Latest / Kenny Wallace Media / Kenny Conversation | Kevin Rumley is The SMARTEST Man in Dirt Racing

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Kenny Conversation | Kevin Rumley is The SMARTEST Man in Dirt Racing · Kenny Wallace Media

0:00
And I've never heard you answer this.
0:02
Why did you quit running the number six car full time with
0:07
Jonathan Davenport? Yeah, well, it was kind of
0:10
always the plan. Jonathan wanted to win a Lucas
0:14
Oil championship to to prove some of his former employees
0:20
wrong. It's the Kenny Wallace
0:22
conversation brought to you by Jags.
0:26
Hello everyone, and welcome back to Kenny Conversation brought to
0:31
you by Jags, the leader in high performance aftermarket car
0:35
parts. Remember to go to jags.com for
0:39
everything you need to fix your vehicles up.
0:42
And they're reminding me that they have truck parts and Jeep
0:46
parts in stock right now. In my opinion, you are looking
0:52
at the smartest man in dirt racing today across the world.
0:58
There he is, Kevin Rumley. Kevin, how are you doing?
1:03
I'm doing great this morning. Thanks for having me on your
1:06
show. It's definitely an honor.
1:08
Definitely a huge fan so thanks for having me.
1:11
Well, you know I'm smiling because I think an awful lot of
1:14
you and your and your wife Jacqueline, you 2 have always
1:18
been wonderful to me. And let's get right at it,
1:21
Kevin, let's talk about you a little bit.
1:24
You are extremely famous in racing and we're going to get
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that to that. We're going to get the, there's
1:31
a lot more to you than just dirt racing.
1:34
But Kevin Rumley out of Lexington, NC, Kevin went to UNC
1:42
Charlotte and here's Key, he just didn't go to UNC Charlotte.
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He's a mechanical engineer graduate and that's Key right
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there. So when you went to, you know,
1:57
UNC and you went to high school, did you ever have any thoughts
2:01
that you were going to be this this race car designer and kind
2:06
of recreate racing as we see it today?
2:08
Did you have that dream back then?
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Well, I mean, ever since like six years old, I grew up in my
2:14
dad's shop and I had the idea that I wanted to race for a
2:19
living because I thought my my dad was the coolest person in
2:23
the neighborhood. Having a race car absolutely
2:26
fell in all of them. So I guess I was destined to do
2:29
this. I'm very fortunate to be able to
2:31
make a living in it. Yeah, You know, I like what you
2:35
said there because I always tell people, listen, if my dad, Russ
2:39
Wallace, if he would have been a fisherman, that's most likely
2:43
what Rusty, my brother Mike and myself would have most likely
2:47
fished. But yes, I think more times than
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not our our, our dad or mom, you know, they tend to lead us, you
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know, we tend to like what they do.
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So one thing I I like that caught me off guard is that
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you're up there in Lexington. That is, that's Richard Petty
3:06
area. That's Richard Childress area.
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That's CDC Clyde Vickers area. Tell me about that area.
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You know, where did you go? Where did you hang out up in
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there? Yeah, so, so basically my dad's
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shop was in Greensboro, went through high school, raced every
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weekend, was at the racetrack more than I was with my friends,
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knew what I wanted to do. I went to UNC Charlotte for
3:30
engineering to become a better racer basically.
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And, and I would always go in the CV products and buy parts
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from Clyde Vickers. And he, he knew me very well.
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And he said, whenever you get out of college, come see me and
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I'll I'll give you a job. So he started me in the
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warehouse. I had to work my way up, became
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engineering manager at CV Products.
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I I know that and I think a lot of that, of course, that's Brian
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Vickers. Dad, would you say Clyde
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Vickers? I mean, you just told us, but do
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you think working there advanced advanced you into the sport?
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Yeah, absolutely. So Clyde, Clyde has very high
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ethical standards. He he's a salesperson and he
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always does things right. So he, he taught me the right
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way to do things, right way to to handle people, handle
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customers, had an opportunity to further my engineering skills
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within CAD and parts design. And I had the opportunity to
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work with all the cup engineers, which which accelerates your
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learning curve greatly, had an opportunity to work with all the
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vendors in the sport. So it was a great opportunity
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for me to continue my learning curve and in the space and was
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very fortunate to have that opportunity.
4:53
All right. I love this.
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We we've kind of laid the groundwork, everybody about
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Kevin Rumley, where he's from, where he went to school, the
5:01
area before we get at it, I feel like I read last night, I call
5:10
it breaking news in the garage area.
5:12
Kevin, tell me if this is true. I read that you and Jonathan
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Davenport are getting back together for one race in early
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November. Is that true?
5:24
Yes, Sir. We're actually going to go a
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couple races E Alabama for the National 100 and the World
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Finals at Charlotte. So very close with Jonathan.
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We've had a lot of success, consider him a very good friend.
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So we're going to we're going to bring back a throwback wrap and
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have a little fun. This warms my heart because that
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is when I met you and and and JD and and your wife.
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You guys were tearing it up. I want to introduce you a little
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bit more as we go through your timeline and and Kevin, make
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sure you stop me if if I've made a mistake here.
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So Kevin Rumley, 2015 Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series
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championship car owner and crew chief.
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And that was the year with your own K&L Rumley Enterprises, the
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famous number six. OK, let's keep going. 2018 Lucas
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Oil Dirt Late Model Dirt Series Championship Engineer that
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that's big. I didn't even know they had that
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award. Tell me a little bit about that
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award engineer. Yeah, so.
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So basically there's very few engineers in her space, so I
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guess they had to create a title.
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So that year I worked with the Landers family.
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Lance Landers. Oh yeah.
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Got to know Mark Martin pretty well.
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That was pretty cool. And Jason Durham was a crew
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chief. So basically, basically I
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function as an engineer and, and it was, it was very successful.
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So I'm very glad, very glad I had that opportunity as well.
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OK, I want everybody to breathe deep right now.
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We we are going to get to the legendary device.
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Why? What was what were you trying to
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gain? We are going to get to the
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number six JD days, fair Berry and all that stuff.
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But but be patient everybody. We got a little more to go here.
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We're going to get to that stuff.
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One thing I like that I read is that you specialize in
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revolutionary components and scientific data analysis.
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I, I feel like, you know, we've got Mark Richards up there at
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rocket and, and then, you know, I feel like everybody was
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finding our way through the sport, but I feel like you're
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the one that perfected. OK, let's put sensors on the
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car. When, when do you remember
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yourself, you know, becoming a scientific data analysis?
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And I mean, to me, that's what that means.
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Telemetry data acquisition, download course.
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We know telemetry is live. Tell me about that time.
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What, What Car do you remember? What was the first car you put
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all the sensory on? Yeah, so.
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So Steve Shaver was driving for a family team.
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It was very part time, yeah. I think it was around 2010 and
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got my first data system for Christmas for me.
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So put all the sensors on and went to Scravens Motor Speedway
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for speed weeks and did some tests and there was no rules
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against it at that point and got all the data and the first thing
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I would remember was how overwhelmed I was at all the
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data because it didn't make really sense.
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So that was a whole nother learning curve.
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OK, now that listen, I, I know I'm hyper and people think I'm a
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little off centered, but I'm smart.
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I heard that your mom and dad bought you this equipment for
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Christmas when, when most kids are, you know, wanting a race
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car or, you know, tires or a fire suit, here you are.
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So your mom and dad, they recognized your brain was wired
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different than most kids early on.
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Yeah. Well, our family team, we had
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very low budget. So, so we had to perform and had
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to win enough money to make make it to the next race.
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So the first piece of equipment we bought to further our
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performance was a shot guy. No that that was very that was
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very easy games for us to learn how to use that equipment and
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get better. The next next piece of equipment
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was the data system to learn exactly what was going on
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because everybody was kind of just guessing at the time.
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KK and LK and L Rumley Enterprises tell me, tell
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everybody what K&L stands for. Yeah.
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So my mom had the idea to incorporate our little business
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race and business back in the 90s for liability issues.
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She she always crosses all of her TS and dots all of her I's
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and and wanted to protect us, you know, in case anything
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happened. So K&L Rumley stands for Kevin
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and Lisa Rumley Enterprises, which was my sister's name,
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older sister. I'll be darn well.
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I didn't realize that. So is there just you and your
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sister in the family any, any other family?
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Yeah, just just myself and A7 year older sister.
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I've been to your shop before. It is different.
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When I was a kid I saw these army type buildings.
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You know your shop is that the half round metal building.
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God would work up here with the snowy, yet you know that roof
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would never fall in. I find you unique in the most
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fantastic manner. I want to make sure everybody
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understands. I admire you immensely.
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Now was was that building just built for boats or or tell me
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how the that design of that building, it kind of matches
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your personality? It's not a normal building.
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Yeah. So a little bit of background.
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We, we moved out of the Labonte shop in 2016 and, and I moved, I
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moved closer to my career, which was CV products and, and
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basically needed a place to put all my stuff.
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So Jonathan Davenport, souvenir salesman, kept his rig at D&E
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Marine, which is David and Evelyn Fritz.
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And they were nice enough to, they had a vacant building.
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They were nice enough to to let us put all of our equipment in
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and prepare race cars out of here.
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And one of the very first cars we prepared out of here was
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Jonathan Davenport's World 100 winning car in 2017.
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So that there's a very special memory.
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Yeah, this, this is so good. We really laid the groundwork,
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you know, from you being six years old.
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You were into racing and yeah, you went to UNC for mechanical
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engineer. Now we're now we're laying,
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laying it all down and we're kind of getting to where I want
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to get to. So there was so much more to
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you. But I want, I know everybody
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knows you for redesigning the dirt super late model.
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So I've listened to everything you've ever said.
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I've listened to all your interviews about the device, but
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I want to come at it a complete different way.
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So you're going to answer me totally different than you do
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everybody. OK, I've been in your shop.
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You have handed me the device, I've looked at it.
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I spent five days at your shop and I want everybody to know
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that so it's easy for me to have a conversation with you when you
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created the device, obviously, and now I don't want my question
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to be long winded but interrupt me.
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You wanted the left rear stay up on the car when you made this
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device, what was the one or two things that you wanted the
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device to accomplish? Yeah.
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So we basically the diet device came about because they were
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very dirty data signals and and we wanted the left rear to be up
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for a aero platform and to be disconnected at the same time.
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So. OK, when I first started dirt
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racing, it was Terry Phillips, Larry Phillips's son I first
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started dirt racing. Terry Phillips said to me
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something that just made me look.
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He says the difference between a good dirt racer and a great drag
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racer or great, you know, a good dirt racer and a great 1 is a
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really great dirt racer. Can drag the brake and keep it
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as the legendary singles. Keep it on the bars.
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Keep it on the bars. I know what it does, but I want
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your version. I want you to explain to
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everybody that's tuning in right now, keeping the car up on the
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bars, that you know, people that don't even know what it means.
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They say it and I think it's comical.
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So that's what you were trying to accomplish.
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And then get the left for a spoiler up in the air.
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Get that, get the decking. You were getting dried by
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keeping the bars angles up. You were getting the left for a
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spoiler up. So was was you, were you kind of
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keeping it up on the bars with this device by itself?
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Well, kind of. But the device, the real device
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allows you to keep it on the bars and have compliance because
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if you're up on the bars, everything's solid and and your
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left rear tire mounts as the entire race car.
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That's what I was looking for right there out of all the of
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these ten years that I've known. You OK, Right.
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And you hear him everybody. If, if the bars are straight up,
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then the only compliance you got is through the rubber tire.
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So what did that thing I, I remember looking at, did you
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have a miniature shock in it or something?
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What was in that device? Yeah, So shock was to hold the
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bump stop to add the compliance and and the disconnection point.
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Got it. So it it, it compliance means,
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you know, rubbery a little, you know, let it, let it give.
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OK, so you build this thing, you dominate.
15:41
And what what did what did they do?
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They did they, they find it. Did they look underneath the car
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and go, what the Hell's that? So so the very first weekend we
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we tried to build the thing for days and we finally got it
15:54
together the night of the Golden Isles practice for Lucas Hall
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and we knew we wanted to run the series.
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Labonte family found us a little sponsor to help us out so
16:09
finally got this thing together. Missed practice at Golden Isles
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but we stopped at Carolina Speedway on the way and it was
16:18
dark or very dark. They didn't have lights at the
16:21
time because the wall fell down on the front straightaway.
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Oh my. Jonathan Davenport, he goes out
16:28
in the dark, runs two laps. We pull the pen on the device,
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runs two more laps. It was exactly what we were
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looking for. So we go to Golden Isles and out
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qualify everybody by a considerable margin.
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But the little shock had a canister on it and our canister
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clamp wasn't tight enough. So when we were being presented
16:53
the Fast Time award on the front, straightaway the canister
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was laying on the racetrack and dragging.
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OK, I've never heard this story. This is unbelievable.
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And this is the same time that the very first suspension rules
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implemented in dirt lane model racing was some shock absorber
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rules against electronic shocks, reservoirs tied together and
17:17
nerders. So when they saw an extra shock
17:21
laying on the racetrack and dragon that was, that was a very
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big mistake on our part. It's bad, but it's kind of
17:30
funny. It's just the way you put it.
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So then, so then we ran that night.
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It was so much added traction. We ended up breaking the right
17:39
front lower controller. So then the next night we race
17:44
and was leading and broke a valve spring.
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So we only had one of these devices.
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So Jonathan Davenport personally got under the car and we missed
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hot laps and he pulled off the bird cage with the device and
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this was the first version of the device and had it setting
18:02
and put it on her backup car herself.
18:04
And you know, everyone's, when you're on this stage, everyone's
18:07
looking like what in the world is going on under there?
18:11
Right. Wow.
18:13
Jonathan Davenport. OK, I want to get to Jonathan in
18:19
a minute because I think you and him are two peas in a pot.
18:22
And listen, everybody, I am going to ask the man you're
18:25
looking at what happened to the six and why did they why did
18:29
they quit running for the championships?
18:31
We're going to get there. But I'm a racer.
18:34
So when you when you created this dirty sensory, because in
18:39
your mind you're an engineer, you're you're singing dad, like
18:43
all these these lines are bad and all this.
18:45
And did you realize everything you wanted it to do or was it by
18:51
mistake? So, you know, my friend is Nick
18:54
Hoffman. We're very good friends.
18:57
But you're the one that brought the light bar up, left her
19:01
spoiler up. Oh, now the interior's at an
19:04
angle. Is that all you had in mind, or
19:07
was some of it by mistake? Or did you know what it was
19:11
going to do all around? So so basically the the device
19:14
was for compliance. Yeah.
19:17
And it, it perfectly cleaned up all the signals on the car from
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the signals come from wheel slippage with the longitudinal
19:27
slip frequency of the tire, right?
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If it's solid, the car is going to balance it and it's somewhere
19:32
around 3.2 Hertz. So basically your tires on the
19:38
ground half the time. So when we did this device, the
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tires are on the ground all the time.
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It, it wasn't later that year that we started stacking springs
19:49
and manipulating ride heights. They had the deck rule, so we
19:53
would raise the front of the car through tech and squat the left
19:57
rear. So that was kind of a separate
20:01
project, but it but it all worked together very well.
20:05
So when we hear you say 3.2 Hertz and now I'm changing
20:12
subjects, OK, we're on the same subject, but I'm changing the
20:16
lanes. The normal person that talks
20:21
with you realizes you're, we're not in your world.
20:24
You're, you're different in a wonderful way.
20:27
You're, you're awesome because it us mortals, us normal people,
20:32
you know, all we can do is check stagger, you know it wheel load
20:36
and things like that. Do do sometimes you get
20:40
aggravated when people just don't understand you?
20:45
I mean, no, absolutely not so, so I live my whole life, you
20:50
know, I'm, I'm really good at one thing, right?
20:53
There's everybody's equal, but people are better at other
20:57
things and some things. So, so I, the more mature I get,
21:02
the more I realize what I'm good at and what I'm not good at.
21:05
So my my patience for everyone is very high because I'm sure
21:14
they get equally as frustrated with me when I don't understand
21:17
where they're. When you say 3.2 Hertz.
21:20
Yeah, well, that's the, that's the wall, wall, wall.
21:23
You here at Gateway. Yeah, yeah, I get it.
21:27
I get it. I get it.
21:29
I just it's not a word we use. And and I want to thank you so
21:33
much for coming on Kenny conversation, because this is
21:36
about getting inside your brain for the people to understand
21:40
you. I know you.
21:41
I understand you, but listen, I was in Lincoln, IL and this man
21:48
came up to me and he says, Kenny, will you interview Kevin
21:52
Rumley? And I looked and I thought, man,
21:57
because people want to hear from you in a different way.
22:00
We see you now. We love that the Longhorn
22:03
questions Q and AI want to tell you.
22:05
I really like that. But you know, it's like when we
22:09
did Mark Richards, he got so many views.
22:12
I couldn't understand why, but it's because, you know, people
22:18
are afraid to approach some people.
22:20
Sometimes you're you're so awesome that it might there's
22:22
Kevin Rumley. So I want to thank you for
22:26
coming on Kenny conversation and letting us, you know, understand
22:30
how things got to where they are.
22:34
OK, so now here we are. We got the, we got through your
22:38
career at this point now K&L Rumley Enterprises, they got
22:42
this number six car and you're, you're struggling your way
22:46
through creating this, cleaning up all the signals.
22:49
Now let's Fast forward a little bit.
22:51
Complete domination. You win it all.
22:55
You go to Fairbury and Fairbury changes your life.
22:59
You win 50 grand. It's party central.
23:03
You have so much money in the bank that Oh my God, now we got
23:07
taxes. And I told you, I'm fast
23:10
forwarding a lot and I've never heard you answer this.
23:15
Why did you quit running the number six car full time with
23:20
Jonathan Davenport? Yeah, well, it was kind of
23:23
always the plan. Jonathan wanted to win a Lucas
23:27
Oil championship to to prove some of his former employees
23:34
wrong. So I remember having a
23:36
conversation on my back porch. So it, it was kind of the plan
23:41
all along. The less run full time, win the
23:44
championship and then and then we'll kind of have an exit
23:46
strategy. So that was all planned.
23:49
It it the tour is very grueling budget wise, labor wise and life
23:55
wise. So that was always the plan.
23:58
We've always ran part time with our car and that that's been our
24:03
comfort zone so we can go pursue other interests and
24:07
opportunities in life. This is fantastic.
24:11
I want to comment on what you just said because I see so much
24:14
sad, sad people in the world of Dirt Super Late Models right
24:19
now. I just got done having a
24:21
conversation with Brian Shirley. I find that so many people are,
24:27
you know, they love it, but they're miserable because if the
24:31
money doesn't keep coming in, they go broke.
24:34
So what you're saying is you found a way to be balanced?
24:40
Yes. OK, this is really good
24:43
information. Listen to him kids.
24:46
He likes dirt, super late model racing, but he's choosing not to
24:49
be a Vagabond. Wow, I didn't expect that answer
24:55
that that is so so in synopsis, the the number six quit after
25:00
you accomplished all your goals, you won it all and you got off
25:06
the road. Is that basically what I'm
25:08
hearing? Yeah, basically that that was a
25:10
plan. Once you accomplish your goals,
25:13
it's like, now what? So you always, you always have.
25:16
And it was very, after we accomplished that goal, it was
25:19
like a huge empty filling inside yourself.
25:22
And then I realized you have to have new goals.
25:26
So it's very difficult for some people, but we figured it out.
25:31
Yeah, and boy, you have. OK, so you move on and, and, and
25:36
let's go right where you're at today, OK?
25:39
Now I'm going to say this and you straighten me out if I'm
25:41
wrong. OK, So the way you're making a
25:44
living now because you got off the road, you're an engineering
25:47
consultant to Bilstein shocks along with continuing your work
25:52
at Longhorn Chassis. Is this right?
25:56
Yes, Sir. Yeah, I'm very fortunate to be
25:59
interning consultant for Bill sign check UPS, overs and long
26:03
passes. Steve, Steve Arpin, the Leach
26:08
brothers and Justin Labonte are, are great to work with all the
26:13
resources at Longhorn, all the employees at both Bill Stein and
26:17
Longhorn. It's, it's, it's very special to
26:19
feel like you're part of something bigger.
26:22
So like I said, I'm very fortunate to where I'm at right
26:25
now in my life. And it's it's, it's very
26:31
humbling to work for these great organizations.
26:36
And I just want to continue learning and continue improving
26:39
our product. I want to learn something every
26:42
day. So that's what drives me.
26:45
That is awesome and we're going to get to more stuff.
26:48
But we got an interesting topic coming up a little bit later
26:53
here in about 10 minutes about, you know, why?
26:57
Why do some drivers not do good, then all of a sudden they do
27:00
really good. But we're going to get to that
27:02
in a minute. I want to get to Longhorn.
27:06
So when I was at your shop with my modified 8 years ago, I
27:11
started, I was measuring my car and and you were telling me my
27:17
measurements before I was telling them to you.
27:20
And I looked at you and I said, Kevin, how do you know these
27:23
measurements? And your response to me was I
27:26
designed that car. So I know the Labonte's, I know
27:31
they own the company, but point blank, did you design the the
27:35
original Longhorn car? So the original Longhorn car
27:42
Longhorn started I think around 2010, 2011.
27:47
Bob Labonte owned a team that Earl Pearson junior drove 4.
27:51
They started down a more traditional path, which their
27:54
cars were like everyone else's at the time.
27:59
In 2012, they approached me and and wanted a fresh start.
28:04
So that's when we kind of clean, clean slate of paper and
28:08
designed a new car that we we're still running the basic design
28:13
today. So when you OK, you're you're,
28:18
you're at Bill Stein, you're consulting for them.
28:22
You, you do you have a special affection?
28:25
I mean, I would think you would, you have to have a special
28:28
affection for that Longhorn car because that's that's your baby,
28:32
isn't? It, yeah, pretty much all pretty
28:35
much my life's work is wrapped up in the Longhorn Chassis.
28:38
So it's, it's, it's definitely very special to me.
28:46
There's definitely. It's very hard for an engineer
28:49
to have an emotional connection to something mechanical, but it
28:54
definitely, definitely is. Out of our conversation, you
28:59
heard it right there, race fans, you're looking at the man that
29:04
makes me happy for you because I think everybody in life has to
29:08
have a goal and then you accomplish a goal.
29:11
You know, just like you said, OK, you and JD did it and you
29:14
said OK, that's done and now JD, you go stay on the road because
29:18
I don't want to be on the road as much.
29:20
It's kind of funny because it if I had sensors on our speech
29:23
right now, we're cleaning up. We're cleaning up the the the
29:27
sensory right now. And now we're knowing so much
29:30
more about you and why you made some of your, your decisions.
29:34
OK, I'm going to do this for all the race car drivers out there.
29:39
I'm going to talk about the frame and cage and I'm going to
29:44
come at you a different way. We always hear about good
29:48
drivers and bad drivers or drivers that just are OK.
29:53
I want to give you some examples, Kevin.
29:56
Brian Shirley is a good driver, but he's been struggling.
30:01
Now all of a sudden Shirley has been winning big races.
30:04
Brian Shirley has had the best year ever.
30:09
He went and got a Longhorn. Now we know Rocket Chassis is
30:13
strong. We get that and we know that
30:16
Mark is a pivotal part of of racing and certainly you and him
30:20
are going to go back and forth with spirited chassis design.
30:24
Nothing negative. So then listen to this one.
30:28
We got this kid here in town who is a dear friend of mine.
30:31
His name is Ryan Hamilton. He has not been very good for
30:35
two years, but he goes and gets, he buys Tyler Nicely's elite and
30:41
he's won two out of three races. And it is shocked, shocked Mike
30:45
Harrison and everybody. It didn't shock me because I
30:49
taught him a lot. And now we're we both run the
30:51
same chassis. OK, now that I've laid it out,
30:55
here's my question for you. You certainly have have a really
31:02
good handling race car to be good.
31:05
Is that true? Well, what I've so I've been
31:10
very fortunate to work with some very good drivers at a very
31:14
intimate level. And, and what I've realized is
31:18
all these drivers have certain fields that drive off the right
31:22
front, the right rear, they have these different fields.
31:25
And if they don't get the fill in they're looking for, they're
31:29
not going to be very successful. So the the drivers that are very
31:33
successful know the feel that they're looking for and can
31:36
communicate that those drivers could pull out of a slump with
31:41
what they have. But if if someone just switches
31:45
you know product and finds immediate success, it's
31:50
definitely a little clue to what they need to fill in a race car
31:53
to be to be fast. So Brian Shirley is really
32:00
running good right now. And I just got done a
32:02
conversation with him. He told me the reason he's
32:04
running better, he believes, is he's got two young kids that he
32:08
tutored starting at Round East Bay.
32:10
And now, now they know what they're up to.
32:13
And then they made it. They made a change.
32:16
And so I'm, I'm not putting words in his mouth, but what
32:18
you're telling me is now, now Brian's got a car that he's
32:22
feeling. Is that what you're saying?
32:24
Yes, and, and Brian Shirley is very impressive.
32:29
I know for the questions he asked me, he asked the right
32:32
questions and he asked the questions that that make sense.
32:37
And he's he's very disciplined with his package.
32:39
He knows what to change day in day out.
32:43
He knows what he needs to feel so very happy.
32:46
He switched to to the Longhorn Chassis and and I told him the
32:50
other night, definitely the best year that I remember.
32:54
You haven't so very proud of him.
32:56
Yeah, he's winning national races.
32:58
National races means when everybody's there, the problem,
33:02
it's a funny problem, Kevin. One of the funny problems we
33:06
haven't dirt. Super Late Model racing is the
33:09
only time you all get together is at Eldora.
33:12
All the rest of the time it's World of Outlaws over here,
33:14
Lucas Oil here. And you know, there was a time
33:17
that you know, Lucas Oil was better than World of Outlaws.
33:20
And it just seems like, you know, it's a big old salad, you
33:24
know, until you all get to Eldora.
33:27
Speaking of Eldora, in your mind, Aunt Jonathan was going to
33:33
win again until he broke the motor.
33:35
What does that feel Is he has he ever told you?
33:38
I mean, we had a great conversation with him.
33:40
What? What does Jonathan have there as
33:43
a driver that nobody else has? Very early on, Jonathan
33:47
Davenport, he focused on being good at Eldora and that's that
33:52
was his life goal as a driver is to be very good at Eldora.
33:57
He loves it. His notebook's expensive.
34:01
He knows exactly where to go on the racetrack.
34:04
He knows exactly how to restart. He, he knows tire management at
34:08
a like a scary high level there. So, so he's just focused on it.
34:14
It fits his driving style. He's he's very good at driving
34:17
in a circle, but very, very good at backing his corners up and
34:22
going the same speed through the center of the corner, very
34:27
smooth. So I think that's definitely why
34:30
he's found success there. He he's often told me he drives
34:33
it just like he drives Golden Nile Speedway.
34:37
Which was a little fast track. Yeah.
34:41
Do do you think? No, I see some drivers starting
34:44
to copy his lines. You know, you get halfway
34:47
through the race going to 1, you know, 3/4 up, then rotate, go
34:51
down the hill, take the left rear grains, take the left rear,
34:56
grab some of that moisture low off it, too.
34:59
I see some people starting to copy him at Eldora.
35:02
Do you think they're starting to learn from him and catch up a
35:04
little? Yeah, I'm sure there there's
35:06
some very, very good drivers, young drivers coming up and and
35:12
they, they study the sport, study the game, so which I think
35:16
is wonderful young drivers learning from, you know, the
35:20
successful elders. So I think it's a very beautiful
35:24
thing. Yeah, it it Kevin, it, it is
35:27
very hard to be the greatest of all time all the time.
35:30
So while JD is the greatest at Eldora, certainly it it's got a
35:36
start slowing up at some point. That's life.
35:40
It looks like Bobby Pierce is that guy right now, even though
35:43
his his driving is a little Wilder.
35:45
What do you think? Who's the driver out there right
35:47
now at Eldora that is getting close to JD?
35:51
Well, obviously it's it's Bobby. He's won.
35:53
He's won the world, won the dirt track and him and his dad Bob
35:58
worked together really, really well.
36:02
And they focus. Everyone loves that place.
36:05
If, if you're a racer, you love Eldora and you want to be
36:08
successful there. And, and Bobby's gotten a lot
36:12
smoother over the years. He knows how to save his tires.
36:16
And yeah, I, I just think it's wonderful to see all these all
36:19
these young drivers getting better and better and better,
36:23
like Devin Moran, you know, Ricky Thornton, like very, very
36:27
good drivers. OK, you just brought it up that
36:31
that was not on my list. I want to get into tubular
36:33
construction a little bit here of the of the framing.
36:36
Cajun, what makes a car flex and not and where we're going to run
36:40
O 65 where we're going to run O 83 or 90.
36:43
But before I get there, you just brought it up.
36:47
My observation was that when they fired Ricky Thornton, when
36:53
they fired him and he was put in to no man's land, he, you know,
36:59
he, he wasn't as good for a while, but now, now it seems
37:03
like he's caught back up. He won the Lucas Oil
37:06
championship. My question, because I witnessed
37:10
watching Ricky go through that, how important is team unity?
37:15
I mean, listening to Brian Shirley say I got two kids now,
37:20
is that very important? Yes, the team.
37:23
The team is as important as driver, especially the crew
37:26
chief. So you you have drivers that can
37:28
function as their own crew chief like Brian Shirley, and then you
37:32
have drivers that that rely on crew chiefs.
37:36
So RTJ had Anthony Burroughs and Anthony Burroughs is is the best
37:42
in the sport right now. So when halfway through the
37:46
season, when you have momentum and you lose that, it's, it's no
37:49
matter how good a driver you are, you're going to have a
37:52
little bit of learning curve to get caught back up.
37:54
And he's, he aligned with Kohler better sports.
37:59
Steve Arpin helped him put a deal together with Kohler.
38:02
And I'm glad, I'm glad he won the championship.
38:05
He's LED it for I believe two years straight.
38:08
So he he definitely deserved to win that.
38:11
So now Anthony, from what I hear, are these crew chiefs
38:15
staying still or they are they constantly leaving teams and
38:17
going to the next team? What's he going to do?
38:20
I think you'll, you'll, you'll see some Domino's, Domino's
38:25
start to fall here as as the season, the point seasons are
38:28
winding down. So I think we'll work very close
38:31
with Anthony in the future. So it will, will Hudson O'Neill
38:36
stay in that car and will he run slower?
38:38
Are they going to, I mean, if Anthony leaves, he what's he
38:41
going to do? So, so Hudson O'Neill was one of
38:44
my favorite drivers to work with this year and we found some
38:48
success, one and two races and running very well at the drain.
38:52
So we'll, we consider him family.
38:55
So we'll make sure he's definitely well taken care of in
38:58
the future. So he'll be he he's he's going
39:01
to be a bright young star. He's 23 years old and if you
39:04
talk to him, it's like he's 23 going on 50.
39:07
So as he matures as a driver, he he's going to be going to be
39:11
very good. Man, when I see Hudson, I I I
39:14
think I'm looking at his dad. I mean you talk about a car and
39:17
copy got that little bulldog mentality.
39:19
You know, like kale Yarborough got no neck and just drives the
39:23
crap out of that car. Well, listen out of everything,
39:26
everybody that that's a big deal right there.
39:28
The man you're looking at says he's he's going to make sure
39:31
Hudson's car handles since Anthony is most likely looking
39:36
rumors he's going to leave. I I find that really refreshing.
39:40
So one thing I like about you and Longhorn, when somebody
39:44
loses their main chassis setup, man, it sounds to me like I've
39:49
seen you doing this. You're kind of coming to the
39:51
rescue, aren't you, for some of these drivers?
39:54
Yeah. Well, we have a team sitting
39:55
here that primarily Kyle Larson drove.
40:00
So if if people need help, especially our customers, Steve
40:05
Arpin. It's very customers is, is very
40:08
close to his heart. So when we talk about these
40:12
things and and someone needs needs help, like Hudson O'Neill
40:16
losing his ride and or mutual split or RTJ losing his ride, we
40:23
immediately conversations to try to put some things together.
40:26
Because for for Hudson, the main thing was to keep him in the
40:29
points, right? And, and the same thing with
40:32
RTJ. So I know the the week that RTJ
40:37
went with Kohler Motorsports, I sent one of my young crew guys
40:42
out on the road with him and Steve Arpin sent one of his main
40:45
shop guys out on the road with him.
40:49
Kevin, everybody knows that I'm really good friends with Nick
40:52
Hoffman and that's one thing about Kenny conversation.
40:54
It's just it's real talk. So people TuneIn because I know
40:58
what they I know what I'm talking about.
41:01
And and one thing that me and Nick talk about is so like this
41:05
year, I go to the racetrack by myself and I don't I don't mind
41:09
because people get in my way. They aggravate me.
41:13
You know, I got to tell them what to do and and I'm winning
41:15
more and I'm running better. Nick said to me at Highland, he
41:19
says, you still by yourself. And I said, yeah, I said I can't
41:23
find anybody that's got the passion I have.
41:26
They all want to make money and they, you know, all that stuff.
41:30
Where are we at in dirt Super late model race?
41:33
And it seems to me like it's just horrible trying to find
41:37
people that love dirt racing. Where have all the kids gone?
41:42
Yeah. Well, basically I think, I think
41:45
everyone gets distracted. And then there was a lot of,
41:50
there was a lot of local racing, especially super late model
41:54
racing, you know, 5-10 years ago.
41:56
And as that starts to dry up, I think, I think the communities
42:02
lose a little interest, even though we're getting bigger on a
42:05
national scale. But there's, there's young kids
42:10
that want to help. I just, I just think they need,
42:13
we need to find avenues to get them in our sport because it's a
42:16
very good sport and it's very, you get to see the world and get
42:19
paid for it. You get to be part of something.
42:21
And like I said, we're like dirt light models and are getting
42:26
bigger and bigger and bigger. So yeah, that's one thing that
42:31
that I, I really like you addressing because I, you know,
42:34
I'm the biggest dirt racing fan there is.
42:37
I don't run dirt super late models anymore because I might
42:41
as well run the Xfinity Series. Or if I'm going to run dirt
42:43
super late miles, you know, I started in dirt super late
42:46
models. As you know, I won the Prelude
42:48
to the Dream 1 Cleveland. And then I'm like, I'm not, I'm
42:52
not going to spend this kind of money anymore.
42:54
So I chose mods because I started dirt racing at 44.
42:58
I started dirt racing at 44. Here I am 61 years old.
43:03
So my point is, is I've seen a thing or two and what I see now
43:09
is what you just said, and I want you to dress that a little
43:12
bit more. The local racing is getting
43:16
weaker and lesser, but dirt, super Late Model, big races, the
43:21
dirt World Finals, you know that all that.
43:23
It's getting way bigger in my opinion.
43:27
Do you see it that way? Yeah, absolutely.
43:30
It's, it's, it's getting bigger on a national level, but it is,
43:36
it's diet on a local level because of distractions in the
43:40
community. Neighborhoods move in close down
43:43
dirt tracks. The cost and, and, and the time
43:49
involved. I mean, it's you know, yourself,
43:52
if, if, if you race on a local level, you're you're working 8
43:56
or 10 hours a day at a public job and then you got to go work
43:59
six more hours at night every day.
44:01
And you know, that's these, these things are more and more
44:05
work. So I think, I think all that
44:08
contributes to to kind of dying out.
44:11
But being in sport, we got to embrace change and move forward
44:16
and figure out our challenges so we can continue to grow.
44:20
You answered my question the first time and I, I asked it
44:23
again and we repeated ourselves. But what I did right there is I
44:27
drug more out of you and, and you, you said it, local racing
44:32
is dying. You know, it gets a little more
44:35
boring. We turn on flow, we turn on dirt
44:37
vision and, and there you guys are.
44:39
It's big time. It's exciting.
44:42
And those those things are when you get into the sport, you, you
44:46
got to love it. You got to have passion.
44:48
OK, we're getting there. We're 45 minutes now.
44:52
I find you so intriguing. I'm your biggest fan.
44:55
I'm trying to very. Humbling.
44:58
I'm not. I don't want to be a fanboy, but
45:01
I greatly admire you. I want to make sure everybody
45:03
understands that I'm not a journalist.
45:06
I'm a racer. I got my tore up jeans on right
45:09
now. I'm getting ready to go up to
45:10
the shop. OK, We do this.
45:12
It's fun, OK, tubular construction.
45:16
This is where everybody comes in and they say, hey, go on that
45:20
Kenny conversation and go to minute 47.
45:23
So we're at 46 minutes right now.
45:28
I started I'm an asphalt racer and then and I run a lot of
45:30
dirt. I watch Nick cough and build as
45:33
elites. I watch people jig other
45:36
people's cars and they copy them.
45:40
Give me your opinion on tubular construction, intersections
45:45
where a bar goes. I want to weaken that area if I
45:49
want that area to flex. OK, I can only get 70 races out
45:53
of the car. Now it's cracking.
45:55
Do I Weld that back up? Do I buy a new car?
45:58
Just talk to me about that, you know?
46:03
What's your thought on that? Yeah, definitely.
46:05
If your car is cracking, you're probably going to need a new car
46:08
because if you if if you add another beat of Weld your best,
46:13
you're basically adding a gossip that's going to make going to
46:17
definitely change the stiffness of that joint.
46:20
We're we're we're constantly learning project at Longhorn now
46:24
is, is to learn local stiffness of the chassis and torsional
46:28
stiffness of the chassis. So we're actively going through
46:31
those exercises and everything effects everything, your welding
46:36
process, your jig fixtures, the the quality of your cars, like
46:43
how much they move when they're welded.
46:46
So we're we're learning about that on a daily basis.
46:50
So the $1,000,000 question for all the locals.
46:53
The, the, as we just talked about, the locals are working
46:56
for a living. You know, Jim Black's got a
46:58
scrap metal shop down here. He just wants to jump in his car
47:01
and go run pevely and he wants it to be the fastest car.
47:05
OK, that that's a funny example. A lot of locals, they just want
47:09
to buy a car and go as fast as they can.
47:12
What do you think besides chassis setups?
47:16
Do you believe what other people believe that sometimes a chassis
47:21
manufacturer? I mean, right now, obviously
47:23
Longhorns got the upper hand. You are the you are the best
47:28
framing cage for forget, forget the A frames.
47:32
I don't even want to talk about A frames or rear ends.
47:35
Seems to me like you got the best tubular construction car
47:38
right now. Am I saying that right or am I
47:40
wrong? Yeah, yeah, we believe so.
47:43
That the amount of resources and the effort that Steve Arpan has
47:48
put into quality and consistency is amazing.
47:52
We, we can measure things down to the thousandths now and we're
47:58
currently tracking that quality. Like for, for someone to have
48:03
multiple cars and build a notebook, they all have to be
48:07
the same. So that's what we pride
48:10
ourselves at Longhorn Chassis and continue to work on on a
48:13
daily basis because we, we, we, we want to, we strive like these
48:19
things are expensive now. So and, and people put their
48:22
hard earned money in probably more than they should.
48:26
And we definitely want to give the customers value for that
48:29
money spent. Hey, you know, I find it
48:34
refreshing. I find it awesome.
48:36
Mark Richards at Rocket said the same thing.
48:39
You, you guys don't control the price.
48:41
I mean, when you know, we're looking at this inflation, it's
48:46
real. I obviously I'm not putting
48:48
words in your mouth, but we see the price of 4 by 8 sheets of
48:52
aluminum. We see the price of tubing.
48:56
This is what dictates the sport. Is, is, is that the problem?
49:00
Why is everything so damn much now?
49:03
Yeah, everything went up, especially since COVID.
49:06
Like I remember we we built a tire rack here at my shop and I
49:10
went to stock car steel and I was alarmed how much it was and
49:15
it was just a little bitty tire rack.
49:17
So. Raw material cost definitely
49:23
effects price more than anything.
49:26
This is awesome. This is absolutely fantastic.
49:30
So listen, I, I kind of, I kind of think you're, you're, you're
49:34
a Part 2 guy too. I think I need to just keep
49:37
talking to you. But I want to, I want to end
49:39
like this. I want to celebrate two or three
49:41
things. It might take another 10 minutes
49:43
or less. So OK, we're done with
49:47
everything. I felt like everybody would want
49:49
to know, you know, OK, we know all about the device, but what
49:54
were you trying to gain? And you told me what you're
49:56
trying to gain out of that. And then you got it.
49:58
Then why you quit being on the road with Jonathan?
50:02
I mean, these are these are good.
50:03
These are good stories that I've never heard anywhere else.
50:07
OK, now I want to celebrate you a little bit.
50:10
Obviously, you know, you are in NASCAR country.
50:15
I mean, we're talking asphalt. Asphalt.
50:18
I'm an asphalt racer. I started dirt racing at 44.
50:22
I know I'm repeating myself, but you are an asphalt country.
50:26
Kevin Rumley is an asphalt country.
50:30
One thing I read here that I want to celebrate you and I want
50:34
you to tell me a little bit about it.
50:35
You have a patent when you worked out.
50:38
How do you say that, Exelodyne? Yeah, Exelodyne.
50:43
Yep. Early in your life, a Cam hub
50:46
mount assembly that I think most engines used to this day
50:53
straighten me out. I want to celebrate that.
50:55
You are incredibly smart. Tell me about this patent.
50:58
Yeah, So Exodyne was a division of CV products made all all
51:04
sorts of racing products, mainly titanium valves.
51:09
So the company was heavily involved in Cam drive systems.
51:13
So building engines with my dad, the Jezel belt drive we were
51:18
using at the time had a had a needle wearing set up and you
51:21
had to set the in play and there was like like 27 pieces you had
51:26
to get perfect. And it took, it was most of the
51:30
labor was setting them late. And then you had to drill all
51:33
holes and make sure the bear needle bearings didn't didn't
51:37
burn up. And they were the needle
51:38
bearings that you use on the coilovers now, basically.
51:42
Yeah. So, so I had the idea to to
51:45
integrate the Cam hub that that bolts to the front of the Cam,
51:52
right. I wanted to make that the inner
51:54
race of a ball bearing and the outer race was the piece that
51:59
bolts on the timing cover. So it's a ball bearing that
52:02
keeps the the Cam 4 1/2 in the engine.
52:07
So at the time we were developing our Cam drive
52:10
systems, working with Goodyear belt and rubber and all these
52:14
new engines and NASCAR's were coming out the RO 7 new Toyota
52:20
FR9 Ford. So, so all these engineers
52:24
integrated this part into their engine.
52:27
It had lower friction. The there was no set in the end
52:31
play. We, we dictated that when we
52:34
assembled the product and probably in the plate engines,
52:39
it was worth 1 horsepower, which was huge and it was easier, more
52:44
reliable. So that this part is used in
52:49
every major dirt engine builder uses it in their engine today
52:52
and, and all of NASCAR engines still use this product.
52:57
So we're very proud to have that idea.
52:59
And, and having a patent in the space is, I think it's a very
53:03
honorable thing and have something unique that no one can
53:07
copy. So I'm very proud of that
53:09
accomplishment. Kevin, congratulations.
53:12
I I hear that loud and clear now are we do we call it the Cam hub
53:17
mount assembly or is there a different name for it?
53:20
Yeah, that that was it. That was the name.
53:22
Yeah, that was the name straight off the patent.
53:24
So that was the experience and it was CV Products first patent
53:29
and Exodons first patent. So the plaque is still hanging
53:33
up on the wall, so. That is fantastic.
53:36
Wow, congratulations. OK, so now another one that you
53:41
know, we know, but I want to tell the fans and we're still
53:45
celebrating you. You're part.
53:48
You were part of the inflammation of the fuel
53:50
injection project, you know, 2012 ish.
53:55
You know, here you are, you're the dirt racer.
53:57
But once again, you're right down the street from Richard
54:00
Childress and Petty and you know, tell me about that.
54:05
Yeah, so, so NASCAR implemented the idea of of EFI for the green
54:11
initiative and I think Waterman was doing all the fuel pumps at
54:15
the time. Waterman.
54:16
I remember that name. Yes.
54:19
And we had a vendor with CV products, Bosch fuel pumps.
54:25
So yeah, I remember I think they had their first EF eye test at
54:30
Kentucky and the cars would sputter, miss all kinds of
54:36
things because there was air in the fuel.
54:39
So, so we, so then we had to design A swirl pot system with
54:45
lift pumps in the fuel cell, partnered with a vendor Bosch
54:50
had to, I worked with, worked with NASCAR officials to help
54:54
write the volume compensation rules in the fuel plate because
54:58
now we have a fuel pump that's inside of it.
55:00
So we designed a product and went and did all the testing and
55:07
it worked beautiful until the, until they changed the they
55:13
changed. Remember when they removed the
55:14
dump cans? Oh yeah, single thing.
55:17
Well, they had Crytox and the Crytox lubrication gasoline
55:24
would not dissolve it and it would clog the filters up and
55:27
cavitate the pump. Oh my God.
55:29
But then you wouldn't, you wouldn't see it in the filters.
55:32
So we all had all the teams work together and built a, a glass
55:37
swirl pot. And what we noticed was all this
55:41
Crytox would get in there and as it would swirl, it would collect
55:46
like a lava lamp at the filter. So I remember a an engineer, a
55:52
very good engineer at Hendrick Motorsports, he said, well, if
55:56
we can't get rid of the Crytox, we just need to suck it through
55:59
the engine. So the courser filters and that
56:02
solved that problem. That was, that was.
56:06
Yeah, that reminds me, a very good project.
56:09
Yeah, it kind of reminds me of a cruise ship burning crude oil.
56:13
You know, it's like they feel those cruise ships up with just
56:16
the junk is, you know, fuel. There is.
56:19
And it it burns it. But OK, I want to this one's
56:23
might be a little secret, but I do know this about you.
56:26
And what what I'm wanting to show all the dirt racing people
56:29
is you're a chameleon. You you can fit in anywhere.
56:34
So when they put dirt on the Bristol Motor Speedway, Hendrick
56:39
Motorsport, who did they call? They called you.
56:45
Tell me about, you know, when you know, of course, Kyle Larson
56:49
driving for Hendrick Motorsport. Tell me in just a little bit of
56:54
time. It seems like when people want
56:56
to figure things out in NASCAR, some of them call you.
56:59
Tell me about your time with Hendrick Motorsport as you know
57:02
a consultant. Yeah, so so basically Larson was
57:06
driving her leg bottle. They were putting dirt on
57:09
Bristol and they wanted me to help out.
57:12
So the first thing they did was they said could you bring your
57:14
car down here to the seven post rig?
57:16
Oh my. Gosh.
57:18
We took it to Hendrick that was tacking House, all the crew
57:21
chiefs, Rudy, everybody, they, they were looking up under it,
57:26
seeing how the suspension moves. So they they figured out very
57:31
early on they was never going to take their cup car and make it a
57:34
dirt late model, But we were able, but with Larson, we were
57:38
able to go, we were able to go race Bristol a few weeks before
57:43
the cup race. And my, my main help to Hendrick
57:46
was, was telling them how different it was to Eldora, like
57:51
how like it was way more aggressive than Eldora.
57:54
Like, all right, we needed Eldora.
57:57
We need a 700 right front spring, Bristol, we needed a
58:01
1200 right front spring. So that was basically how it
58:06
could help them out and it was Larson was running good till we
58:10
so we got involved in a accident.
58:13
Yeah, to end this, I'm a race car driver and I've wanted
58:19
Bristol and I wanted Eldora to me tell me if my ass data out of
58:26
my butt. So when I go into the corners at
58:29
Bristol, it's immediately compressed.
58:32
So I'm it's like I'm running into A to a brick wall.
58:36
I go into one and I'm immediately turning hard left
58:39
and I'm I'm pushing the G force of the car hard, OK, and my
58:44
seats got to be perfect. My head's got to be right now
58:47
when I when I go to Eldora. Yeah, we're we're we're we're
58:50
hauling ass. But it seems like you're you're
58:53
ending the corner at a much easier compression.
58:57
Is that what you see? Yeah, yeah.
59:00
It's basically so the difference between Bristol and Eldora is
59:05
the difference between Tazewell and Bulls gap.
59:07
Bulls gap, you're kind of always on the bank end and the banking
59:10
kind of falls away from you, but it has, well, you attack it and
59:14
it's like you're hitting the brick wall.
59:16
So Eldora is more in line to a Bulls gap.
59:20
Yeah. Well, Kevin, you, you have been
59:22
wonderful. And I know I'm going to hear
59:24
everybody. You're going to say you need a
59:26
Part 2. I get that.
59:28
But he's working, I'm working right now.
59:32
And there there's probably more to come because I'm sure you are
59:36
going to invent more pieces. This dirt racing, it just seems
59:40
like it it's constantly evolving new parts, new pieces of Kevin.
59:47
Thank you so much for being on Kenny Conversation.
59:50
Yeah, thank you for having me and thank you for all the kind
59:53
words. It's it's very humbling for
59:55
someone that's been successful with you and their space and
59:58
their sport to be interested in talking to me.
1:00:01
So very great. Come on now, you're making me
1:00:04
shy. Well, that's OK, I'll take it.
1:00:06
Dirt racing saved my life because when I got out of
1:00:09
NASCAR, I wanted something to do.
1:00:11
And so All right, everybody, there he is.
1:00:15
I called him the great Kevin Rumley because he is, he's a
1:00:18
mastermind. We haven't seen anybody like
1:00:20
him. You can listen to Kenny
1:00:23
Conversation in podcast form on iTunes and Spotify.
1:00:28
We show up right there on iTunes and Spotify.
1:00:31
This is a long 1. So listen to Kevin on your way
1:00:34
to work, shut it off, go to work, get back in your car on
1:00:37
your way home and turn him on again.
1:00:40
Until the next Kenny Conversation.
1:00:43
We'll see you all next time.