Revolution Racing(now Rev Racing) team finds home in Kingsport

Jefferson Hodges is hoping to change the face of NASCAR. As the director of competition for Mooresville, N.C. based Rev Racing, Hodges oversees six NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model teams featuring minorities and females. Hodges and his ambitious gang of racers and mechanics were a regular part of the popular Late Model show at Kingsport Speedway this season. While the Revolution contingent failed to produce a headline-grabbing triumph, Hodges said the opportunity to compete on the unique concrete-surfaced track was invaluable. “We race all over the East Coast with our teams, and Kingsport is by far my favorite track. It’s an amazing deal here,” Hodges said. Learning curve On a typical Friday night this season at Kingsport, the Late Model field included four Rev Racing drivers and around 12 crew members. It’s never easy to find a comfort zone on a new track, but Hodges saw signs of progress. For example, Byran Ortiz (Bayamon, Puerto Rico) put together several strong runs. “Bryan was around the top five at some point about every race,” Hodges said. “Our drivers run totally different cars on different tracks. They’ve got a lot on their shoulders – a lot more than people realize.” According to Hodges, the deep Late Model field, consistent rule package and prestige of Kingsport Speedway promoter Robert Pressley offered the perfect proving ground. “Kingsport is one of the only Friday night NASCAR sanctioned speedways left,” Hodges said. “It’s over a four-hour drive for us, but we decided to try it.” The experience of competing against some of the elite Late Model teams in the Southeast proved worthy of the long hours. “After our first trip, our drivers and crew members talked about how much they loved racing at Kingsport all the way home,” Hodges said. “It’s hard to race against talented drivers like (track champion) Nate Monteith and Lee Tissot, but our folks did a good job.” read more on tricities.com