Tom Wright
𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩
If there were what someone might call "unpopular" positions at a race track, many might suggest "Tech." Others might suggest "Race Director." Both positions carry weight as Tech decisions can lead to tense moments before and after the races, and a Race Director's call is evident and transparent--it happens right in front of everyone.
Tom Wright has done many things in racing, and in the later years of his career, he joined Kalamazoo Speedway in Tech for a while before he was trained, and took over, full Race Director responsibilities in 2024 and part of 2025.
Wright's impact was immediate. Each night, he took the opportunity to walk through the pit area as he connected with drivers and their crews. That created a positive relationship which also earned Wright a great amount of respect from those who raced at Kalamazoo. After the races, Wright once again took the time to walk through the pit area and had conversations with drivers. Some of those conversations likely were not pleasant, and those conversations sometimes involved strong emotions directed at Wright, but Wright never lost his cool in the moment. He listened. He took notes. He learned.
The role was important to Wright in that he wanted to get the call right every time. Anyone knows that being 100% right is nearly impossible---especially in sports where so many things can happen. In short track racing, Race Directors have to make a call often without the number of resources and technology like NASCAR and the NFL have at their fingertips. Anyone who's watched either knows that even with a plethora of camera angles and dedicated staff to provide insight on video reviews, they still can get things wrong. It's not an easy job when every call can end up on social media and be heavily scrutinized.
Although he stepped away early in 2025 from full-time directing, he left a lasting impact on everyone he interacted with because of the relationships he built with each competitor, crew member, and staff.
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