RYAN LITT

Kevin Striegle of FFR

conducted an interview with the

rising AVSS star Ryan Litt...

Driver Tidbits:
Name: Ryan Litt
DOB: March 3, 1987
Height: 5'9
Weight: 135
Birthplace: London Ontario, Canada
Residence: Lyons Ontario, Canada
Hobbies: Radio Controlled Cars, ATVs, Snowmobiles, Muscle Cars, Music, Sports, Video Games
Aspirations: Win as many races as possible & drive in the IRL series.

Ryan's Favorites:

Racetrack: Berlin Raceway
Type of Music: Rock
Bands: AC/DC, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, Metallica, Godsmack
TV Show: That 70's Show
Food: Chicken
Sport other then Racing: Hockey
Movies: Pearl Harbor, Detroit Rock City, Tommy Boy
Actors: Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, Will Ferrell
Actress: Pam Anderson, Hale Barry, Angelina Jolie
Car: Camaro
Driver: Tony Stewart
Color: Orange & Black


Ryan, talk about how you got your start into racing:

Well both my grandfather and father were involved in racing, as drivers and mechanics. I have been around the track before I can even remember. I had always watched racing on tv, and at the local dirt tracks and expressed interest in driving. One day a family friend who owned a Jr. Dragster asked if I would like to race for his son who couldn't make it. To make a long story short, I said yes, and ended up finishing 2nd, to an 18 year old. I was 6 at the time. From their, I raced quarter midgets on local dirt tracks, and indoors in Buffalo, NY. Then continued on up the latter.

What would make your career in racing successful in your mind:

In my mind I would feel as if I had a successful racing career if I knew I
did the best I could at every race given the circumstances. Of course I
would like to say if I made it to Indy I would feel successful, but just to
race sprint cars in front of thousands of people is really gratifying for
me. Sprint cars are my favorite type of racecar, and I'm living out a dream by racing them, so if racing doesn't take me any farther, I am still going to be proud of myself for what I have done and am going to do in them.

What is the biggest key to success that you've found in racing:

I would have to say the biggest key to success in racing is having a good car and crew behind you. A driver can only make the car do so much, without the proper equipment, and proper setup you aren't going to find success often. I also would say for me personally having a positive attitude, and determination can lead to success. It's very easy to get down when your having a bad night or something isn't going right, you just have to stay positive and be determined to drive your butt off no matter what's going on around you. I guess you have to take the highs with the lows.

You've driven many different types of cars since you started into racing. What's been your favorite series to compete in:

As far as racing goes, where I am at right now is pretty cool. A 1500 pound car with 850 horsepower, and lots of downforce gives you an awesome feeling. So I would say the winged 410 sprint cars are probably my favorite series, but I also enjoy running non wing sprint cars, and I really had a lot of fun driving focus midgets on the dirt, that was a blast. I miss the dirt quite a bit, hopefully I will get to run it again in the future.

What is the biggest wreck that you've been involved in, and what do you remember of it:

The biggest wreck I was involved in was the mid point of last season. It
happened at Baer Field Speedway in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It was in the 1st set of hot laps. We were really quick too so it was a shame. What happened was I was coming out of turn 4, there was a rookie in front of me, (it just so happened it was his first time in a sprint car) and then in front of him was a slow car who had just scuffed his tires in and was waiting for the session to be done. I was up high, coming down on these guys really fast. The minute I got to them the rookie driver pulled out to pass the slow car on the inside. At this point I was up against the wall so I had no where to go and I was probably going 30mph faster. My left front caught his right rear and my car sailed from just after the start finish line, over the banking and into the grass area, where it landed on the left rear corner, did some flips and came to rest right side up a foot away from the woods.

The car was pretty tore up. I felt fine and was trying to get in someone
else's car for the night. It was the few days after I was feeling sore. My
head hurt really bad for about a week and I had headaches every day. My neck and back were sore too.

On a personal note, what do you most enjoy to do when your not racing:

The last couple of years I have really got into fitness, running and weight
lifting. Over the winter I work out 4 days a week. I love to run to, so I
try to keep in good shape in the downtime I have. In the summer though when I'm not racing I like to cruise in my Camaro, catch a movie or two with friends, go quading, swim, relax on the beach, and go camping. Basically just get away from work, haha.

Finally Ryan, how much do the fans mean to you and their support of you and your racing career as a professional driver:

The fans are a huge part of motorsports, after all it is just as much
entertainment as it is sport. Without them racing wouldn't be anything. I
really love meeting fans after the races and talking, its really neat to
meet a first timer, who has never watched sprint cars before. They are
always fun to talk to and always in shock we go 2 or 3 seconds faster then their normal classes of cars that race on there track weekly. Plus when their is 10,000 people in the stands watching, it makes the stakes higher, and the win even sweeter.

- - -

Be sure to cheer for Ryan Litt

when he comes to your local shortrack!

Please do not re-publish this interview without permission from FFR staff. Thank you!

In the end...Ryan found himself in victory lane! Congrats buddy!