Watching Mike McVetta, a 38-year-old pavement racer from Medina, Ohio, drive an open-wheel car is worth the price of admission as evidenced by his nickname, “Hollywood.”
McVetta made his pavement sprint car debut behind the wheel of a winged 305 machine in 2001 after eight years of quarter-midget experience. McVetta figured things out quickly and captured his first victory at Sandusky (Ohio) Speedway in only his third feature start.
Over the next decade, McVetta found success in the 305s and later 602 crate sprint cars with numerous wins at Sandusky, Lorain (Ohio) Raceway Park, Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway and Flat Rock (Mich.) Speedway.
After 11 years of racing the winged 305 sprint cars in Ohio, McVetta was looking to do something different. Supermodifieds seemed to be a natural progression.
Mike McVetta with Dick Meyers’ sprint car at Jennerstown (Pa.) Speedway. (David Sink photo)
“They didn’t like my creativity,” McVetta said with a laugh. “We kinda started off part time with the supers in 2012. I did some driving for Dave Koyon. I did that for a year and then we started our own deal.
“In 2013, we bought an older car, like a 1990 Bodnar car. It was actually the car my dad, Roger McVetta, was working on for Dave Shullick that got us started,” McVetta continued. “It had some sentimental history to it and it was a dang good little car. We went to Winchester our first year with it (2013) and set the track record with a motor that couldn’t get out of its own way. I built my first super in 2014. The following year we got our first win on the ISMA tour.
“I can’t do anything easy or normal,” added McVetta, remembering his first supermodified victory. “We had just destroyed the car at Oswego. We broke a torque arm going down the back straightaway and rode the wall, then went head-on into turn three. It was just a mess for two weeks. We got it patched back together in time for the ISMA show at Lorain Raceway Park, which is just around the corner from us.
“Just as I crossed the checkered flag that night, I broke another piece of the torque arm and it took out the left-side fuel cell. I ended up on fire in turn one after the checkered flag, but I had won,” McVetta noted. “It wasn’t that big of a fire, but it was enough that it got me out of the car and rolling on the ground. I rode to victory lane on the roof of a golf cart.”
McVetta put it all together in 2018 and captured the coveted Midwest Supermodified Ass’n championship by 19 points over Jim Paller. It was a dream come true for McVetta as he had been following supermodified racing since a child.
Success at the prestigious Oswego Classic has eluded McVetta, but it’s a race he would like win and bring the trophy back to Ohio.
“We’ve attempted the Classic three times, but we’ve only started it once. One year I destroyed the car in the winged show the night before and another time I broke the axle in practice,” McVetta said. “I haven’t had very good luck at Oswego, honestly.
In 2021, McVetta got the call of a lifetime from Dick Meyers, who owned a USAC Silver Crown car and is one of the winningest 410 winged pavement sprint car owners in the history of the class.
“I was going to pick up tires for the supermodified and I get a call form Dick Meyers, thinking he was going to yell at me for not rebuilding my shocks in a timely manner,” McVetta said. “He informed me that his driver, Brian Gerster, was looking to do more family things and he wanted me to drive his race cars.
“I was speechless. I did not expect that call. I was extremely humbled and excited to race for Dick.”
Now that McVetta races supermodifieds, USAC Silver Crown cars and 410 winged pavement sprint cars on a regular basis, he says the three styles of cars are not comparable.
“The USAC Silver Crown cars are extremely tough. Those cars are kind of finicky like supers. There is a lot to them and a lot going on,” McVetta explained. “Unfortunately, we haven’t finished many races. You’re running against the best in that group. I enjoy the challenge. Among the three, the Crown car is probably the hardest to drive by far. You’re on bricks for tires with zero downforce. It’s not like in the super or sprint car where it’s hammer down and go. But it’s probably my favorite of the three to drive.”
This year, McVetta’s versatility will be on full display. In addition to the USAC Silver Crown car, he will compete in select supermodified and Must See Racing sprint car events.
“My focus is with Dick. Wherever he wants to run is what we’re doing that weekend,” McVetta said. “That’s my priority, just like it was last year. But with the way the schedules worked out, I think it’s gonna be a tossup as to whether we run more USAC Silver Crown or supermodified races.”
FAST FACTS
Birthday: Sept. 6, 1984
Hometown: Medina, Ohio
Series: USAC, ISMA, Must See Racing
Sponsors: EV Naturals, Perfection Fabricators, Sallsways Equipment, TS Photography, Gary’s Body Shop, Eco Mechanical, Lubrication Supply
This story appeared in the April 5, 2023 edition of the SPEED SPORT Insider.
Keyword: Crowd Pleaser: ‘Hollywood’ Mike McVetta