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2005:
A Spiess Odyssey
Just ask Steve Spiess and he’ll tell you the coolest thing about the 2005 Hooters IHRA season is having a nickname bestowed upon the Chevrolet Cobalt that he drives in the Torco Race Fuels Pro Stock division. The 50-year-old construction magnate from Manhattan, Ill., considers references to his doorslammer as the “Spiess Shuttle” as not only a term of endearment but also an accurate description of just exactly how every starting-line launch is a lift-off to frontiers never before explored.
Had it not have been for a holeshot by his opponent during a qualifying session, Spiess would have been the first Pro Stock pilot to venture into the vaunted 6.30-range during IHRA national event competition. But, hey, who cares about reaction times during qualifying? These days Spiess just dumps the clutch and lets the accolades come as they may. This is all uncharted territory for the guy who answers to the nickname “Speed Racer.” It’s important to note that Spiess went from being a driver who was thrilled when he advanced to the second round during eliminations to a driver who was expected to make final rounds on a consistent basis. “For years, I was just excited to qualify,” Spiess said.
“If I won a round I was ecstatic. Once Jon Kaase started building
our engines, we made immediate gains. I anticipated improved performance,
but never at this level. You always dream of winning a championship, but
you never think those kinds of things will happen to you. Taking the title
was on the back-burner so far in my mind that I never equated it with
reality. a d v e r t i s e m e n t
“I’m still numb about it and I don’t think it will really set in until I’m at the awards banquet in my tuxedo. I think the scariest part is that I have to speak in front of thousands of people instead of having a tape recorder shoved in my face.” Spiess claims the turning point in the 2005 season, and in his career, came during the IHRA season-opener in San Antonio, Texas. It was at this race that he debuted one of the new Chevrolet Hemi motors. When the motor initially didn’t live up to his expectations, he returned it to Kaase. After a little tweaking at the hand of the master, the engine ran better than he ever imagined it could. “That was the turning point, for sure,” Spiess said. “We also took delivery of a new car from Rick Jones around that time, and the car and engine complimented one another perfectly.” Spiess admitted there was a time when he came to the races as a “zombie” and didn’t pay much attention to detail. “I was going through a divorce at the time and we weren’t doing all that well at the track,” Spiess said. “I was just going through the motions. This season my spirits have been lifted greatly - I’d be remiss if I didn’t admit that this has been the best year of my life.” Through the tough times, Spiess never let the depression overshadow the reason he was out there – to have fun. Even crashing three cars since his rookie year in 1994 couldn’t convince him to quit, although he did border on it in 1999. “I crashed in my first year, then in 1999 and about two seasons
ago in Rockingham,” Spiess said. “Greg Moser came to me and
offered one of his cars, an Oldsmobile Cutlass. I told him then that I
was though and I had endured all the fun I thought I could handle. By
the time I got home - 14 hours later - I called him and told him that
I would come and get it.” a
d v e r t i s e m e n t
In retrospect, Spiess said that even though he figured that he’d had about as much fun as he could stand in 1999, it was the thought of being part-owner in Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois, and not being able to use the track that brought him back around. If there was a point in time when the competitive fire began to burn brightly for Spiess, it was back in April when he won his second national event after a five year absence from the winner’s circle. Spiess has seen drivers rise to a position of dominance in a class and run away with championships much like he did in 2005, only to fall off the pace in ensuing years. Does he fear losing the edge? “Once we got ahead of Robert Patrick in the points battle, it became more of a concern,” Spiess said. “I began to wonder when it was all going to end. I just wondered when we were going to return to the way things used to be. That stayed on my mind until the championship was clinched. I think next year that is going to be on my mind a lot. “We are not going to slow up one bit and I am going to continue to test like we did before. We are going to hit it hard and do our best to win back-to-back championships.” Spiess is not so naïve to think that there isn’t a driver in the class that doesn’t want to cut his head off. It wasn’t so long ago that he was on the other side of the fence. He knows how to play the game. “They’re all gunning for us, that’s for sure. Some are envious that we’ve found something that works very well,” Spiess said. “I would be the same way toward someone who found something that works. Our consistency baffles everyone. I never abandoned a qualifying run except for one in Edmonton. We have just been consistent. “Everyone knows I like to stage first and you saw a lot of drivers
in the Pro Stock Showdown at Budds Creek trying to stage first. They were
trying to force me out of my rhythm. I don’t cut the best lights,
but I think I have more than enough horsepower to make up the difference.
I just don’t want to red-light or do something silly. They want
to beat me and I understand that. It’s just a part of racing.” a
d v e r t i s e m e n t What is also a part of racing is superstition. Spiess admittedly isn’t superstitious, but he does wear a particular shirt bearing the likeness of the popular cartoon character Speed Racer. He does it not out of fear of being unlucky, but more out of fear of his significant other. In fact, it’s not exactly fear – it’s more like appeasement.
“My girlfriend Bridgett is always buying me t-shirts and I have another friend here in town who calls me Speed Racer,” Spiess said. “The next thing I know she told me I had to wear it and I made it to the finals. I am not a superstitious guy but ever since then she’s made me wear it. “One week I didn’t wear it and still made the finals. I wear it more to appease her than to be superstitious. She’s good at giving me the business. She’s Irish.” Spiess isn’t exactly a man who thrives on confrontation and while he isn’t shy, he’s one that enjoys the company of others. If he gets to know you, he will talk your ear off. Or, he’ll be that shoulder to cry on. Such is a quality not expressed by many drag racers, or admitted to for that matter. “I’m a quiet person,” Spiess said. “But I think a lot of people have already figured that out. I’m a great listener if someone has a problem. I like to consider myself reserved and very observant. That’s how I run my contracting business. I try to never badmouth anyone that I bid against for jobs. The last few years I’ve changed my outlook on life a lot. I try to look for the good in things instead of the bad in situations or people. Just watching [Funny Car racer] Mark Thomas provides a great example.” If Spiess has one thing working in his favor it’s continuity. He admits that turnover on his business is minimal and the same holds true for his racing. Jason Beem first met Spiess through a friendship with his son. Ever since Spiess has been racing, Beem’s been a presence in his pit area. He’s also recently added Mike Vinezeano to the mix. Spiess also had a special relationship with veteran axle manufacturer Greg Moser and his wife Marianne. The Mosers died in a plane crash in 2003. Spiess can’t help but think his longtime sponsor would have been having the time of his life this year. “I wish to heck that he was still alive because he would be loving this,” Spiess said. “We had a great relationship and an incredible friendship.” Spiess knows that life and racing are an incredible gamble. Just to think, he found drag racing to get away from his previous hobby – gambling. He doesn’t see himself as a rich man, but one who lives comfortably. Spiess will tell you that he works for every dime he gets. “Lee Edwards, my old engine builder, once told me, ‘Steve, I know many multi-millionaires that are just millionaires because of this Pro Stock racing,” Spiess said. “I’ve always had that in the back of my mind and I really have no idea just how much I spent over the years racing. It’s something I like to do. Before I started doing this I used to go to Vegas every other week. “I was lucky for a long time and then my fortunes changed. I finally
started racing and at least by doing that I had something to show for
the money I was spending.” Got a comment? Drop a line at Feedback. |
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© Competitionplus 2005
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