10/18/2018
RacinBoys
OCRS driver Shayla Waddell To semi-retire at Red Dirt Raceway
By John Lemon (Tulsa, OK) -- A bitter sweet day looms ahead this Saturday at the Red Dirt Raceway in Meeker Oklahoma for the running of the "Red Dirt Stand Off" as Tuttle's Shayla Waddell will compete as a full-time driver and car owner for the last time in a racing career that has spanned 18-years (2001-2018). Known as "The Princess" for her charismatic charm and good looks, Waddell does not call her last ride for 2018 a permanent retirement as she is leaving the door open for possible appearances in the future.
Giving special consideration to her personal values for the future which includes marrying long time partner and AMERI-FLEX / OCRS driver Shane Sellers in a couple of weeks, Waddell will simply unbuckle her safety harness for the last time as a regular driver and the team will be sold to Nick Newton Racing. Newton has been Waddell's crew chief for the past few years and also maintains the team car driven by Alison Slaton. Newton will campaign the team next year and will announce the driver(s) in the near future.
Waddell began racing in micro sprints in 2001 at the age of 8 with Production Engine & Pump as her sponsor. This would become a solid relationship as the company has backed Waddell her entire racing career which is a rare feat for longevity between car owner / driver and the sponsor in these times. Waddell worked her way through different classes of micros in her early years and found her way into sprint cars in 2008 at the former State Fair Speedway (SFS) in Oklahoma City.
Waddell quickly won a main event in that first year in the big cars and was the SFS Rookie of the Year. Quite an accomplishment for a 15 year old young lady racing against grown men with much more experience. She would win another feature at SFS in 2009 and then, in a shocking turn of events, SFS was permanently closed at the end of that 2009 season. Prior to the end of '09, Waddell did make her AMERI-FLEX / OCRS debut on September 19th at the Oklahoma Sports Park, by far one of the fastest tracks on the circuit. In her very first heat race with the series, Waddell finished 5th in an 8 car field and ran right behind the guy she would eventually agree to one day spend the rest of her life with, Shane.
Her career with the Oil Capital Racing Series was off and running as she would be full time with the series the following year. Waddell finished in the top 10 in points that season (7th), was the Brodix Rookie of the Year and she was never out of the top 10 in her series career except in 2013 when the series mixed in several non-wing sprint shows which Waddell elected to compete in the winged events only.
Waddell has scored a couple of series wins with each coming at the Salina Highbanks Speedway. Her AMERI-FLEX / OCRS career ends (for now) with 153 starts, 20 heat race wins, 58 top ten finishes and 20 top fives. However, above and beyond those stats, Waddell buries her peers in fan popularity. Always one to give her time to the fans whenever possible, fans flock to Waddell to obtain an autograph or just to see her and say hello like no other driver in the series.
A statement received by Waddell reads:
"While I’m sad about stepping away from racing, I’m looking forward to having the time and the opportunities to do other things. I have to give a huge thank you to Nick Newton, my father, my mother, my full family, friends, fellow competitors and the fans that have supported and motivated me for the last eighteen years that I’ve been racing.
The generous financial support I’ve received from sponsors has also kept this going for so long and I need to give a special appreciation to Production Engine & Pump who has supported the 88s (and 76s) car since my first season in 2000.
The OCRS staff, Corvan (Robison), Ameriflex, and other OCRS sponsors also deserve huge recognition as they provide us with an organization to race with. I have enjoyed having Alison Slaton as a teammate this year and look forward to helping in other ways as the team and cars continue on into 2019 under Nick Newton Racing."
Everyone is encouraged to attend the Red Dirt Stand Off this Saturday at Red Dirt Raceway to witness Waddell's final ride in her current roles in racing. This special event is a challenge race pitting the AMERI-FLEX / OCRS sprints against the Sprint Series of Oklahoma sprints presented by Smiley's Racing Products.
There will be an announcement at the track as to when an autograph session with Waddell will take place as a couple of options are being weighed out at press time. Fans are also encouraged to bring sharpies and pens along with anything of nature that you would like to have Waddell autograph. Gates will open at 2pm with racing set to begin at 4pm. Pure Stocks, Hornets and Non Wing Micros will also be on the card.
On behalf of the AMERI-FLEX / OCRS series, we wish to thank Shayla dearly for her loyalty, dedication, sportsmanship and professionalism along with that never ending charm she naturally possesses. Since Shayla elects to not call this a permanent retirement, we will simply say "Good Luck" on your future endeavors and simply add...... till we meet again "Princess".
Race fans can checkout the Shayla Waddell Racing Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/ShaylaWaddellRacing
Information on Red Dirt Raceway can be found at: reddirtraceway.com
Information on the OCRS sprint car series can be found at: ocrsracing.net
