico five
consecutive now, uh Bell seven consecutive pre limb wins. But
every one of those drivers were put to the test.
I mean macintoss, you know, got beat as as Karrick
jumped in there, Larson got beat, and uh Rico nearly
(27:47):
got beat with Chase Randall passed him down on the
bottom and then decided to go to the top. I
think if he stays on the bottom, man, he gives
Rico everything he can handle, and then of course you're
all over Bell. So I felt like the entire field
where some of those cars have been dominant in the
past years, they're not dominant anymore. All of you guys
are really really close. Yeah, I just think it's the
(28:10):
times change, right, And I mean, um, I've been fortunate
to be fast for several several years there and being
different cars and being with Keith as well, So UM,
I think times coming. You know you mentioned that, like
what do you say, Kevin or the Swindell's. You know,
people have caught up and I just be curious to
(28:32):
see and I've I've said this to him, is where
would they stand if Kevin was still racing it? You know,
That's that's always been my question because that car is
fast and logan shows it, but that car is also
built for Kevin, So what would Kevin be doing? I
(28:52):
think Kevin would all be given us fits, no doubt,
if not waxing our assets. So um yeah, it's just
it's it's crazy to see the times just from when
I started racing in two thirteen to now, um of
where where everybody's at and where they stand and how
they go throughout a year. I never really paid attention
(29:14):
to that, um over the years, But you know the
last couple of years, I've I've really paid attention just
to how fast one team goes and then they kind
of slowed down and they fade off and then they
get back at it, and UM, it's been kind of
my goal to just stay consistent, you know, as much
as I can throughout the years. Hey, man, I'm gonna
(29:37):
ask you to reflect back here one more time. Was
were closer to the end of this show two thousand nineteen,
you finished tenth at the Chili Bowl, and then about
a month and a half later or so, you're in
a nasty wreck, crack sturring them, broken ribs punctured along.
You were in a bad way. Dude, it was. It
was a tough, tough moment for you, and you did
(29:59):
what Tanner Thorston us. I mean, I think everybody, all
of your friends, all your colleagues, everyone, everybody that that
has watched you through your career understands that you're a
badass dude. You're a scrapper and that's what it is. Uh.
And three months later you won your first race. After that,
after that incident, Uh, talk me through that time, man,
How hard was it for you? Um? Difficult? I mean
(30:22):
I didn't know if I was gonna be able to
race again, or be at least be able to race
to the to the level I was. Um, you know,
I said not damn hospital bed. And you know, just
like doctors do, they tell you, you know, you can't
do this, you can't do that, and it's gonna be
nine months and blah blah blah blah blah. And Um,
(30:43):
I feel like I've always been kind of a go
getter and um always been kind of told no and
and still done it to a certain extent. Um, But
it was it was a hard time. I definitely changed
my outlook on a lot of things. Um, I feel
like maybe me a better person and and and kind
of built my built my my end goal up even
(31:06):
higher just based off of how fast I got back
and and and my success after that. So um, I definitely,
you know, took a big look at what I was
doing in my life and um, you know it it
changed me for the better. M Yeah, an incredible time,
(31:26):
I mean, and of course we were all afraid for you,
and we're all wondering the same thing. But to come
back as quickly as you did and put that thing
back on top of the box again was I think
it was a relief to everybody. And then of course
to see you proceed the way you have up until
you know this past Saturday night, Uh, it's quite an
(31:46):
effort man, and Rico said it. You know, we were
I think everybody was just really happy with the outcome.
I mean, from from the chassis builder to the engine
builder and uh sentimentally to you. Uh to watch you
race as hard as you've raced for so long and listen, man,
I mean, there's a lot of luck inside of that building.
But when the same people keep winning all the time, uh,
they make a lot of their luck, you know. I mean,
(32:07):
you guys are incredibly talented and you know your two
thousand thirteen National Midget Rookie of the Year you talked
about starting off in two thousand thirteen and uh, and
to do everything you've done along the way, that's that's
far from luck. That's a lot of preparation, that's a
lot of hard work, and it's a massive amount of
skill that you have. It just comes down to dedication
(32:28):
to the sport. I feel like, and you know, when
I was givor tunity, I had to strike on it
and if I wanted to, you know, race cars for
a living, I had to you know, make it um,
make it work. So um. You know, before I was
racing for Keith, I was sitting back in Avada racing
go carts in California every weekend, and um, you know,
(32:50):
my mom worked at the Sheriff's office, and I thought
that was kind of kind of gonna be my route
on what I was gonna do in life. I didn't
even know what midget racing was, except for you know,
I knew re it was going back and forth, and
I knew a little bit about Chili Bowl and I
started going to Chili Bowl in two thousand and eleven,
I think with David Debreu, and UM, I thought I
was gonna be a cop police officer. That was kind
of my goal in life. And once I went midget
(33:12):
racing and realized like this was this was a job,
you know, I felt like I just strapped down and
went forward. And um, you know my my career chief
that I met with and two fifteen, um Leelander, and he,
uh he kept telling me I was a student of
the sport back when I was working with them in
(33:33):
fifteen and then back in eighteen again, and UM, I
feel like I've definitely like taken that and and built
off that. Um, it's something that like I want to
be the best. I want to I want to be
one of the best and one of the top guys
in this sport, whether it's midget non wing or wing
cars or whatever. So and at that point you just
(33:53):
kind of have to have dedication and and and do
your best at everything you do. So tell us what's
your plans for twenty two? That was my question earlier,
and uh, I think we got broke. So what's your plans. Um,
We're gonna race win cars quite a bit. That's Andy
(34:14):
wants to do it. I want to do it. The
team wants to do it. Um, well, I think the
team wants to do it. But we're gonna we're gonna
we're gonna go down to Florida and run the USAG
Magia hand On win car down there at Bubba and
then um, I think we'll go to East Bay with
the All Stars and then uh, you know kind of
shoot from there on what we're gonna do. We kind
(34:35):
of have a a schedule put together, just haven't really
went over it together, and UM, I don't know, we'll see.
I think you'd be great in the All Stars, man,
You're you are dedicated and you know, stepping up to
that level. I mean, not taking anything away from Usach. Uh,
because there's there's an unbelievable amount of things that go
(34:57):
on in Usack that it's not easy to win, and
anybody can I mean I shouldn't say anybody. There's probably
five to six cars that could win any night. Uh,
you know that you're battling in and out with and
so you you're taking it to the All Stars. I
mean we watched what Sunshine did over there, which you know,
(35:19):
he's he's doing great. I think that you know, with
Grant sliding over there doing a little bit, I mean,
the All Stars are going to have a pretty pretty
badass package over there, which is which is going to
be pretty exciting. Yeah. I think Tony's worked really really
hard to get the All Stars where they are. Um,
(35:42):
you know, he puts a lot of effort into it.
And obviously you know the Outlaws are the are the
top you know wing team. Um, but I think Tony
has a really good close second and uh, you know,
I just I gotta go where the money's at. Playing simple, Um,
go back to talking about it, you know, racing for
a living and um, it's just yeah, you're not gonna
(36:07):
live the I'm not going to live the life I
want to live, you know, just racing midgets and non
win cars like we did. UM, So I just kind
of have to, you know. I feel like it's kind
of everybody's route here lately is trying to make more
money doing what we love to do, and wing racing
just seems to be the route that everybody's going. Um.
(36:29):
And once again not taking anything away from USACK, like
you said, it's just um USACK is such a big
sanctioned you know series that. UM. I wish we could
race for more and it would be a lot easier
to stay around all the time. UM, But some people
gotta gotta jump and go when when they when the
(36:50):
opportunities prevail. Well, I think we're getting ready to wrap up.
But one thing that I want to tell you, don't
lose your interview skills, because after you one, I was
like my man as I clearly didn't. I mean I
knew who you were, and you know, I've watched your
race a lot, and uh, and I love it. I
mean that is that is the most fun when you
(37:12):
see somebody come out and they're that energized and that entered,
I mean just ready to rip, you know and let
it lay it all about to pass out. Was later, Yeah,
drunk was being later, but I'll drop to pass out.
When I went across the flag stand, I just grabbed
my string well out of the trailer and it's bent like.
(37:34):
I don't know why, but I think I grabbed it
so hard and pushed down because I was so just
pumped up. I mean, the whole thing is just like
an opposite dish wheel just out. That's great, great, And
you definitely put Gary's motor to the test. I know you.
You tried to kill it, but it was still running
when you shut it off. So I'm sure Gary will
(37:55):
go in there and take a look at the valve
train and that when it probably needs a little massaging.
Right that. Let me tell you that things staying in there.
I told Gary, I said, I text Gary. I said hey, Gary,
I told him, thank you, you you know, and went on
and I said, hey, by the way, I'm sorry about
the motor, and he said, you win that race, you
do whatever you want. I was like cool, I said,
(38:17):
by the way, we need to talk about this motor
because I don't think it's coming out of this car.
He said, okay, well let's figure it out. So um yeah, man,
it's uh surreal feeling. And you know, I got a
lot of great people that are behind me, with Factor King, Shocks,
Mike Chassis's staying, SR Levin a L Drive Lines, um
(38:38):
Amy Electrical, just all of our guys, Um Brown and
Miller Bradbury Company. They came on board this week on
Casey's car and then also online. And you know, just
a lot of great people and chemistry is everything when
it comes down to having success, and I just can't
thank all my guys enough for it. Well, you said
(39:00):
it just a few moments ago that you want to
you want to dig hard and you want to be
the best. Well, you, my friend, as it stands right now.
You know, if you win the USACK National Midget Championship,
somebody might argue there's some other players and some other
sanctioning bodies, but when three eight one of them show
up and it's a record number of entries, you, my friend,
are the absolute best and the planet as it stands
(39:23):
right now today, congratulations. Yeah, thank you guys, and thanks
for all the support and um you know, hopefully we
can get back on here and talk to you guys
here soon. Awesome. Tanner Thorston with US here on the
Skinny an exciting moment. Thanks for the memories. It was
a pleasure to watch you do what you do man
so much fun. Thanks for watching. We'll see in the
(39:44):
next episode. Thanks for being with us here on the Skinny.
This episode has been brought to you by so hoy Yota.
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