Nelson Motorsports is welcoming two experienced short track competitors to the organization, Mike Looney and Ryan Repko as drivers of the No. 12 Chevrolet.
Looney is set to run a handful of races for Nelson after previously attempting to qualify for last year’s Thanksgiving Classic at Southern National Motorsports Park, while Repko is returning to Late Model Stock competition for the first time since winning the Throwback 276 at Hickory Motor Speedway in 2019.
The opportunity to drive for Barry Nelson is something that Looney believes will provide him a fresh perspective on short track racing and enable him to pick up valuable knowledge as he continues to embark on the second half of his racing career.
“Barry and I had been talking for a while about wanting to race together,” Looney said. “[Nelson Motorsports] is a great team that’s had a lot of great drivers like Bobby McCarty, Kaden Honeycutt and so many more. They’ve set the bar incredibly high performance-wise, but I think our combined experience can allow both of us to get better.”
Looney brings a plethora of insight on Late Model Stocks to Nelson’s operation, as he has accumulated numerous accomplishments that include winning the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway in 2016.
Despite his lengthy career, Looney has only worked with a teammate on a handful of occasions, which is why he is looking forward to bouncing ideas off Nelson, Repko and Cale Gale on how to improve the efficiency of the cars in Nelson’s stable.
Sharing a car with Repko comes as a full circle moment for Looney, who played a key role in helping him break into full-bodied stock car racing.
“Ryan and I go way back,” Looney said. “I actually worked on his crew at Myrtle Beach [Speedway] when he first started racing in a Limited Late Model. We’ve always had a good relationship and I know those communication channels will be transparent.”
Looney considers Repko to be an underrated short track driver, having held his own against drivers like Philip Morris, Lee Pulliam and other talented Virginia racers as a teenager before testing his skills against the regulars of the CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour.
Following his Throwback 276 triumph, Repko competed part-time in the ARCA Menards Series with Venturini Motorsports in 2020, but a lack of funding forced him and his family to concentrate their efforts on dirt track competition.
Repko seamlessly transitioned from pavement racing into micro sprints. During his first year at Millbridge Speedway, Repko won twice in ten starts before obtaining enough sponsorship to race full-time the following year, which saw him bring home a track championship at Millbridge.
The past two years on dirt have refined Repko’s driving style and made him more prepared to return to Late Model Stocks in one of Nelson’s cars.
“[Dirt racing] definitely helps with car control,” Repko said. “All the manufacturers now have development teams out at Millbridge. Because of what Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell have accomplished, everyone understands what racing on dirt can do when it comes to car control.”
Repko admitted he was unsure if another chance to compete in pavement short track racing would ever materialize.
After working tirelessly to secure sponsorship for his dirt track program, Repko said a key turning point in returning to Late Model Stocks came when Nelson reached out to him about an open seat with his team after Repko was involved in a serious crash at Millbridge.
Repko never imagined that conversation would transform into an opportunity to work with Gale and his former mentor in Looney and is eagerly looking forward to his part-time schedule. He is particularly excited about his two starts at Hickory with wins in the Throwback 276 and Bobby Isaac Memorial already on his resume.
Above everything else, Repko intends to simply cherish his time in Late Model Stocks and is optimistic his starts with Nelson will only be a sign of things to come.
“I’m definitely going to appreciate things a lot more this time around,” Repko said. “This is very special because Barry and I have been friends for a while now, but he also has one of the most successful Late Model Stock teams right now. It’s exciting to know I’ll have very strong equipment, but I’m just thankful to be driving one of Barry’s cars.”
Like Repko, Looney is focused on building consistency with Nelson Motorsports in his scheduled starts and wants nothing more than to finally break through for his first CARS LMSC Tour win after numerous close calls.
Everything is in place for Looney to enjoy success at Nelson alongside Repko and Gale, who stressed the importance of doing his part for the team while simultaneously keeping a level head through the highs and lows.
“I just want to have fun,” Looney said. “That’s how I’ve always done things. If you’re making gains and executing, that’s considered success to me. With the equipment and drivers that preceded me [at Nelson Motorsports], I’m going to try and do my best for the guys that work their butts off.”
Nelson Motorsports will bring both of their cars to Southern National Motorsports Park for the CARS LMSC Tour opener, which is set to take place on March 11.
