WORLD OF OUTLAW LATE MODEL DRIVER RYAN GUSTIN

By Cyndi Stiffler

Dirt Empire is hitting the asphalt with driver Ryan Gustin as our contributing writer, Cyndi Stiffler, tracks what it is really like spending a racing season in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series as she chronicles Gustin and his team.

THE PHRASE WE HAVE HEARD many times whether in jest or acknowledgement, “behind every successful man is a great or strong woman,” couldn’t hold more significance than in Ryan and Kendra Gustin’s life together. Kendra does not provide the sponsorships or the knowledge to make the winning adjustments to the race car, but she does all the work behind the scenes on the home front that allows Ryan to chase this dream on the road.

The Gustin’s love story goes back over 11 years now and Kendra was quick to explain, “I thought I knew what I was getting into but, in reality, I had no idea.”

Back then, they had just entered their 20s and Ryan was the superstar of the United States Modified Touring Series, stacking up multiple championships and more than a hundred wins. From the beginning, he was gone constantly chasing shows week in and week out. But as their lives together evolved, it became harder for Kendra to make the trips due to work and the addition of their children.

When your living is made on the racetrack, you cannot just pick and choose when you want to race, you agree to a schedule(s) for the season and that’s your work plan. Many fans do not realize the behind the scenes, when they see those big haulers pull into the track, and their favorite drivers put on a show, that as glamorous it seems, it’s a lot of work, and sacrifice. This raw reality probably first showed up in their life when Bradyn was born by C-section and they were barely home from the hospital and Ryan had to leave for multi-day races out of town. That was just the first of many times and events that Kendra attended alone.

The children were born into this lifestyle and know it, no other way. They understand when the schedule comes out that dad will not be at the school play or band concert and that he is not playing favorites when he’s home for one child’s field trip but not the other, they just know that this is life. Bradyn doesn’t show a lot of emotion about dad being gone for weeks at a time and maybe that’s because he’s being the tough little man of the home. However, now at age 10, he is old enough to take a few weekend trips with dad, and for the second year now, has been part of the guys trip to Bristol Motor Speedway where Ryan had two top 10 finishes this year. Six-year-old Ivey, however, is a bit more verbal about missing daddy being at home. Her recent solution to this dilemma was simple, “why can’t daddy just get a job at Walmart so he can be home?”

In spite of the family separation for much of the year, they have developed a routine and they have so evolved into that routine after a decade of this life, sometimes Ryan can easily be the odd man out when he is home even though they love having him there. In the end, this is the life they know and live. When Ryan is gone, modern technology keeps them together. Most of Ryan’s races are on some sort of streaming network, and they can at least watch him from afar. When the races are over he rolls directly into the hauler and Facetimes Kendra and the kids. They text, talk, and Facetime multiple times daily to stay in touch with each other’s daily lives.

When Ryan and the crew head back home, it is still work, work, work. They are at the shop working at least 9-5 daily if not more, and for those that say,’ well at least they have the off season’! Charlotte is usually their last race in mid- November. From there, Ryan and Kendra go on a much deserved vacation, and when they get back from that, it is the holiday season, and racing begins again almost immediately after that again. This life isn’t for everyone, and it is definitely not for the weak.

Gustin’s family is very involved in his job, his success, the emotions of the highs and lows at home or on the road. This job makes dad the true hero of the family but mom the definite champion for holding it altogether. Ryan is quick to offer is gratitude and love for Kendra’s support to this life, “I am very thankful that I have such supportive wife that understands and puts up with me being on the road the majority of the year. Not many women would tolerate their husband being gone the majority of the time.”

Since our last article, Ryan has got to spend a little more time at home due to the spring rains. One huge positive update, with the exception of a 11th and 17th place finish, the other ten shows he ran were top tens, including two second place finishes. To keep updated you can follow Gustin’s journey on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and his website www.ryangustin.com. Tune into DirtVision to watch all the World of Outlaw events.