Somehow, Some Way

Written specially for the Meigs Independent Press by Scott Wolfe

“Rocket Roy” Roush has finally stepped to the main stage. No more side shows and no more opening acts; Roy Roush, the driver of the R2 Loose Gruff Jimmy Owens Chassis is now himself the main attraction.

It has taken Roush 22 years to showcase his skills and get the credit he finally deserves. Friday, November 29 he was on the center of the main podium receiving the $5,000 winner’s share for claiming the AMRA (American Motor Racing Association) Modified National Championship. He was also the 2013 Legendary Hilltop Speedway Champion in Marietta, Ohio and the Jackson County (Ohio ) Speedway champion.

These feats were not easy as all year long, Roush battled in the points with five-time and defending AMRA champion Kenny Johnson.

Johnson said, “Roy had an outstanding year in AMRA. Roy races hard and just when you think he’s not going to win, he can come from nowhere and get the win. He’s amazing at times.”
“Kenny (Johnson) is one of the best, one of best ever,” reflected Roush “To be able to win the championship against a guy like Kenny is quite an honor.”

Most of the season Roush carried less than a ten-point advantage over Kenny Johnson, then opened it up to 1292 points to 1267 points at the finish.

It was a storybook finish for a storybook team. “The car was just perfect all year long,” noted Roush. “I set the car the way Jimmy (Owens) told me, plus I learned some things along the way. It was fast right out of the gate.”

Roush, a logger by trade, comes from a family of six boys that all have raced from time-to time over the past 25 years and most are still active. Roy Roush said, “I knew I was gonna become a race driver at age 16. I had been helping Dad (who also raced) and at the time my brother was getting a car to drive. Up until that time, I never thought it was something that could become a reality.”

Counting Roy and his nephews, there are sometimes as many as ten Roush’s on the race card. It sometimes is an announcer’s nightmare. The fact there are so many of the Roush boys on the track spawned one area announcer to broadcast in a frustrating, tongue-tied moment, “It’s just another Roush.”

In area racing circles, “It’s just another Roush”, has become a trademark, on-going family joke.

Today, however, ‘Everyone knows Roy Roush’. There is no mistaking the Adams Drilling, A-1 Sanitation, AC Group /Malta Ohio, Antill Enterprises R-2 and his growing fan base. He is a fan favorite.

Standing out as something just as impressive as Roush’s championship itself is the fact that Roush–on a shoestring budget– never missed a race despite blowing three engines and using two others in the course of a banner year.

His persistence won him an extra $500 from MSD Ignition as the “AMRA/ MSD Ironman”.

Roush is racing’s version of the Biblical personality Job—Racing’s “Mr. Persistence.” In 2013 Roush had every reason to give up, yet he didn’t.

Roush started the year hopeful with a brand new 421 Chevrolet under the hood. After two races the engine fatally detonated and it appeared the promise for a bright 2013 went down the tubes along with much of Roush’s hard-earned cash.

In June of 2012 Roush had acquired a 2009 Loose Gruff Chassis and his career made a sharp turn towards stardom. Roush went from a consistent runner to a superstar with 13 feature wins the remainder of the season. That momentum carried on throughout the winter. Roush picked up a couple sponsors and the new 421 power-plant.

Zip-lining back to 2013, Roush located a 415 Billy Lloyd Racing engine to replace the 421 and he went back to work. By mid season he had eleven wins. Although the engine tired, the ever-persistent Roush continued to finish strong. At one point he had five straight weeks of either posting a win or placing second. Two of the seconds were photo finishes.

All but eight times in a 65-plus race season he finished in the top ten.

Roush’s Lloyd engine let go and he put in a homebuilt power-plant. That too let go. ‘Job’ persevered.

Without missing a race he borrowed an engine for four weeks from fellow racer Shawn Donahue. To make matters worse, Roush’s Hauler shucked an engine. Again, friends pitched in and got him to the races.

Roush said, “My motto has always been to just keep going, somehow, some way.”

“In August, I realized I still had a chance at the title and didn’t want to waste Shawn’s engine. I had Gerald Antill down at Antill Enterprises put together a 392 for me and that’s how we finished out the season. Antill Enterprises then came aboard as one of my sponsors.”

Oddly enough, most of the time it is just Roy and his son Aaron in the pits or in the garage working on the car. “We have some friends that help occasionally, but mainly it’s just us.”

“My girl friend Raquel (Wolfe) cleans my helmet and sometimes helps clean the car. She does what she can.”

At the close of the racing season, Roush found himself in an unusual position. It seemed everyone wanted to buy his car. “Finally, I got a deal I couldn’t pass up. A boy came along with a brand new Coyote Chassis, all new components and everything and traded me even.”

“I’m still a little sentimental towards the Loose Gruff cars though and I am going to get a new Chassis next week for 2014. I am looking forward to a strong 2014 season and beyond that hope to race and be competitive for as many years as I can.”

“I appreciate what the AMRA does for the drivers. Because of the AMRA points, it gave me extra incentive to carry on, even when the times got tough. I am looking forward to representing the AMRA well and hope to defend my crown next year.”

Somehow, some way.