VERMILLION COUNTY SPEEDWAY
DANVILLE, ILLINOIS
MAY 23, 2009
Brian Hayden is 41 years old and lives in Fillmore, Indiana with his wife Cinder...They have four children: Andrea, Dylan, Nikko and Chandler...
Brian runs the #2h modified with a Bob Pierce Chassi and a chevrolet engine..
He started his racing career at age 13 in motorcross ... he started racing late model at age 16. and ran them for three years ..1985,86 and 87..he was 6th or 7th in points at Vermillion Co.....he went into a sprint in 1990 and was Rookie of the Year in Putnamville...won track championship in 1995 at Putnamville... he ran USAC in 1996 and finished 3rd in points...
Brian had some major accidents in his sprint... he showed me scars on his hand and wrist area where he had been burned in a wreck.... I was later told by another driver that the accident I believe had happened in Windsor.....they said he hit the wall head on and that the car caught on fire all around him...by the time they got to him his gloves had melted onto the steering wheel and they had a hard time getting them dislodged....
and he told me that he had also had to brain operations resulting from an accident....
AND here he is....back in a modified in 2009..... racing certainly does run through his veins....
As if I didn't already know...
I asked him where he got his inspiration to start racing.. like his cousin Jimmy.... his grandpa Otis and other family members raced before him... he told me that his mother Marilyn was the first woman to run a bomber at Putnamville... that was in 1976....Brian claims no track as his hometrack but his favorite to run is the ACTION Track in Terre Haute, Indiana...
The driver he most admires is TONY STEWART.......he and Tony raced together in 1995 and are good friends......he ran the Silver Crown with Tony... he told me some Hayden/Stewart stories...Brian has a lot of stories to share...hopefully I will run into him again ...
To be a good driver Brian says you have to have a good feel for the race car and a good competitive feeling....
His goal in racing is just to have fun...
He told me his toughest competitors have been Dave Darland....Tony Elliott and Kevin Thomas.....
I asked him if there was anything in racing he would like to change..... He said that he does not like not qualifying....he thinks all tracks should...
A Racing Highlight that stands out for him was winning $4000 and a recliner which he told me he still uses in the event RACING WITH DO in Bloomington, Indiana in 1995...
Brian likes to race the high groove on a dry slick track...**a dry slick track with a cushion***
His Crew chief is Bill Gardner
Team Members are Jeremy Hayden and Rusty Giles...
Brian wanted to give a special thanks to Signs & Graphics; Cyclone Custom Products.......
Wow Brian...I know I only touched the surface with you.... You have so much to share..thankyou so much for the interview... it was very rewarding to talk with you..I do hope to run into you again...
cj
Click to view attachmentClick to view attachment