10/17/2022
The 2022 racing season was a big transition for Darin. Coming off a successful 4-year Micro Sprint career that included multiple track championships and 85 feature wins, including 34 wins in 2021, Darin made the jump to 410 Sprint Cars.
The goal of 2022 was to focus primarily on Attica Raceway Park and Fremont Speedway, and to gain experience while trying to improve every race. Today we learned that Darin has been named 410 Sprint Car Rookie of the Year with the AFCS Sprint Series, as well as 410 Rookie of the Year at Attica Raceway Park and Fremont Speedway!
Prior to the 2022 season, Darin received similar advice from many respected people in sprint car racing: To gain experience, you must finish the races. Darin understood and took the advice seriously. During the 2022 season, Darin finished nearly every race, dropping out of only a couple events and finished his rookie season with the same top wing and nose that he used to start the year! Darin steadily improved throughout 2022, gaining speed and moving forward.
From the driver:
I had an absolute blast in 2022. Nothing compares to the thrill and speed of a winged 410 Sprint Car! We went into this season knowing it was going to be tough. Very tough. Going from a Micro Sprint to a 410 is a big step, but the tracks we chose made it even more challenging. Attica and Fremont have such great weekly competitors and such a rich history of developing good racers. We knew that’s where we wanted to be, even if it meant getting our butts kicked for a while.
I feel like we made great strides throughout the year. I wanted to go out and be in control...to look like I belong. Coming into the year as a 15-year-old, it was important that the other drivers knew they could race me and trust that I’d keep my line. I feel like we accomplished that quickly. Early in the year, we struggled qualifying, and ran towards the back. Then slowly but surely, we got better and began starting up farther in the heats. As the year went on, we started transferring into most features straight through the heats. If we had to run a B-main, we finished up front. We got better and faster, and that was our goal.
I’m incredibly honored to win these Rookie of the Year awards. I have the utmost respect for the competitors at Attica and Fremont. Those tracks are tough, and those guys are good. My sponsors, family and supporters are what fuels this team and I’m extremely appreciative of their involvement. Thank you to all of them for allowing me the opportunity to race. Also, I need to thank Patrick Poor, Stevie Irwin, Joe Gaerte and Daniel Smith for their work and set-up help. I’m excited to begin working towards 2023! -Darin
Thank You to all of our 2022 Sponsors!
Slusarski Excavating & Paving, Inc.
Townline Variety Gas & Groceries - Clover Farm
Patrick and Kae Poor
Nathan Ackland Racing
Steve Harding
Keizer Racing Wheels
Hoosier Racing Tire
Impact Racing
Momentum Racing Suspensions
Integra Shocks
Diversified Machine, Inc. / DMI / BullDog Rears
Brite Nitez Litez
Berryman Racing
Kistler Engines & Racing Products
MSP Camera Mounts
