From his first trip as an eight year-old to Michigan International Speedway, Jason Hedlesky knew what he wanted to do with his life.
鈥淭o this day, I remember walking up to the fence against the final straightaway,鈥� he fondly recalls. 鈥淪ome driver flew past me at 180 miles per hour. It blew my socks off.鈥�
鈥淔rom that moment forward, I knew that鈥檚 what I was going to do. There was nothing else in the world that mattered.鈥�
Since then, Hedlesky has worked for legendary team owners, travelled the globe spotting for some of world鈥檚 top stock car drivers in NASCAR and ARCA and sat behind the wheel in his own ARCA races. At every stage, he鈥檚 been driven by the same passion for speed that first drew him to racing in boyhood.
REVVING FOR A DREAM
Racing was an unlikely pastime for the young Hedlesky. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 grow up in a racing family, and we didn鈥檛 have a lot of money,鈥� he says.
After taking notice of his son鈥檚 love for the sport, Hedlesky鈥檚 father began taking him to Michigan International Speedway and Monroe County鈥檚 Flat Rock Speedway a couple of times every summer. On occasion, they also made the trip from the family home in suburban Detroit to Nashville or Charlotte to see a NASCAR race.
Hedlesky began following local racing stars such as Chuck Roumell, the famous ARCA racer. Sensing his enthusiasm, Roundell later hired the young man to work on his cars. Hedlesky started racing himself shortly afterward.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have the money or the means to get started until I was in my early 20s,鈥� says Hedlesky. 鈥淚 eventually bought one of Chuck鈥檚 old cars. With a lot of help from friends and family, I started racing at Flat Rock Speedway in the super-late model division.鈥�
Hedlesky saw moderate success in the 1997 and 1998 seasons, but he was hungry for more. In the autumn of 1998, he met the legendary NASCAR Cup Series team owner Junie Donlavey, whose career in the sport spanned over 60 years. Donlavey offered Hedlesky an opportunity to work for him in Richmond, and Hedlesky eagerly accepted it.
FULL THROTTLE
Hedlesky managed Donlavey鈥檚 team in Richmond between 1998 and 2004, when Donlavey retired from NASCAR. In those years, Donlavey learned to trust Hedlesky 鈥� enough to let him drive. Hedlesky says, 鈥淲e started running 5 or 6 ARCA series races per year and I drove his cars for those races 鈥� from Michigan to Talladega to Charlotte to the Poconos.鈥�
In Hedlesky鈥檚 first Cup series start, the 2002 UAW-GM Quality 500, he was the last driver to race in Donlavey's legendary number 90 Ford.
鈥淓veryone knew Mr. Donlavey and everyone respected him. To be able to work for him, establish long-lasting relationships, and learn from him about the basics of the sport was invaluable,鈥� Hedlesky says. 鈥淗e was like a second father to me. He gave me the jump-start and the professional education that I needed.鈥�
LIKE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL
After Donlavey鈥檚 retirement, Hedlesky decided to change directions. He moved to North Carolina, where he met , champion of the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series and winner of 28 NASCAR Cups. It turned out that Edwards needed a spotter, so he offered Hedlesky the job.
Hedlesky agreed, and he and Edwards soon became close friends. During their partnership, Hedlesky pursued his own full-time ARCA series racing career from 2006 to 2007 while spotting for Edwards in North Carolina when he was available.
As Hedlesky鈥檚 always quick to note, NASCAR isn鈥檛 for the faint of heart. 鈥�When you race stock cars in ARCA or NASCAR, it鈥檚 nothing like streetcar racing,鈥� he explains. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e strapped in with a seven-point harness, neck restraints, and a full-contained seat, so you don鈥檛 have the freedom to look around you. You鈥檙e traveling a football field a second and you have to rely only on your peripheral vision.鈥�
This is where a spotter comes in. The spotter鈥檚 job is to ensure the safety of the driver. Positioned above the course, they act as the driver鈥檚 eyes, communicating potential dangers via a two-way radio and updating them on the performance of other drivers whom they may not be able to see.
Hedlesky spotted Edwards for 13 years, supporting him in races from NASCAR鈥檚 truck and Xfinity series to the Cup Series. After Edwards鈥� retirement in 2017, Hedlesky moved to Joe Gibbs Racing to spot for , a two-time Daytona 500 winner and a winner of the Cup Series himself. At the same time, Hedlesky continued spotting for of ThorSport in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The two worked together for over 10 seasons, winning two championships in 2013 and 2014.
For Hedlesky, spotting is about trust above all else. 鈥淪potting is about helping your driver navigate the races as best they can. You spot for someone and learn how they drive, and, in turn, they learn how you anticipate. You end up almost thinking alike.鈥�
TRUSTED PARTNERS
The close bond between driver and spotter underlies Hedleksy鈥檚 lifelong love of racing. A similar level of trust is the foundation of his close relationship with 皇冠体育227. 鈥�Compressors are what drive a race shop,鈥� he says.
Hedlesky met 皇冠体育227鈥檚 President and General Manager Jay Hedges at a racing event in 2007 鈥� when Hedlesky was still driving full-time and spotting for Edwards. The two quickly struck up a lasting friendship. 鈥淎t the time we met, Jay was with another company,鈥� says Hedlesky, 鈥渁nd we hit it off so well that his company sponsored me.鈥�
That friendship eventually blossomed into a flourishing business relationship. 鈥淲hen Jay moved to 皇冠体育227, he told me about some offers to sponsor NASCAR cars, but I had a better deal for him. I connected him with ThorSport and ThorWorks, where Matt Crafton drove, and they built a strong B2B relationship.鈥�
Today, Crafton鈥檚 team alone purchases some 250 air compressors a year for various car servicing applications. Hedlesky believes that this is a testament to the deep, trusting relationship between ThorSport and 皇冠体育227.
鈥溁使谔逵�227 obviously makes the best compressors out there,鈥� Hedlesky says. 鈥淥n top of that, their professionalism and commitment to long-term business relationships is absolutely incredible. They know exactly what鈥檚 best for every facility and every application.鈥�
SPEEDING AHEAD
Hedlesky鈥檚 career in racing is far from over. He鈥檚 spending the 2018 season with DGR-CROSLEY, the new brainchild of Crosley Sports and , winner of a NASCAR Xfinity Series and a coveted Daytona International overall title. The group has two different NASCAR series鈥� teams and an ARCA team.
Hedlesky鈥檚 role is multifaceted 鈥� he works in spotting, driver development, marketing, sponsorships, and PR. It鈥檚 a challenging role in an often difficult industry.
鈥淩acing is hard,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 expensive and it鈥檚 cutthroat. There鈥檚 a lot of pressure, and you have to wake up every day and try to be the best.鈥�
That鈥檚 not to say that Hedlesky has any regrets, of course.
鈥淩acing has been tremendous for me. I鈥檝e met so many amazing friends and made a great living. I wouldn鈥檛 change anything about what I鈥檝e done.鈥�