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SPRINTS
Photo: Mike
AYRTON GENNETTEN
THIRD GENERATION STAR GETS GOING By Ashley Zimmerman Photo: Mike Campbell
WHILE AYRTON GENNETTEN’S sprint car career is still very fresh in the eyes of race fans, the Gennetten name has been written in the history books of dirt track racing for two generations prior to the 22-year-old Missouri native breaking on to the scene. In 2021, Gennetten shocked race fans with his ability to quickly adapt to the challenging track that is the historical Knoxville Raceway, proving that while genetics aren’t a guarantee of talent, sprint car racing is without a doubt in the Gennetten blood. The latter portion of the race season offered Gennetten a host of challenges, along with showing fans his ability to adapt also came in the form of working with his new crew chief Chad Morgan, showcasing their chemistry as Gennetten not only started the pole with the World of Outlaws at the Devil’s Bowl, but also leading twenty three of the thirty laps against the best in the world. If the 2021 season proved anything, it’s without
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argument the sprint car world is destined to see more of Ayrton Gennetten in headlines and it will surely not lack in excitement. With the new season just weeks away, Dirt Empire tracked down the Knoxville Nationals Rookie of the Year for a conversation about the year in review, and what may be to come. Dirt Empire: For many race fans, the Gennetten name is quite new to them but your family roots run very deep in the world of racing. Who in the family has raced and what did they race? Ayrton Gennetten: My grandpa started racing, and he started off in demolition derbies, then he started racing supermodifieds at the Olympic stadium and around the Kansas City area before racing midgets and sprint cars. My dad, Steve, raced 360s and midgets through the Midwest; he raced a lot at Sedalia Speedway and Knoxville Raceway.
DIRT EMPIRE MAGAZINE • ISSUE 08 - 2022
Photo: John Lee
DE: Coming from a racing family such as that, did you know at a young age that you wanted to become a race car driver? Was it always sprint cars for you? AG: When I was younger, being third generation, you’re always excited to race. You watch your dad race when you’re growing up, and then you finally get to get your shot. It was always sprint cars for me. It was something my dad did, my grandpa did, there’s a lot of history in our family doing it. I wanted to be a sprint car driver my whole life, I was drawn to the big tires, loud motors, and high speeds. DE: What part of your family history in racing do you feel inspires you the most? AG: What inspires me the most is my dad and grandpa’s legacy. My grandpa
