NORTHFIELD, VT- Matty Sanborn will be chasing the Rookie of the Year crown in the Granite State Pro Stock Series in 2014. What may be more important than any honors or trophies, is the relationship that Sanborn has with the sport.
Sanborn started his racing career at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway at 17 years old, and moved to Oxford Plains Speedway the next year. His racing operation is small, but it is very close knit. His father, Randy, is the heart and soul of his racing career. Sanborn and his father were always around racing together, whether it was fielding a car or just being in the pits. “I couldn’t do it without him, no doubt about it” Sanborn says. “He is a disabled Vietnam Veteran, I’m so proud of him, and he is always there for me. We go through a lot of emotions together in racing, it’s just a healthy thing to do together.”
Sanborn takes pride in keeping his nose clean on the race track. Off the track, Sanborn is a UPS driver, where safety is an important part of the job. UPS uses multiple concepts to teach drivers to be safe on the road, and Sanborn uses that behind the wheel. “We have this thing called the ‘5 Seeing Habits’,” states the Westbrook, ME driver. “It sounds like a joke, but it really does work. I take pride in bringing the car home in one piece.”
Sanborn, his father, wife Randi, and friend Kyle Jordan all work on the #64 Chevrolet built by idol Jeff Taylor at Distance Chassis. When racing isn’t first on his mind, Sanborn is content picking up a book, or a pen. His true passion is writing. The 36 year-old driver once answered an ad in Speedway Scene, writing about his first race. Soon after, he picked up a $200 check for winning the contest. Later in life, Sanborn would like to write a book on all the aspects of racing, both on the track and behind the scenes. Even with both of these time consuming hobbies, he still cherishes camping and travelling with his wife. “She puts up with a lot, and I have a blast doing those things with her,” tells Sanborn.
Watch Sanborn and the rest of the GSPSS as they engage in their first race of the season at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park on April 5th and 6th.