Recently, Jason had the pleasure of being interviewed by PA Posse Racing's Brian Miller as the June, 2009 driver of the month.  Below is the interview, also available on www.paposseracing.com

Super Sportsman Driver of the Month:

Jason Fry

Welcome back race fans for the June Super Sportsman Driver of the Month interview here at Paposseracing.com  This past weekend I had the chance to sit down and talk with Super Sportsman Driver Jason Fry driver of the Mike Callahan Racing #318.  Fry racing out of Summerdale, PA has been racing Super Sportsman for the past 7 years and so far this season appears to be his most successful to date.  Going into the race this past weekend at Port Royal Speedway the #318 team had 3 top 5’s and 5 top 10’s out of 10 total races so far with a season best finish of 3rd twice.  This young 29 year old up and coming driver has gotten better every season he has driven one of these beast and as you will see he is ready for the next step in his racing career.  Here now is the conversation I had with Jason Fry prior to that night’s racing action at Port Royal Speedway.

Paposse: So I was just wondering?  You started driving around 6 or 7 years ago.  Was a Super Sportsman the first thing you ever drove?

Fry: First thing I ever drove was a Sportsman.  I wanted to run a 410 (Sprint) but obviously didn’t have the money to jump right into that, or the experience.  And since my Uncle was already in the Sportsman it made sense to get in a division that I was at least a little familiar with.  

Paposse: Right.  Your speaking of your Uncle J.R. Fry.  So what did he just say? Hey do you want to come run these things with me?

Fry: Well, he had been running these things since I was like 11 or 12 years old and I was always helping on the car.  I grew up watching them at Silver Springs so I’ve always liked them.  And I wanted to go as fast as possible so it was just a matter of which division I could afford and actually be competitive.  So Sportsman made the most sense.

Paposse: So you have been doing these for 7 years now.  How long do you want to race them?  You stated you wanted to run a 410. Where do you see yourself?  What do you want to do?

Fry: Ideally, I would be able to run a 410, even a limited sprint would work as a stepping stone.  But 410 if I could run around here like some of the big boys do Greg Hodnett, and Lance Dewease and just be able to do it for a living and just enough to get by I’d be happy with that.

Paposse: Going back to when you first started.  If I remember correctly you started off as the #24?

Fry: Yep.  I started off as the #24.  At the time I wanted to be #10, but the #10 was taken by Donnie Beaver.  My uncle J.R. was #42 so I just took that and switched it around and that’s how I came up with #24.

Paposse: So once Donnie got out of it and the #10 became available that’s why you went to it last year?

Fry: Yeah, after a couple years the #10 car was open and so I went and switched over last year.

Paposse: So now this year your in the #318.  That’s with Mike Callahan Racing.  How did that deal come about?

Fry: Mike had Duaine Smith driving last year and Duaine got another ride.  It was getting tough with the way the economy was and sponsors are harder to come by and it just made the most sense to put everything together with Mike and form a team out of that.

Paposse: Are you happy with your decision so far?

Fry: Absolutely!  It’s a lot nicer not having to foot the full bill every week.  We’ve had a lot of struggles, but when were still running all in one piece we’ve been running pretty good.

Paposse: I was going to say.  You have seemed to have your fair share of bad luck so far this season.  Last week your left rear tire comes off while running in the top 10.  Yet, you have had some good runs this year also with top five’s at the Grove and Trail Ways.

Fry: Yeah, we had two motors go earlier in the year.  Both of those were heartbreakers, because they were really strong, but they just didn’t last long.  The last time we were here(Port Royal) it started going south on the fifth lap and lasted another 10 laps and blew while we were running 2nd.  We had another run here where we were running 2nd and we broke the distributor and then we had the wheel come off last week the inside of the hub stripped itself out. We just can’t find any luck.  But sooner, or later it’s got to change.

Paposse: What do you do for your day job?

Fry: I program machinery.  It’s called Joseph Machine Company down in Dillsburg.  Which is cool, because it’s always something different I get to travel all around the United States and all over Canada for it.  So it’s a nice break in the action and always a little variety for you.

Paposse: How do you like the tour schedule with the number of races?  Would you like to race more, or less?  Or is it okay the way it is.  Do you like going to the different tracks, or would you just like to stick to one track?

Fry: I don’t care where we race.  As long as we can race somewhere.  The more the merrier.  I really don’t care where we have to drive to as long as we have the money I just want to race.  Two, or three nights a week would be fine with me.  With my job I’m always traveling during the week, but I’m here on the weekends and always ready to go.

Paposse: Going back to what we talked about earlier when you talked about what it cost to run this division versus some of the others out there.  What do you think about the payout for this division and how it compares to the others out there?

Fry: I think this payout is pretty good comparable with the other divisions.  I know the 358’s cost more and they pay less.  So we talked about trying to get into that someday, but it just doesn’t make sense trying to go up there to spend more to make less.  So the only way to do a 358 would be if someone came along with a big sponsorship, or given a ride for it to be a good deal.

Paposse: I wanted to ask you about Handicapping.  You know in the 410’s sometimes people are up in arms about it.  What do you think about it for this division?  Would you want to change it, or keep it the way it is?

Fry: I really don’t have a problem with our handicapping as long as it’s consistent.  This year it’s been a little better.  One thing I would like to see changed is maybe give a little two week cushion to the teams.  A lot of guys have families and might want to take a break somewhere and miss a race.  If they do that right now in the middle of the summer they’re going to get penalized.  So it would be nice to see even if it was one week.  Say a motor goes and they need a week to get it together, or they would like to take a vacation they could do that and there be no penalty towards them.  

Paposse: Do you like wingless racing?  

Fry: I haven’t done it yet.  Last year we cooked a motor the week before and didn’t make it out.  I heard a lot of both ends of the discussion.  I don’t think it’s right for our division.  But I think I would have a good time with it.  So I’m looking forward to trying it out.  

Paposse: A lot of the guys are saying they wouldn’t mind it so much if it wasn’t a point race.

Fry: That’s true.  It should not be a points race.  I don’t agree with that.  But wherever were running that’s were will be and we’ll follow the rules.

Paposse: Now this is pretty much a family run team with the exception of the help from Mike now.  Is there anybody you’d like to thank?  Who helps you out to get to the track every week?

Fry: Defiantly family run.  Even now it’s Mike’s car, but he trust us.  We keep everything at my house.  All the guys that have been helping over the years.  They bust there asses every week and we have all this bad luck and they’re still having fun with it.  We still get along great.  The biggest help by far has been my Dad.  He puts a lot of money and a lot of time into this.  And there is no way I’d be racing if it wasn’t for him.  Along with the other guys on the crew.  We got Todd, Bryan, Mike, Brad, Tommy, Bill, Barton, my sister is always there doing what she can to help out lineups or whatever we need done.  So it’s a lot of help from a lot of people and they’re the one’s who really make it go.  

Paposse:  If a 358, or 410 doesn’t come along.  How long do you see yourself doing this?  Are you happy doing Sportsman for however long?

Fry: If I had to yeah.  But I would rather move up as soon as possible.  I mean I think I’m ready.  I’m comfortable with these cars.  There’s never a situation that I doubt myself, or the people around me.  So I’m pretty sure I’m ready to move up it’s just a question of finding that right situation right now.  

Paposse: How about your sponsor’s.  Who helps you out?

Fry: Yes, I’d like to thank who we have on board.  Mainly Mike Callahan he foots most of the bill and he’s a great guy to be around and is a lot of fun and mixes well with our whole team.  We have Construcxx Inc., Capitol Recovery, and Tool Shed of America.  They came on board and are also sponsoring the whole Saturday Night deal at the Grove.  Also, Simpson Race Products.  I have a deal with them as a product sponsor.  There a big help every year with helmets and stuff like that.  And they way the money is these days every little bit matters.  

    

    Spending a little bit of time with this fun group of guys you can see why Jason Fry is so successful.  He has the support of his whole family and when your around there pit area it just feels like you would think a family run team’s pit area would feel like.  You can tell that Jason is a very confident young driver and I believe will not stick around in this division much longer.  He has the drive and the determination that it takes to be successful in this tough racing business.
    It should be noted that following this interview later that night Jason and his Mike Callahan Racing team found victory lane for the very first time. Jason would go out and dominate his heat race and then after starting the feature in the 3rd position would go and pass race long leader Eric Eckert on the high side coming out of turn #4 on the seventh lap and once in the lead left no doubt who would be going to victory lane that night as he pulled away and lead the rest of the 20 lap feature in convincing fashion.  This was Jason’s first career win in the Super Sportsman division, but I have a feeling that it most likely won’t be his last.