FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – June 14, 2015
Tight Bond with Crew Leads to Success for Sandercock
By Clayton Johns
Charlie Sandercock has been behind the wheel of a racecar for over 10 years. The Pro Late Model he races now is far different from the four-cylinder Dodge Neon he began his racing career in 11 seasons ago at Brighton Speedway.
Sandercock, 28, is at the top of the Pro Late Model division right now. He won three championships last year. He became the third champion in Go Nuclear! Late Model series history and won track championships at Brighton and Can-Am Speedway. Sandercock’s talent behind the wheel was evident in 2014 and again so far in 2015 with five wins to his credit.
Equally as important has been the efforts of a highly dedicated pit crew and support staff. The core of Sandercock’s team is in its third season together, but has a longer history.
Tommy Haig serves as Sandercock’s crew chief on Saturday nights at Brighton Speedway. Haig, 25, began working with Sandercock at Bellevue Fabricating in Belleville in 2008. The two employees began an immediate friendship. After a few trips to the race track, Haig was asked to join Sandercock’s pit crew in 2010.
“I didn’t really have much of a background. I used to go to Brighton as a kid,” Haig says. “The first year he ran late model I came in to the pits quite a few times and kind of helped out here and there. The next year he asked if I would be committed to helping every other week and then I started helping out more and more.”
Haig and Sandercock are now friends and teammates before colleagues. When Haig began wrenching on the No.57 five years ago, Sandercock double-checked most of his work. Now, he is responsible for a large chunk of the preparation.
“He knows his way around the racecar now. It’s really reassuring for me having a guy like Tommy on the team,” Sandercock explained.
“He knows the racecar inside and out. When I jump in the race seat, I can focus on racing knowing everything that he did was done correctly. I don’t have to second-guess myself.”
The No.57 team got an added boost following the 2012 season when Bellevue Fabricating owner Paul Crouter bought half of Sandercock’s race team. The team doubled in size for 2013, adding a second Rocket Chassis car for touring races away from Brighton.
“Three years ago he had never seen a dirt track race in his life. He immediately got hooked and didn’t miss a race the whole season,” Sandercock says of Crouter.
“It didn’t take me too long. I take this pretty seriously. When I jump in, I jump in big,” says Crouter, 55. “We’re going to have what we need to have and we’re not going to race on used tires.”
The three men are equally competitive and eager to win every night they roll in to the pit area. For Haig, it’s not always easy watching his hard work on the track.
“There’s definitely been some stressful nights watching him out there,” Haig says.
The three men see a lot of each other; six or more days a week, but they wouldn’t have it any other way.
“They’re kind of like two ducks in water,” says Crouter of Sandercock and Haig. “There’s quite a camaraderie. (Charlie) and I get along well. Everybody’s jabbing the other guy, giving them the gears and everybody gets along well. We spend a lot of time together, we’re almost like a family.”
“I just enjoy going to the races. It’s nice to see a good friend be so successful,” Haid says.
Sandercock’s full crew conssits of Wayne Caddick, Ryan Taylor, Ben Sandercock, Jamie Sandercock, Dave Webb, Todd Fraser, Doug Hanmore, Sarah Hanmore, Chris Ostrom (Shrek), Sandercock’s girlfriend Samantha Smith, Crouter’s wife Nancy Crouter, and Haig’s wife and daughter Nicole and Hannah D’Alosio. The team maintains a positive attitude, regardless of the outcome. Although, there’s usually have something to cheer about.
“I’ve been the same since day one. We’re always positive. One of my biggest things is we can’t gloat when we win or pout when we lose,” Sandercock says.
“We’re always positive, always wanting to have fun at what we do. We just enjoy racing because it’s a good time.”
Follow Charlie Sandercock’s Pro Late Model team all season long at www.charliesandercock.com and on social media by liking his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CharlieSandercockRacing or by following @57Sandercock on Twitter.
Charlie Sandercock’s 2015 season is proudly supported by the following corporate sponsors: Bellevue Fabricating, Deerhaven Farm and Garden, Newnham Enterprise, Image Landscape Contracting, Excel Tower Service, Jeff Harrison Farms, Eibach Springs, MCR, Bullet Signs and Graphics, Victory Motorcycles, CCS Industrial Supply, C Smith Automotive Machine Shop and Image Factor.ca Motorsports Designs.
Media Contact: Clayton Johns (@cjohnsmedia)
Email: claytonjohns@hotmail.com