NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- When Ty Fredrickson climbed out of his No. 36 Super Late Model after qualifying for the Clyde Hart Memorial at New Smyrna Speedway on Tuesday, he was astounded at some of the names behind him in the running order.
His time of 17.836 was better than that of defending ARCA Menards Series East champion William Sawalich, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series veteran Ty Majeski and 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott. It also secured him a starting position of sixth amidst the impressive, 32-car field.
Although the 200-lap feature did not unfold the way he wanted, Fredrickson found some satisfaction with the speed he displayed against so many talented drivers, which served as another solid chapter in his debut World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing appearance.
“I kind of impressed myself with that [qualifying run],” he said. “We fell back early, and then someone checked up in front of me, and I made contact with him, which really put us back. We battled back with some damage only to have a tire go down at the end.”
Like many drivers currently competing in NASCAR’s top ranks, Fredrickson's love for racing started by watching his father Dan Fredrickson compete at tracks around the Midwest.
Dan emerged as one of the most consistent short-track competitors from his region during the 2000s and 2010s. On a national level, Dan found his stride with the ASA Midwest Tour with a resume that includes 15 victories and two championships in 2008 and 2013.
The catalyst that jumpstarted Dan’s career was the World Series of Asphalt in 2001. When a fellow midwestern driver had to pull out of the Limited Late Model class at the last minute, Dan ended up contacting his team about driving the car for the full week at New Smyrna.
What both sides ended up agreeing on was that Dan would drive for them full-time in the NASCAR Midwest Series that year if he won at least one race.
The deal was nearly immediately reneged when Dan was involved in a hard crash just five laps into the first Limited Late Model feature. Both sides refused to give up that early, and a long process commenced to get Dan’s car back to race-winning form.
By the end of the week, Dan had his World Series of Asphalt victory and a guaranteed ride in the NASCAR Midwest Series.
Seeing Ty in a similar-yet-different position over two decades later is a full-circle moment for Dan. Ty already has a full season lined up in the ASA Midwest Tour, but Dan said a full week at New Smyrna, competing in several types of Super Late Model races, is only going to bolster his son’s long-term development.
“I can’t really think of a better place to put [Ty] through the wringer of the grind,” Dan said. “It’s a great deal with sprint races, and then you have a 200-lapper with pit stops. With 47 of the best cars from the U.S. and Canada, Ty timed in sixth, so I’m very happy with him.”
[caption id="attachment_420398" align="alignnone" width="1300"]Ty also had the benefit of entering the World Series of Asphalt already battle-tested. He earned a third-place finish in just his second ASA Midwest Tour appearance at 14 years old during the Oktoberfest 200 before embarking on his first All American 400 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.
None of those milestones would have been possible for Ty without Dan constantly being in his ear teaching him all the fundamentals of being successful both on and off the track.
“I raced Legends cars before [Super Late Models], which are about twice the size with twice the horsepower,” Ty said. “You’re going to bigger tracks with a lot more cars, but [my dad] has been teaching me setups, along with dealing with media and how to earn respect.”
Dan particularly saw the maturity of his son following an incident with Matt Craig that ended up knocking Ty out of the Clyde Hart Memorial.
The first thing Ty did when he and Dan returned to New Smyrna the following morning was reach out to Craig and show him his in-car video of the accident. While Craig was not upset over what happened, the initiative Ty took to have a formal discussion on the manner helped him garner respect from a Super Late Model veteran at such a young age.
Staying on good terms with the competition is something Dan has repeatedly told to Ty since he started competing, but he made sure to emphasize that point ahead of a long week of racing in World Series of Asphalt.
“Don’t make any enemies,” Dan said. “That’s the biggest thing when you get [to New Smyrna]. Some of these guys are mad at each other the first night. That’s kind of like pissing off your roommate when you have to live with them for a week. It doesn’t make any sense, but [Ty] has done a great job.”
By teaching his son to be clean instead of overly aggressive, Dan believes he is setting Ty up to be a draw for potential sponsors that are needed to continue funding their Super Late Model program.
Dan has done everything possible to ensure Ty can keep thriving behind the wheel, which is why he has been impressed by the knowledge Ty is picking up on his own. If he can maintain a headstrong but composed mindset, Dan believes Ty can become a driver capable of one day racing on Sundays.
[caption id="attachment_420399" align="alignnone" width="1300"]Despite this, the only top 10 Ty has scored so far at New Smyrna came during the Wednesday feature, which Dan anticipated given his son’s inexperience and the quality of the fields. Dan hopes Ty can take part in the World Series of Asphalt again next year and apply the knowledge accumulated from the long week and through a busy 2024 campaign.
“[Ty] is in the hardest class, and the competition is massive,” Dan said. “You’ve got all the mega teams here, but if he could win one, it would be pretty unbelievable experience. He’s got the talent, but he’s still pretty young in his career, and I’m just happy with where he’s at.”
Ty's first World Series of Asphalt has been every bit the obstacle he envisioned it would be. He has grinded for every position on track no matter the race length yet has stayed true to his principles by keeping his car clean and avoiding any unnecessary conflict.
Every night at New Smyrna has taught Ty so much about himself and what he needs to improve his consistency. If he gets the chance to come back in 2025, Ty knows he can use that knowledge to join so many other notable names that have a World Series of Asphalt victory.
“This week is all about making it through and learning a bunch of stuff,” he said. “Most of the Cup guys have come here in a Super Late Model at my age, younger or older. The World Series of Asphalt is just super important for a young driver’s career.”
Outqualifying the titans of Super Late Model racing in the Clyde Hart Memorial was a huge moment for Ty during the biggest week of his brief career. The next milestone on his agenda is to usurp all of them and earn his first Super Late Model victory.