One year after bagging the 500 Sprint Car Tour Championship, Tyler Roahrig put together another season full of success that included multiple wins in Outlaw Super Late Models and a season-ending win with the 500 Sprint Car Tour at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. The season of success, however, has one shortcoming that Roahrig says he'll focus on again in 2025.
Operating out of his shop in Plymouth, Indiana, Roahrig and his team including father JR Roahrig and Car Chief Evan Jackson, built and maintained a USAC Silver Crown Car owned by Washington's, Mike Newman. The goal for 2024 was to run all of the scheduled pavement shows on the Silver Crown schedule and capture Roahrig's first career USAC win, but mechanical issues and unforeseen circumstances continued to plague the team right up until the final show on Saturday night.
"We planned to run all the pavement races this year, but man we've had a monkey on our back with that car," Roahrig explained. "Saturday night we were really really good. We qualified third behind Kody Swanson and Bobby Santos - we got rolling in the race and before I know it Bobby and I were side-by-side for the lead when the yellow flag came out and we dropped out under that yellow, unfortunately."
Roahrig says that the entire 2024 season has been about developing the program and getting closer to his first USAC win. The season began with optimism at Toledo Speedway where Roahrig finished third. Since then, the team has struggled to find consistent speed.
"It's a different world today with quality of material and parts," Roahrig said when asked about developing the one-car team. "These are high-performance race cars and you're asking a lot out of them. If stuff isn't made right, it isn't going to last, unfortunately. That's just the way it goes - we try to do stuff that isn't the same as everybody else around here; it's just some growing pains."
The growing pains mentioned in 2024 could be what sets Roahrig up for a successful 2025 pavement campaign with the Champ Cars. Roahrig says he believes he has the best help and the best team to accomplish his goals in 2025
"That's what we're planning on doing - I have to get that USAC win," Roahrig said when asked if he would race the USAC Silver Crown pavement shows again in 2025.
Story - Zach Hiser
Photo - Koty Geyer, KG Media
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