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LATEMODELRACER >> SOUTH REGION >> Bryant leaves Volunteer Speedway for position with Blount Motorsport
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Message started by LMR on 09/16/10 at 2:17am

Title: Bryant leaves Volunteer Speedway for position with Blount Motorsport
Post by LMR on 09/16/10 at 2:17am

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 9-16-10
VOLUNTEER SPEEDWAY: (423) 235-5020 www.VolunteerSpeedway.com
MEDIA CONTACT - ROBERT WALDEN (423) 928-9644

Bryant leaves Volunteer Speedway for position with Blount Motorsports

BULLS GAP, Tenn. — Volunteer Speedway owners Joe and Phyllis Loven and David Bryant announce Bryant's departure from his duties at "The Gap," where over the past two years he's served as Facilities Manager/Race Director. The 45-year-old Bryant, from Maryville, is leaving for a position with a dirt late model team from his hometown. Bryant will oversee day-to-day operations at the shop and serve as crew chief for Blount Motorsports and team driver Tommy Kerr.

"Leaving Volunteer Speedway was a difficult decision to make, because I've come to really like owners Joe and Phyllis Loven a lot over the past couple of years working for them," said Bryant when talking about leaving the track. "I can honestly say both Joe and Phyllis really love racing. It's a passion for them. It's not something they have to do, they enjoy racing and being around the racetrack. Many people who come out to watch a night of racing, they just don't have a clue what takes place during the week to lead up to race night.

"While I truly enjoyed working on the management side of operating a racetrack, which was a totally new look at racing for me, deep down I'm a racer and I missed being hands-on working on race cars on a daily basis. Before going to work at Volunteer Speedway all I'd ever done was work building race cars, or for different race teams. What many people don't realize is for the last eight years I've driven 87 miles one way (174 miles roundtrip), five days a week from my home in Maryville to Greene County, for my occupation in motorsports. Add those miles up for one week and you've driven a good distance. I headed up the racing operation for Greeneville dirt late model racer Michael Jackson and also operated my business (DBM Motorsports) from his shop for six years, then I began working at 'The Gap' for the Lovens in the spring of 2009."

While racing has been a way of life for Bryant for the past 24 years, he's also married with a 7-year-old son. With his duties Monday through Friday at the track getting ready for Saturday's racing program, Bryant was spending six days each week working long hours at the track away from his wife and young son.

"My love for racing doesn't even compare for the love I have for my family," stated Bryant. "Something I've looked at closely is how my boy's really growing up quickly – and I don't want to miss being a part of him participating in school and sports activities. Your kids are only young one time, so you'd better spend all the time with them you can. My son's playing youth league football and also baseball, and with me having to drive close to 200 miles every day back-and-forth to my work at the track, there were just times I couldn't be there when my son had activities going on. We (family) also like spending time at the lake in our camper during spring, summer and fall – cooking out, boating and fishing – and having to be at the racetrack for the hours I was each week, it just meant I wasn't able to get enjoy good family time relaxing at the lake.

"This opportunity to work for Blount Motorsports was really a deal I couldn't turn down. They've got good equipment, Tommy (Kerr) is a good driver ... and I really believe we will run well. Wherever we race, we're going to arrive giving it our very best effort for the night. I've always been about winning when I was with a race team, and I know with this team we can win races. While I'm very excited about my new position, I'm still a little sad in leaving my duties at Volunteer Speedway. I've really enjoyed working with the drivers and all the track officials, and I have nothing but great things to say about Joe and Phyllis Loven. They treated me very good, and I'm thankful for the chance they took on me in giving me a job working for them back when Michael (Jackson) decided to shut his racing team down. Working daily in the operations of the track over the past two seasons, I've learned so much in what it takes to run a racetrack and also I've seen first-hand the difficulties track owners are faced with today. I seriously doubt racetrack owners have faced more difficult times in running a track than what they're facing today. I wish Joe and Phyllis and everyone at Volunteer Speedway the very best. I look forward to next year when we (Blount Motorsports) get to roll back through the gates to race at 'The Gap.' I've been to many facilities around the country over the years attending racing, and you will be hard-pressed to find a better place than Volunteer Speedway. I'm getting close to turning 50 years old, and I guess I won't be able to race forever. I'm not shutting the door completely on sometime down the road once again going to work operating a racetrack. I've greatly enjoyed working at Volunteer Speedway, and you never know – someday I might be back working here."

With the 2010 racing season coming to an end two weekends ago, attention for the Lovens' now focuses on the 2011 campaign ... which will tentatively begin next March.

"I want to thank David Bryant for all he did here at Volunteer Speedway for Phyllis and I over the past two seasons," said Joe Loven while commenting about Bryant's departure. "He's most welcome to come back through the gates here at 'The Gap' anytime. David's been around racing a long time, he's very knowledgeable about the sport of dirt late model racing. Both Phyllis and I hate seeing David leave, but we totally understand his commitment to his family. His new job will allow him to spend much more time with them. But we've got to move on ahead and start preparing for next racing season, because it will be rolling around before you know it."

For more information regarding Volunteer Speedway, contact Phyllis Loven at (423) 676-9081 or track media/public relations coordinator Robert Walden at (423) 928-9644.