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| Several
new teams will be joining the Southern Ontario Sprints
in the 2006 season. Among those are several former
DIRT Modified teams. One of the biggest names
joining the SOS will be Rob Pietz of Port Colborne,
Ontario. Pietz Motorsports has purchased the
Canadian Sprint Car Nationals winning ride that was
piloted by Kenny Jacobs. We sat down to talk to
Rob about joining the sprint car world. |
| Many sprint car fans may not recognize the name Rob Pietz, however DIRT Modified fans are very familiar with it. Tell us a little about your racing career. |
| Well
last year marked our 16th year of open wheel. It was our
third year with the modified. I started out at 16
driving the local demo derbys (some say it's still in my
blood). After that we went on to the enduro's then to
street stocks. With the closing of Humberstone Speedway
back then & the uncertainty of the future of Street
Stocks we decided to build a Pro Stock, but even back
then Pro Stock costs were nuts. I found a Sportsman car
for less than I was looking to spend on a Pro Stock so
we made the huge jump. I made a ton of friends & a
few enemies but fell in love with the class. In the
record books we have over 70 wins & 6 track
championships. We rank third in all time DIRT sportsman
wins. With 3 track championships, 22 wins and the
announcement of Pete Bicknell's retirement from
Merrittville in 2002 we felt it was time to move up to
the Modifieds. This was our biggest challenge to date.
We were rookie of the year finishing 6th in points at
Merrittville & 8th at Ransomville. Our best finish
was 2nd a couple of times. That in itself was hard on
the ego. The past two years we stayed home at
Merrittville for the season. The HUGE cost &
politics kept us from Ransomville. My biggest race had
to be the night we beat the mighty 42 Pete Bicknell...
that was huge. I think that was my sweetest victory yet.
First roof dance....poor roof. |
|
| Who in your career has been the biggest influence in helping you get where you are today? |
| Wow
I've been thinking about this one awhile. There has been
so many. I think we started to improve back when Paul
Ashton took me under his wing. He was a huge help. With
his help I got my first trophy (8th in points at Genesee
Speedway). Joe Plazak, Ted Renshaw, Rob Ledingham, Rich
Vinson, Scott Walker, Don McGinnis, Al Wagner, Pete
Bicknell, Randy Williamson... I could go on for ever.
Actually I think the biggest influence has been the
group of BEST FRIENDS I have had around me all these
years. Without them I couldn't even dream of being here.
Al Jolivet, Doug Misener, Howard Shram, Mark Little, my
wife Tammy and my mom & dad are the true power
behind Pietz Motorsport. Our awesome horsepower has come
from good friends Terry Vince & Rob Becker better
know as Competition Speed. |
|
| After so many seasons of success in a modified what turned your interest to sprint car racing? |
| I
guess a little bit of the greener grass syndrome. The
cost to operate a mod team is huge. Looking over the
fence sprints looks cheaper. Although it does seem a
couple of SOS drivers are out spending the others by 3
to 1 the same as in modified. I'm also getting tired of
paying into an organization (DIRT) that doesn't care
about me. Buying mandatory parts with DIRT decals at
double the regular price is a real sore spot for me. The
SOS looks like a club of drivers for the drivers, not
like they are supporting the ESS point fund. All in all
though, I think the biggest reason is the desire to go
fast...REAL FAST!! The 358 Modified never seemed that
much faster than Sportsman. |
|
| What differences do you expect behind the wheel from one class to the other? Do you feel the transition will be difficult or easy? |
| I
feel there are a lot of differences between the two
types of cars but some of my friends who have already
made the move say I will fit right in. I think the old
saying 'Rubbin is Racin' is the first thing that I will
have to lose. One right rear tire a year instead of
every two weeks sounds nice. I love the idea of getting
up on the steering wheel and going full out. I think
with some help from drivers like Curt Sherwood, Mike
Lauterborn, Zoomer Krull and Glenn Styres our transition
will be smooth. |
|
| Which of the SOS tracks do you look most forward to competing at for the first time behind the wheel of a sprint and why? |
| There
can only be one (laughs). I have always loved the speed
& awesome people at Ohsweken Speedway. A trip to my
grass roots home track of Gasport... oooppps Humberstone
would be cool too. I'm also looking forward to the
comradery between drivers after the races... this seems
to have been lost where I raced. |
|
| More and more we are seeing former modified drivers make the move to the sprints, why do you think this is occurring? |
| I
think the trend of mod drivers moving to sprints is
because of fact that SOS is assessable. The ESS or WoO
is way more expensive than mods & a ton of travel.
So modified was basically your last step. Plus the mod
guys are getting tired as I said with all the DIRT
politics. |
|
| Where do you see your racing career in the next 5 years? |
| If
we are having fun and paying the bills I guess we will
be out there turning circles one way or another. With
all the support from friends, family & fans it feels
like I could race for ever....who knows? |
|
| As a long time modified guy who has become interested in the sprints what would you say to die hard mod fans that haven't yet jumped on the winged band wagon? |
| As
for the mod fans I think they are looking over the fence
too. The only complaint seems to be the start up time,
but I feel the tracks are making huge strides to improve
that problem. |
|
| What finally made you decide to make the jump to
sprint cars for 2006? |
We had finished the season in modified on a high note
with 2 wins in August. That and the fact that the team
was split on which way to go (sprint or mod) had me
thinking stay mod. After the 358 race at Brighton we sold
the car complete which opened the debate again. With
some coaxing from sprinter Curt Sherwood, Zoomer Krull,
Glenn Styres and even some fans I started really
considering it again. Then a couple things came up
during our drivers banquet that left me frustrated
with the whole mod scene.
I have always said my moves are a team decision and
wasn't real sure how the guys felt about a move. To be
honest that week following had me looking at Harley's
& street rods.
The following Saturday the boys & I went on our annual
road trip to the Parts Peddler Trade Show. The 3 hour
drive was a perfect chance to talk. The boys were just
as frustrated as me & felt it was time to move
on. Later that day by chance we met Mike Woodring...
five days later we had a sprint in the garage. I don't know if the grass is any greener on this side
of the fence but we will never know until we try. |
|
| You have purchased a very good ride to start your
'winged' career, what are you expectations out of the
gate? |
| Well hopefully with the
help from guys like Mike Woodring, Mike Lauterborne,
Curt, Zoomer & Glenn we can get ahold of it quickly.
Rookie of the year would be awesome. Having fun is the most important thing. |
