Devin Moran
Photo courtesy of Joe Verdegan
20 year old Devin Moran is a regular on the Lucas Oils late model series. The Dresden, Ohio driver is also the son of the “Million Dollar Man” Donny Moran, who earned his nickname by winning the $1,000,000 Dream race at Eldora (OH) Speedway in 2001. I caught up with Devin at the Lucas Oils race at Oshkosh Speedzone May 15. Devin talks about racing for a living, living on the road out of a toter home and much more.
Q: How would you sum up your 2015 season so far?
A: Oh not too bad I guess. We’re running fifth in points. We got one win already this year. We’ve got a bunch of top fives and top tens. Obviously we want some more in that win column. But so far we’ve kept chugging along. If we can get stuff to start clicking here a little bit later in the season I think we’ll be ok.
Q: How many years have you been doing this full blown late model deal?
A: This is my 7th year racing a full blown late model. I’d say the first four years or so it really wasn’t full time. I raced anywhere from 15 to 25 times those early years. Last year I actually had 63 starts. Last year was pretty much my first wide open season.
Q: With your Dad Donnie Moran being the legendary “Million Dollar Man” is there any added pressure along the way when you climb behind the wheel?
A: People pretty much ask me this question all the time and I pretty much just answer it like the same everytime. I’m worried about doing my own deal and improving each time I go out there. If it wasn’t for him my progression obviously would be a lot slower. I don’t really feel pressure. I just get some added knowledge I guess.
Q: At what point in your life did you consider racing for a living and did your Dad try to convince you to do anything else?
A: Ever since I’ve been born I’ve obviously been going to the races. I guess I’m a gearhead or something I dunno. This is just something I wanna do. No he let me do whatever I wanted. I played football all through high school. I wasn’t going to play football my junior and senior year and he told me to “go ahead and play” because if I didn’t I might regret it. I’m glad I did it but once it was over I went full blown with this. He told me “if this is what you wanna do then do it and be comfortable at it.”
Q: Other than your Dad growing up where there any other drivers you looked up do as a youngster?
A: Not really, I guess I’ve been full blown 99 the whole way. I’ve been over to Australia a couple of times and Steve Francis was over there with me and he helped me out a bit over there. But other than that I’ve pretty much just been with my Dad.
Q: Does living on the road out of a toter home ever get old for you?
A: I love every minute of it and could do this forever. It sucks because I’ve got a real big family and they can’t always make it. This weekend it’s just me, Dad and Wiley this weekend. I love hanging out with all of these guys every weekend, the Lucas Oils guys. It’s a really great deal and it’s an opportunity that I have to take advantage of I guess.
Q: So when you travel do you ever have any crew members that are paid?
A: It’s pretty much all volunteers as it’s pretty much all family oriented. Dad usually drives the truck and he’s the crew chief. My brother Wiley is the car chief – that’s what I’m going to call him. He basically does all the maintenance and stuff on the car other than the stuff that I do. He does all the tire stuff too. I have a couple of buddies that travel with me once in awhile. Us three are pretty much full time doing this deal.
Q: At any point in your life growing up had you considered anything else in terms of a career?
A: No not really, I made my mind up that this is pretty much what I wanna do. We’re gonna keep chugging along at it.
Q: How many guys chasing this deal do it for a living?
A: All the guys pretty much in the top 10 or 12 in points do it or a living. You get some regional guys too like Jimmy Mars who races for a living. It’s tough competition up around here and anywhere for that matter.
Q: What are your goals for 2015?
A: We aren’t really declared to run this whole deal because we really don’t have any major sponsorship or anything like that. We just pretty much go week to week chasing big money shows. Last year we had 18 wins. If we kind of get off the Lucas deal and hit some other stuff we can likely hit that 20 win mark. We’ll just see how the season goes pretty much.
Q: Do you have any other hobbies outside of racing?
A: I’m always racing. (laughs). But seriously we do have a little go kart track at the top of the hill by our shop that my brother and I mess around with a little bit. We screw around with bikes once in awhile but truthfully it’s pretty much racing for both of us 24/7.
Q: What sponsors do you have supporting you for 2015?
A: Dow Cameron Gas and Oil, Donnie Moran Racing and Driving School, Sunoco Racing Fuels, Custom Cutters, Xsports Web Design, Mastersbilt Race Cars, and All About Wraps Performance bodies.
Q: Thanks for the time Devin and good luck here tonight.
A: Thanks Joe.
Check out the team website at DevinMoran.net.
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