12/13/2021
Oil Capital Racing Series
Michael Tyre named as new OCRS Competition Director
by John Rittenoure - TULSA, Okla. (December 13, 2021) - When the 2022 AmeriFlex / OCRS Sprint Car season begins in March a new Competition Director will take the reins.
Oil Capital Racing Series co-owner Terry Mattox purchased the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) from Emmett Hahn in November and will on the road with the National Tour leaving little time available for his past duties as OCRS Competition Director.
Taking that position for 2022 is sprint car racer Michael Tyre.
Tyre had been looking for another avenue to channel his racing passion for some time and last year channeled that interest into hosting his own internet podcast under the name of Passing Points. But he found himself still looking for more.
“That is kind of why I started my podcast last year to kind of give me a way to channel my passion,” explained Tyre. “I had been in talks with Terry earlier this year about how can I help out. That came up before ASCS came up for sale.”
Mattox felt Tyre had the experience and desire for the job and offered him the opportunity.
“I just finished my 19th year of racing,” Tyre said. “I started at a very young age of 13 and over the last few years I have been racking my brain on how do I get to the other side of the sport and channel my passion for racing without having to get a race car race ready.
“I wrecked in October and had a concussion and I was concerned about my health. I got cleared to race, but the more I thought about it this was an opportunity I did not want to pass up.”
Tyre feels his experience as a driver will help him relate to the racers needs.
“I feel like with my youth and my experience I can lookout for the racers,” he said. “I know how racers think. Every racer thinks in their mind how the series or track should be ran, so (I hope) to look at it from the other side and try and make a common sense decision that makes sense for the track, the series and the racer.
“There will be some growth and learning curves that need to happen, but I feel like I have a good foundation coming from the other side.”
At the end of the day Tyre hopes everyone has a good time and leaves the track happy.
“Being fair and putting on a good show is number one priority,” Tyre said. “I would like for every racer to leave the track happy although I know that is almost impossible. But if we stay consistent and make the decisions over and over again they will learn to deal with it.”
The season opener is less than three months away and according to Tyre, “The opener at Red Dirt Raceway can’t get here fast enough.”
Article Credit: John Rittenoure
