(July 21, 2015) Matt Harris is one of just a handful of drivers who started racing at Speedway 660 when it opened, and is still racing with us today. Matt won a title that first year and has made a lot of memories in the Geary Woods. Speedway 660’s Wade Wilson recently tracked down Matt Harris for a little chat.
A Conversation with Matt Harris
Wade: Take us back to that first year. It was 1994 and Speedway 660, then known as New Brunswick International Speedway, was opened to bring racing back to the Fredericton area. What are your earliest memories of racing here?
Matt: I remember there was a lot of anticipation in the spring and summer of 94 when the Speedway was being built. Fredericton had a history of stock car racing, but had been without a track for several years. I remember that first race in July of 94, there was a big crowd and everyone was excited about racing returning to our area. After watching the first race I decided I had to have a stock car and somehow we got one put together in time to go racing the very next week. So that’s how I started racing in Geary and we’ve had a lot of fun, made some great friends and have lots of memories down there.
Matt Harris is one of the most respected drivers at Speedway 660. Matt started with us back when we opened in 1994. He has raced Street Stock, Sportsman and Pro Stock.
Wade: You won a Street Stock championship that first year. It wasn’t long before you jumped up to Sportsman and then moved on the Pro Stock where you’ve been ever since.
Matt: We got a taste of racing that first year and before year two I got Frank Fraser to build me a new Sportsman car. It was a really good car and in my Sportsman rookie year I was fortunate enough to win a hundred lap race. We ran Sportsman for three years and then jumped up to Pro Stock where we’ve been ever since. Frank and I are still good friends and he’s still one of the most knowledgeable guys in our sport.
Matt is really looking forward to the Best of the Best 150 this weekend. He would like to win the race and be assured of a guaranteed spot on the starting grid for the Irving Blending and Packaging 250 on SpeedWeekend.
Wade: I remember you winning a Maritime Pro Stock Tour race here one time and finishing on the SpeedWeekend 250 podium. Those must be two of your biggest accomplishments in our sport.
Matt: Your right, those would have to be two of my biggest accomplishments and they are something we will always remember as a team. When we got third in the 250 I had my son Brandon, Trevor Price, Devin Snell and Wayne Morgan who helped me every week, and for that race we also had Frank Fraser, John Rankin and Jamie Weston. All of the guys did a great job. John went on to win the Sportsman title, before moving up to Pro Stock. Devin is a really good driver too and this year is right in the thick of things for the Sportsman championship.
John Rankin, who won the Pro Stock feature on July 11th, was a member of the Matt Harris pit crew a few years ago.
Wade: You left us for awhile to run the Pro All Star Series Tour, but Speedway 660 has always been your home track. What is it that you like about this place?
Matt: Speedway 660 has always been my home track and we’ve always loved coming here. But we had the opportunity to work with Gary Crooks and Butch Miller from North Carolina so we decided to run the Pro All Star Series. I should mention that Lonnie Sommerville also worked on our PASS car. That was a fun year, I learned a lot running a different track every week and I also learned a lot from Butch and Gary. We gained a lot of experience and confidence which helped us improve these last few years. Although we’ve run all over the Maritimes and New England, Speedway 660 is still my favourite track.
Matt was out front for several laps in last year’s 250. Harris is always a contender in these big races and hopes to have a great run in this weekend’s McLaughlin Roof Trusses Best of the Best Pro Stock 150.
Wade: You won the first Re/Max Pro Stock feature this year. We’ve got an amazing group of drivers this year and the talent level just might be the best we’ve ever seen.
Matt: We had a really good start to our season and were able to win the first race. Since then Greg (Fahey), Lonnie (Sommerville) and John (Rankin) have won features. The races have been fast and exciting for fans and drivers. There’s a lot of talent in this division and there are about eight to ten race cars that could win on any given night. It’s been awhile since the competition in the RE/MAX Pro Stock division has been that strong.
What a way to start the 2015 season! Matt Harris parked his Ford in Victory Lane after winning the RE/MAX Pro Stock feature at the Riverview Ford Season Opener back in May.
Wade: What are some of the changes that you’ve noticed over the years in racing here in the Geary Woods and the Maritimes?
Matt: Well for one thing we now have five divisions of racing. The new divisions have given a lot more people the opportunity to go racing. The Sharp Shooters are an affordable way for people to get out in front of our fans and have some fun and the Bandoleros have provided kids with a safe, competitive way to start their racing careers. Now we are seeing these drivers, especially the Bando kids, move up to Street Stock, Sportsman and Pro Stock. This will ensure that racing has lots of talent for the future. Another change has been the elimination of the dashes this year and adding those extra ten laps onto the feature races for our top three divisions. I think most people agree that was a good change. But one thing that hasn’t changed is that Speedway 660 still has the best fans. I’ve raced all over and I can honestly say our fans are awesome and I’m proud to have the opportunity to race in front of them every week.
Matt races side-by-side with three-time Pro Stock champ Greg Fahey (#29). Harris says the competition is at an all-time high in our Pro Stock division and that suits him just fine!
Wade: Good race drivers need a strong team behind them. Who helps you be competitive each week and what role does your family play in all of this?
Matt: That’s so true, to be competitive you need to have a dedicated pit crew, who is willing to put the hours in every week, not just at the track, but also back home in the shop. Wayne Morgan, who is a good friend of mine, has been helping me out for a long time. My son Brandon is my spotter and tire guy. I’m really proud of him because he does an amazing job and I never have to worry about my tires. Chris Garnett just joined us this year and has been a great addition, because he helps keep us focussed and organized. My daughter Melissa also started coming to the pits with us this season, she does a lot of things that need to be done on race day and loves to be involved with the team. So my family definitely plays a huge role in racing, especially my wife Wendy who has always supported my racing and that really means a lot to me. When our kids were small she always brought them to the track and that has helped make this a family sport for us. My family and crew do an amazing amount of work for me and I am grateful to have them all on my side!
Matt Harris has picked up his fair share of checkered flags over the past two decades. He’d love to win the Irving Blending and Packaging 250 and the McLaughlin Roof Trusses 150 before his racing career is over.
Wade: The Best of the Best 150 is coming up this weekend. The winner and runner-up both get guaranteed spots in the 250 on SpeedWeekend. So a top two in that race will take a little pressure off a driver heading into the 250.
Matt: The 150 is a race every driver wants to win. This year we’re lucky to be able to bring in Butch Miller to help our team for the 150. He’ll be our crew chief for that race and I hope he can help us get a win. Butch brings a lot of experience to the track and I know everyone on our team will be able to watch, learn and improve just from having him on board this weekend. The top two in the Best of the Best earn starting spots in the Irving Blending and Packaging 250 and your right, that takes a lot of pressure off of a driver heading into SpeedWeekend.
Matt finished third in the 2013 edition of the Best of the Best Pro Stock 150. Harris is going all out to get to Victory Lane in the 2015 Best of the Best. Second place wouldn’t be too hard to live with either!
Wade: You’ve been racing since 1994 when Speedway 660 opened. Can we expect to see you strap into a race car for several more seasons?
Matt: I was a lot older when I started compared to these kids we’re seeing in Bandolero today. It’s been over two decades for me and I’m still having fun and still enjoy coming to the race track. We’re still pretty competitive too. I would like to continue racing as long as my family and team continues to be there for me. So hopefully I’ll be able to keep getting into a race car for a few more years.
Matt Harris gets a great exit off turn four to pass Cole Boudreau on the high side. As long as he keeps making moves like this, getting support from his family and crew, and having fun Matt expects to continue to his racing career for a few more years.
Wade: Thanks for doing this Matt. Good luck in the Best of the Best and we hope you have another strong outing in the 250.
Matt: Thanks Wade. I also want to thank first and foremost the great Speedway 660 fans as well as all of the track’s sponsors, the staff and owners. We’ve really got a good thing going here and all of the drivers appreciate having Speedway 660 as their home track.
