Gavyn Krupp of Barto is a rookie 602 Crate Sportsman driver running weekly at Grandview Speedway.
Watching Krupp whistling around the high-banked one-third of a mile clay covered oval in Bechtelsville every Saturday night, though, you’d easily think he was a seasoned veteran, already scoring two feature victories in just a dozen or so events.
“We have had our share of ups-and-downs in 2024, but we’re really happy having two wins, already,” Krupp, 17, said. “I started racing in a Quarter Midget at the age of five. In my later years I raced USAC Quarter Midgets in the regionals and nationals.”
At the age of 13, Krupp moved up into the Stage One Modified cars for a few years. He won the championship at Hamlin Speedway in his first year, plus races at Shellhammer’s and Lanco.
“The 2024 season is my first year with a 602 Crate Sportsman car at Grandview and my first feature win came in my second race ever in the 602 Crate Sportsman car,” Krupp said.
Krupp has been getting it done this season, wheeling the MB Roofing backed Bicknell chassied family-financed No. 5K 602 Crate Sportsman entry.
“We aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel, but, right now, I am just trying to get the needed seat time,” Krupp said. “That night we got that first win we had a right-side pan hard bar set-up and I didn’t know how the car would react. We struggled early on getting side bite and the changes we made didn’t really make the car better. I just happened to be at the right spot as the first two cars crashed with a lapped car and, suddenly, there I was the leader.”
“Getting to victory lane in only my second ever race, I couldn’t believe it.”
Krupp said the team went to Hoffman’s Speed Supplies and they helped the team make a switch over to the left-side pan hard bar set-up.
“We had much more side bite. It rolled over more and gave me more drive off the corners,” Krupp said. “We qualified second in our heat and changed a few things for the feature because we knew it would get slick. I had a real rocket ship and I just kept picking cars off one-by-one, simply hitting my marks, staying smooth and remaining calm as we picked off our second win of the season.”
A rising senior in high school, Krupp is getting an education in racing this summer.
“We are just a small family-owned racing team. We are running on torsion bars and making the move up to the 602 Crate Sportsman division,” Krupp said. “I had to get used to a lot more stuff happening to the car on the track. Things are happening faster now. We’d hit speeds of 50 to 60 (mph) in the Stage One Modified car and, now, we’re hitting speeds of maybe 80 to 90 on Saturday nights in the 602 Crate Sportsman car. A sponsor on our car, a former Sportsman racer and a neighbor, Cody Schantz, offered us a real great deal on the Sportsman car and we couldn’t pass on it. He helps us out when he can on our crew. He’s helped us since our Quarter Midget days.”
Krupp’s girlfriend, Sam Maguire, who also was a competitor in the Stage One Modified ranks, greeted Krupp this year at Grandview in victory lane twice.
She spends time watching Krupp when she isn’t racing herself and, eventually, she has a goal to advance into the 602 Crate Modified ranks and race alongside her boyfriend at Grandview some day.
Krupp’s best finish this season other than both first-place efforts was a ninth-place finish. He has had a couple of DNQ evenings at the track due to a few crashes, mechanical ills and set-up issues, but, overall, he has looked good at times. It hasn’t translated into everything he’s wanted, just yet, in 2024.
“We plan to ride it out for now with the 602 Crate Sportsman car,” Krupp said. “Maybe, eventually, we’ll be good enough to pick up a ride in the 358 Modified division? It’s fun racing in the 602 Crate Sportsman and learning a lot this summer. I still need plenty of laps and seat time to get better as a driver. We’ll race weekly at Grandview all summer until the regular season is completed.”
Krupp said after the Grandview season ends, the team wants to race at Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey.
“They have a real high-paying 602 Crate Sportsman event in October,” he said. “We’d like to get there for a few races and get some notes before we go into that big event. After that, Port Royal Speedway has their annual Short Track Super Series 602 Crate Sportsman event and that’s paying a decent purse, too. It will only make us better racers getting out there on different tracks against different drivers and race teams and see just how we stack up against them.”
Krupp gives a lot of credit for his quick success in racing to his dad, Rick Krupp. Sitting 25th in the 602 Crate Sportsman 2024 season point standings at Grandview, Krupp isn’t worried at all about the points battle, as the 2024 season recently moved just past the halfway point. His maiden voyage into the 602 Crate Sportsman division certainly has been something for the youngster to smile about.
“I am going to BCTC and I am working at having a career outside of racing as a heavy equipment operator,” Krupp said. “Racing is only a hobby for me and it is a hobby I enjoy and something I can do when I am off from my regular job. I’m working on what I want to do as my career outside of racing, but I’ll always love racing and I’ll be happy doing both, I’m sure. Lots of race drivers have a career outside of racing, in case racing just doesn’t work out. Right now, things are working out, but no one knows what the future holds.”
Randy Kane is a freelance writer
Source: Berkshire mont
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