3/6/2022
Aydin Lloyd
Lloyd set to embark on rookie season behind the wheel
2022 will prove to be an exciting year for young Aydin Lloyd. The Brandon, SD native has served in many roles in the dirt track racing industry. He’s spent time as an announcer, a track official, a crew member for multiple sprint car teams in the area, and even as a race director and tech official for a late model series! But for Aydin Lloyd, 2022 is a year for the ultimate dream to be achieved.
It’s hard for Aydin to hide his excitement when talking about the coming year. “Racing has always been a part of my life. I can remember some of my earliest memories being at Huset’s, Rock Rapids, and other tracks with my family,” says Lloyd. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and I’ve worked really hard to try build a program from myself from the ground up. I feel like at times I might have done this the hard way, but in the end that makes me even more proud of where I am and excited to get started.” Aydin’s story and path to getting into racing is different than most, and when he says “the hard way” it goes deeper than it would with most people. Aydin Lloyd lost his father at age 12, so the process of building a team has been much more difficult. Aydin is mostly self-taught, and the knowledge he has as a young person in the sport is knowledge that he could only get by a sense of want or desire most young drivers don’t really understand. He goes on to say, “Losing dad was obviously hard, but I’m proud to say I got this passion for racing from him. I really just want to run this team and compete in a way that would make him proud. I want to honor his memory in everything I do, and racing is just another way for me to feel connected to him.” That’s not not say he doesn’t have help along the way. He’s quick to credit a number of people who guided him to where he is. “I started out hanging out with the Fick family when they were a part of the micro ranks, and learned a lot there. I’ve also been able to help in various role’s with Greg Parent’s Midwest Power Series and Mike Gross’s Tri-State Late Model Series. Most recently I’ve learned a TON from the Stegenga family helping Blaine in a sprint car at Huset’s and other tracks in the area. I’ve turned wrenches for Sam Henderson and a few others too. It’s been great and I’ve gotten to be around a lot of cool people. I’m thankful to be where I’m at.”
The coming summer will see Lloyd jump into a micro sprint at tracks across the upper Midwest, with an eye pointed towards a full size sprint car in the 305 ranks. He’ll compete in Central & Western Iowa, Central Minnesota, the Siouxland area, and hopefully closer to home at places like the Rock County Fairgrounds in Luverne, MN. The footprint planned for the coming year is unique for a young racer. The reality of micro sprint racing in this area is that some nights you have put really put miles on in order to compete regularly. That doesn’t deter Lloyd though! He see’s this as exciting, and an advantage for a young racer, saying, “Travel is one of the things I’m most excited about. Due to my roles with other drivers and with some of the series work I’ve done, I’ve gotten used to seeing new tracks and venues and that’s something I’m really looking forward to continuing. The opportunities to see great tracks like Princeton and Ogilvie in Minnesota, Brooklyn and Stuart in Iowa, and Raceway Park down by Sioux City is just really cool. Plus, racing on different types of dirt and different types of tracks can only help me grow as a driver. It’s also something I think marketing partners will be interested in. I can help promote and market your brands all over the region in ways most other guys might not be able to in this class.”
Marketing partners are always such a key in the world of motorsports, and Aydin recognizes that as well. The goal in 2022 is to build relationships with people who are looking for avenues to market themselves in a unique way in the sport. “I want to approach this a little bit differently,” he says. “This isn’t a situation where I’m asking for money to get up and down the road like most others do. I know that isn’t what business owners are looking for. I have no problem displaying the car in front of your store. I have no problem being a direct to consumer marketer. I have no problem bringing product or merchandise to the track to get it in front of other drivers. I have no problem with being a little bit of an extended sales associate at the track for your company. I’m more than just a moving billboard. I want to get with people who share my passion for this sport, and with my brother doing PR I think we can offer things most other teams can’t.”
If you’re interested in supporting Aydin Lloyd’s maiden voyage behind the wheel of a race car, you can get ahold of the team by email at a-lloyd@live.com or alloydbv23@gmail.com. You can also find the team on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AydinLloydRacing23 for inquiries or information.
The 2022 season will be a dream come true and the start of something special. The team can’t wait for the snow to melt and racing to get started.
Article Credit: Austin Lloyd Media