The old adage says, “Behind every great man, there’s a great woman.” That holds especially true for the 2019 American Crate All-Star Series champion, Tyler Arrington. His wife, Traci Arrington (pictured), performs a role critical to his success.
The outdated perception of a wife portrays a woman who wears an apron while cooking. She prepares a meal for her husband after he endures a long, hard day in the office. Of course, these days men and women typically both work and share in duties around the home. And, more importantly, most wives do far more than what 1950s to 1970s sitcoms depict women doing.
Sure, Traci wears an apron.
But, when she dons one, she takes care to not cook anything.
Sure, after Tyler spends time in the office (of his late model), Traci gets to work on preparation.
But, Traci’s preparation involves one of the most important aspects of a race car — the tires.
“We started dating in 2014,” said Tyler, 27, of Lebanon, Virginia. “About a year went by — she said she was bored. She wanted something to do. I gave her little odd jobs. I taught her what I knew about tires, and she took off doing that.”
At the races, such as here at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tennessee, you can spot Traci at work in her full tire-preparation gear. She wears an apron, a hat, sunglasses, and a mask, the latter of which she uses primarily to prevent bits of rubber getting stuck to her makeup.
Traci prepares tires like a pro. She meticulously grinds tires without the plume of smoke that amateur tire specialists characteristically produce. With input from her driver, she grooves and sipes them to how Tyler’s car is working and the track is shaping up to be.
“That takes a lot of pressure off me,” Tyler said. “I’ve got so many other things going on — trying to figure out we got to do to the car. She’ll be taking the tires off, grinding them or going to get another one ready. I don’t have to worry about that. That’s a big part of dirt racing — these tires. It’s one of the most overlooked pieces of the car, especially in crate racing.”
You can be rest assured tires are not overlooked in the Arrington camp. Traci Arrington has got that handled. And, it’s no surprise that Tyler Arrington once again contends for the championship this year. His tires are in one of the most capable hands in the pits.
The Outside Groove Executive Editor has covered motorsports since 2000. His many awards include the 2019 Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) Jim Hunter Writer of the Year and the 2013 Russ Catlin Award for Excellence in Motorsports Journalism.
