Austin Kirkpatrick

[Phillip Michael Knight]

Takes the win at Cherokee Speedway in the Carolina Clash Super Late Model Series.

The talk of the track though after the race, was the homemade built car that Kirkpatrick won with. Nobody had anything for him!

[B_K]

He probably had the best car at Smoky Mtn the night before too.

[billetbirdcage]

A big congrads to Austin (dumbass - inside joke)

The racing world needs more of this, where a guy uses his brain, ingenuity, and talent to show you don't have to buy your speed and that "the little guy" can compete if he has the drive and determination to chase what he desires.

[ZERO25]

That Sonnys sweet sauce starting to pay off! :)

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

That Sonnys sweet sauce starting to pay off! :)

Is it good tar prep?

[ZERO25]

Is it good tar prep?

Shhhhhhhh, dont tell anyone thats his new speed secret!

[Rajflyboy]

It was really sweet baby rays

[Barbecueboy]

Shhhhhhhh, dont tell anyone thats his new speed secret!

I saw that Austin drove for snow brothers racing a little bit.....didn't realize that.

Any chance you've got any epj/snow brothers car pics laying around? Wouldn't mind checking them out if available.

[dirtfan22]

Spot on Billy! If Marlar had not took his line away, he would have won two this weekend!

[zyoung25]

It's cool to see someone small time win, but man is that car ugly.

[NeedforLMspeed]

Anyone know what he has under the hood?

[b1eagle]

There is no tire prep that good.That car and driver was on a rail.Give the kid credit.I never heard of him.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Anyone know what he has under the hood?

I think I recall him saying he recently put a Clements in it, in his victory lane interview.

[Tarheelsc]

I believe he has an engineering degree. Got to be a smart guy with practical knowledge. He had the car at Cherokee during the short track super series northeast modified race and the track allowed him to run practice laps during the evening, so he has been working on it and making it faster.

[Wells Racing Photos]

Everytime we are at the same track, he'll ask to see photos of his car from hotlaps after the session if he sees me. He's pretty smart and a pretty good dude to boot.

[nc mudcat]

He should be the talk of the town. That car was bad fast, and the driver did a great job, even though he was humble enough to not take credit for the driving part. He never lost his cool or his rhythm, and job got the job done against one of the best in the business. He deserves a lot of praise for this performance. Are the T-shirts out yet?

[Hustle2win]

There will be a lot of eyes on this car now.Take it as a compliment mr Kirkpatrick.Fans,racers,tech officials,will all say "man he has figured something out".Yes he has figured something out it's called hard work.Congrats to you sir.

[thexfactor0210]

Honestly this is one of the biggest stories of the year in late model racing in my opinion. An underfunded guy who designs his own chassis in his garage comes to Cherokee and dominates some stout drivers, including one of the top three drivers of the year in Brandon Overton. I wish we would see him run more. I asked him when his next race is and he said Magnolia in a couple weeks for their big race.

[MRM]

He probably had the best car at Smoky Mtn the night before too.

Yeah, I think if he hadn't started as far back as he did, he would have won that race too.

[racincowboy02]

If yall watched the race on speed 51 or where there in person did yall notice the rear of the car and how low to the ground it was. I couldn't get over how easy it looked for him to drive that car in the corners. To me it looked like the rear end would move instead of how a late model typically enters the corner and the left rear jack up transfer all of the weight to the right rear.

Whatever he has figured out is pretty freaking cool. Yea he was at that race and he was there a couple of other times getting some practice in after the races were over

[Jking24]

The car has shown a ton of speed whenever it's been out for nearly two years now this weekend was no surprise to those know what their looking at

[racincowboy02]

I just thought the rear of the car was different especially from anything that i have ever seen. I guess it just goes to show old fashion hard work and determination can work in the world of dirt late models. I loved in the interview that he said he could drive it 1 handed through the corners i thought that spoke volumes on how the car worked

That was only his 2nd race in the car right he raced at Smoky Mtn and then Cherokee right

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

I just thought the rear of the car was different especially from anything that i have ever seen. I guess it just goes to show old fashion hard work and determination can work in the world of dirt late models. I loved in the interview that he said he could drive it 1 handed through the corners i thought that spoke volumes on how the car worked

That was only his 2nd race in the car right he raced at Smoky Mtn and then Cherokee right

It's been out a few times this year. Always had stuff break. I know he won a heat at Cherokee earlier this year.

[TS FAN]

IMO this is still the story of the year. Anybody that couldn't cheer this young man accomplishment, is not a real DML fan. Here is hoping that all of us appreciate what transpired. Saw the race, saw the interview. Great night all the way around

[formercrewguy]

Innovation is what makes racing great!!

[TerryM]

IMO this is still the story of the year. Anybody that couldn't cheer this young man accomplishment, is not a real DML fan. Here is hoping that all of us appreciate what transpired. Saw the race, saw the interview. Great night all the way around
That's exactly what I posted on his Facebook page. He's right up ttere with that Larson guy for DLM story of the year.

[racincowboy02]

Terry M and TS Fan I couldn't agree more with what yall are saying

[bb14]

rumor is this car is a little different. radiator placement and shock placement. heard he had a lever that allowed him to move the body laterally earlier this year and was told to remove it.

i wasn’t there and didn’t see it but drivers are talking about it. still a great story.

anyone talking about the new longhorn rear shock location?

[weatherman85]

My fear is that the larger chassis builders get together and pick it apart to the point were they outlaw the innovation if it is radically different.

I know an instance a few years back (5-6) I think were a driver ran a custom built engine in one of the regional Limited series that used a ton of after market parts that put the engine in the range of $7,000-$8,000. A lot of the bigger local engine builders protested saying it would kill their business if other drivers went to it because they had so much invested already to build the more expensive engines. They ended up not allowing the cheaper engine being ran.

Hope something similar doesn't come of this deal.

[racincowboy02]

Wouldn't it be kind of funny if the bigger chassis brands tried to mimic his design or copied his design? I tell you one thing that is for sure the kid is smarter than your average bear so to speak. My only question about this whole 2 year process is why if he is from florida would he travel all the way to Cherokee to test a couple of times this year instead of finding tracks down that way from FL and the bottom or GA to test on

[billetbirdcage]

Wouldn't it be kind of funny if the bigger chassis brands tried to mimic his design or copied his design? I tell you one thing that is for sure the kid is smarter than your average bear so to speak. My only question about this whole 2 year process is why if he is from florida would he travel all the way to Cherokee to test a couple of times this year instead of finding tracks down that way from FL and the bottom or GA to test on

He doesn't live in Florida anymore he is close to Charlotte now, I assume they just haven't updated his home town

[Waldo]

Hitmanracingsuspension.com

[Waldo]

Then go to company Bio....good read.

[Waldo]

I read on facebook that Kirkpatrick was a Nasa Engineer in Florida. If this is true, then all I can say is here he comes.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

I read on facebook that Kirkpatrick was a Nasa Engineer in Florida. If this is true, then all I can say is here he comes.

Yeah. Car drives itself with a missle guidance system.

[NeedforLMspeed]

I didn't know spaceship technology can be adapted over to a DLM. Is that like a 10 link suspension with 3 Clements...

[grt74]

Yeah. Car drives itself with a missle guidance system.

I'm proud for him, but if i were him dam if i would show all of my cards, that way it will last for awhile, that thing was fast in the dam dust

[Waldo]

YETI....coolers.......designed by 2 former NASA employees........Ice never Melts.
Kirkpatrick.......aka.......Iceman.........former Nasa employee......

[Waldo]

Need for speed, what you didn't know was that technology could be adapted over to a DLM, by someone other than you Know...........

[ZERO25]

Hitmanracingsuspension.com

Yep, nobody has mentioned him!

Trey's from my neck of the woods, and a pretty sharp shock builder!

We have worked on the same teams a couple of times.

[ZERO25]

I saw that Austin drove for snow brothers racing a little bit.....didn't realize that.

Any chance you've got any epj/snow brothers car pics laying around? Wouldn't mind checking them out if available.

Theres one floating around FB of his original 1993 car that he hit the wall at GIS and destroyed it (our first shot at a Havatampa race)!

I wish there was some pics of the 1994 car that he finished 4th at GIS in our second Havatampa race!

[Waldo]

I just noticed Kirkpatrick this year ZERO 25, ...........about 2 or 3 months ago we had a discussion on her about the looks of his car at a race I was at Cherokee. I thought his car looked different than all the rest. Then, when it was said he built the car his self, it all made sense to me. Good for someone doing something on their own. How cool is that.

[Waldo]

Hitmanracingsuspension.com

[ZERO25]

Yep, he 's a pretty good dude.

Even though his family is well off, they havent spoiled him and made him earn his way!

[Rajflyboy]

Creativity in racing. What an awesome concept 👍👍👍

[Waldo]

So tell me this for real Zero25...He won that race at Cherokee with a Kirkpatrick....................................... .................................................. .car?

[ZERO25]

So tell me this for real Zero25...He won that race at Cherokee with a Kirkpatrick....................................... .................................................. .car?

Im sure its a collaboration of ideas from several cars.

He's been to Snow Bros many times and seen their jig plus when Trey was at JRI he built shocks for some of the top teams!

[Waldo]

OK man, thanks..

[Barbecueboy]

Yep, he 's a pretty good dude.

Even though his family is well off, they havent spoiled him and made him earn his way!

That's normally always a recipe for success.....good for him and them.

I'll keep supporting them a bottle of sweet sauce at a time from SAMs club, it's a cool story.

[Burke1118]

Im sure its a collaboration of ideas from several cars. He's been to Snow Bros many times and seen their jig plus when Trey was at JRI he built shocks for some of the top teams!Lol yeah I’m sure a NASA engineer copied the snow brothers

[zerolm]

Im sure its a collaboration of ideas from several cars.

He's been to Snow Bros many times and seen their jig plus when Trey was at JRI he built shocks for some of the top teams!

This is the closest I have seen anywhere to the real truth. Definitely pretty much a snow brothers copy with the exception of the center section which is a carbon monocoque painted to look exactly like normal interior tin. How do I know this? You would be really, really surprised what type of accurate information you can overhear at the bar of your local Sonny's bbq.

[crownman25]

didnt someone say he didnt even have a chassis jig and built it oN a concrete floor back in florida a few years back was the tale if I REMEMBER CORRECTLY..

[crownman25]

Alot of it is the motor it had a good power band the peaked out before the end on the straight and he would get right back on the gas , some motors go off down into the corner like a run away freight train...good ole speed51 must have had the mic right next to the track...

[Hustle2win]

Alot of it is the motor it had a good power band the peaked out before the end on the straight and he would get right back on the gas , some motors go off down into the corner like a run away freight train...good ole speed51 must have had the mic right next to the track...I kindly have to disagree.That was handling 101.That car was made fast in the garage through hard work not just throwing a engine in it.

[Dirt Racing #1]

I’ve watched many many races this yearNo one has drove thru turns like Kirkpatrick did at the ClashPretty impressive

[ZERO25]

Lol yeah I’m sure a NASA engineer copied the snow brothers

Ummmmm, their latest version is copied from a Longhorn and has been to Zeta's for some fine tuning!

[Dirt Racing #1]

Give the guy some credit Every chassis had copied in some sort of matter. Not totally to spec but ideas of the chassis etc I’m sure the bloomer chassis was sort copied like a warrior chassis etc

[Burke1118]

@zero25 WOW! Glad they copied the same car warrior, black diamond, rocket, club 29, Moyer and everyone else copied! Should be a real standout success!

[nc mudcat]

Good motor, you bet. But that was a handling clinic.

[johnE]

I wonder if $100K would buy that chassis? $200K?

I’ve never seen a fast cornering car with so little lean.

[NeedforLMspeed]

Maybe Cody and Bloomers could hire him.

[billetbirdcage]

Not for sale, least til this happens

https://i.imgur.com/Z6zb8jV.png

[ZERO25]

@zero25 WOW! Glad they copied the same car warrior, black diamond, rocket, club 29, Moyer and everyone else copied! Should be a real standout success!


Musta been a heckuva copy, that no one else has!

[nc mudcat]

Where is this car and driver now? Has he raced since this win? Would love to see him at Cherokee for the WoO.

[racincowboy02]

Mudcat that was what i was about to ask. Surely he has been racing with some of the other series that are around ill do some digging and see what i can come up with

[thexfactor0210]

He was scheduled to be at Magnolia this past weekend until they rained out. I imagine he will be at Cherokee on Friday.

[billetbirdcage]

Mudcat that was what i was about to ask. Surely he has been racing with some of the other series that are around ill do some digging and see what i can come up with

He hasn't raced since Cherokee

[racincowboy02]

I have looked through the series that run around here Ultimate, Carolina Clash and Southern All Stars and I have only found 3 races he has competed in this year 5-30 @ Cherokee finished 6th, 6-13 Friendship finished 23rd, 9-6 Cherokee and he won that race. I would probably go out on a limb and say he will probably be at Cherokee this weekend but i don't know that to be 100% true

[Highside Hustler25]

Wow, this one slipped by me. Just watched video of the race. That was a serious spanking. If every thing he says about the car is true, I gotta agree with ya's. Definitely the top DLM story of the year.
If he runs a Lucas or WoO event, will they dissect the car piece by piece? WoO surely will discover tainted tires if he wins.

[racincowboy02]

I think that if he was to win a Lucas or Woo race they would dissect that thing and try their very best to find something wrong with it. If they don't then they will dissect it for the other chassis builders to look at maybe

[0cents]

I am pretty sure he ran some Lucas shows earlier in the year with it and they asked him to not bring it back to their shows but I could be wrong on that.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

I am pretty sure he ran some Lucas shows earlier in the year with it and they asked him to not bring it back to their shows but I could be wrong on that.

The car has not been at a Lucas event.

[racerx99]

Innovation is awesome... If u say there some carbon fiber anywhere round the chassis build, you know the sanction bodies are gonna get rid off it.... My question just for me..if true carbon fiber used in the construction how does the cost of completed chassis compare to all tube chassis?? (POST#52)

[Rajflyboy]

Innovation is awesome... If u say there some carbon fiber anywhere round the chassis build, you know the sanction bodies are gonna get rid off it.... My question just for me..if true carbon fiber used in the construction how does the cost of completed chassis compare to all tube chassis?? (POST#52)👍 innovation makes the dirt late model racing what it has been. I hope sanctioning bodies will continue to allow it.

[GRT32]

he ran 2nd at smokey mtn the night before he won gaffney, prolly had the fastest car there.

[NeedforLMspeed]

he ran 2nd at smokey mtn the night before he won gaffney, prolly had the fastest car there.

From 10th on a track that there wasn't much passing on I believe for the most part. Even Marlar was kinda surprised.

[Barbecueboy]

If he spanks them, you know for sure the woo-tang clan will say he did not meet benchmark ......should be interesting.

Would be cool to see him win it by a straightaway.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

If he spanks them, you know for sure the woo-tang clan will say he did not meet benchmark ......should be interesting.

Would be cool to see him win it by a straightaway.

They may not let it get that far.

[Barbecueboy]

They may not let it get that far.

I know.....wish they weren't so scared of outside competition.

And I'm not talking about the woo drivers being scared.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

I know.....wish they weren't so scared of outside competition.

And I'm not talking about the woo drivers being scared.

I follow you completely. I hope he whips them, but dang, I wish he'd have bragged on his driving and not his car. No need for a bullseye in this crooked sport.

[racerx99]

googled this guy....found some pics of the side of the car, without skin, that shows how the rear is set up..IM no technical person but it sure looks different then the other guys setups. (Fayetteville 2019) Might just be the hardware....?

[Mason87]

I'm watching just to see how he does tonight.

[Barbecueboy]

googled this guy....found some pics of the side of the car, without skin, that shows how the rear is set up..IM no technical person but it sure looks different then the other guys setups. (Fayetteville 2019) Might just be the hardware....?

Where was that at, would like to see it?

[NeedforLMspeed]

Was 5th in hotlaps pretty close to the top. Top ten in Group A qualifying. I think 7th. Can't remember.

[Rajflyboy]

He has shirts and hats at his hauler. AK Racing. They say....Why would you pay to play when you can change the game. I like his enthusiasm and his mysterious chassis. Somebody trying to shake things up a bit and step up the game. I applaud this guy and his crew for going for it 👍

[Dirt Racing #1]

He started fourth in second heat and finished 6th

[Dirt Racing #1]

Was 5th in hotlaps pretty close to the top. Top ten in Group A qualifying. I think 7th. Can't remember.I’m pretty sure he qualified eighth in group a. He started 4th in second heat

[Dirt Racing #1]

Kirkpatrick finished 5th in b main 1 Top 3 only transfer

[Nobody]

Sometimes with new prototype race cars, there are inherent issues or part problems. Last night there was a major unforeseen problem with a part. The crew is working feverishly to beat on, torque, manipulate and anything else they can think to do so to fix the nut behind the wheel and will make sure said nut wears his jock strap so he doesn't step on his. . . Well you get the idea.

AK commander

[nc mudcat]

The nut behind the wheel, although he took no credit at all for winning at Cherokee a month ago, can get the job done. To beat Overton at any track, much less at Cherokee, is quite a task, and the nut behind the wheel can't be too loose if he can get that job done. Even if he gets it done just once.

[Tarheelsc]

Austin said he changed the setup in the car from when he won at Cherokee, trying to make it faster. The car was bouncing in the corners. He said that he is going to put in back to where it was. I can tell you that Casey Shuman and another WoO official were looking under the car, specifically, on the left rear and were there for awhile.

[Barbecueboy]

Sometimes with new prototype race cars, there are inherent issues or part problems. Last night there was a major unforeseen problem with a part. The crew is working feverishly to beat on, torque, manipulate and anything else they can think to do so to fix the nut behind the wheel and will make sure said nut wears his jock strap so he doesn't step on his. . . Well you get the idea.

AK commander

Sometimes you feel like a nut , sometimes you don't......eat you a mounds candy bar and go kick their azz.

One of the coolest stories in dlm racing in a long time.

[Dirt Racing #1]

Does anyone know if Kirkpatrick will race at Cherokee again tonight or going to 411?