Driver: Jimmy Ryan
Nickname: “Fly’n Ryan”
Hometown: Shoreham, VT
Date of Birth: 1/10/62
Family: Fiancée – Donna
Favorite Food: Beef Stew
Hobbies: Snowmobiling, Hunting
Started Racing: 1987
Accomplishments: Two Modified track championships at Bear Ridge Speedway, one Modified track championship at Canaan Dirt Speedway, one Twin State Modified Series championship
Division: Sportsman Modified
Car No.: 60
Car: Teo Pro Car
Car Owner: Jim Ryan
Team Members: Dan Ryan, Anthony Warren, Rob Ryan, Randy Ryan, Terry Ryan, Adam Sears
Sponsors: Clayton Ryan, M&L Dairy (Whiting, VT), Warren’s Lawn Care (Shoreham, VT), Fly’n Ryan Auto Body (Shoreham, VT)
Jimmy Ryan in victory lane at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on September 17, 2017. (Barry Snelling/Devil’s Bowl Speedway photo)
“I got into racing because of my father, Clayt – he’s been in it forever. He had Ed Foley driving for him way back and a few others. I remember Win Slavin drove the car, too. Dad eventually got out of it and then I started out on my own in a Pro Stock when I was 25.”
How did you get your start in the auto body business?
“Well, I’ve had my own place for 10 years. I worked at the Foster Motors body shop for 23 years before that and I decided to jump out on my own. I work way too much, but I started my own business thinking I could cut back on hours and have more free time – that didn’t happen!”
Did you have a favorite driver before you started racing?
“Oh yeah. Jack Johnson.”
What is your favorite moment of your racing career?
“There’s been a lot of them. Passing Frank Cozze on the last lap at Frogtown for a win was pretty cool. And I’ve had a lot of them here at home. There was a 15-car pileup on the first lap of a race at Devil’s Bowl back in 2000 or 2001. I was in it, but I got out of it without a lot of damage. We restarted I think 16th and came up through for the win. We had wrecked the car the Friday night before at Malta and we weren’t gonna run on Sunday, but it came together and it paid off.”
What is your most embarrassing moment?
“There’s a lot of them, too! The one that sticks out was during one of my first years – Gene Munger spun his car in warmups to miss another car that had spun on a slimy track. I came in too hard and hammered him and put him out for the night. He wasn’t too happy about that.”
Jimmy Ryan (#60) races with Brian Whittemore (#36) at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on August 20, 2017. (Barry Snelling/Devil’s Bowl Speedway photo)
“I don’t really consider one guy to be my rival. It seems like there’s a different car every year that’s like a magnet to my car. It’s not their fault and it’s not mine, we’re just always in the same spot at the same time.”
If you couldn’t drive your car, who would you want to be your substitute?
“I would definitely put my guy Anthony Warren in the car. He won a lot when he ran the 600 Mini Sprints, and he won some with the Sportsman cars when he ran.”
Are you looking forward to the new ½-mile dirt track at Devil’s Bowl?
“Yeah I am. I’m hoping I have the right equipment for the big track, but it’ll bring back some good old memories of the old track.”
What are your racing goals for 2018?
“I have the same goals every year. I’m not a big championship chaser – I just want to be a consistent front-runner. I always like to get at least one win every year and we got that done this year.”