While some in dirt racing wish to move away from its rural roots, Jerry Flippo embraces it. The theme behind this race suit started with the IMCA modified driver’s quest to stand out.
“I wanted to be different than everybody else,” Flippo said. “We drew up some [designs], sent it to Sparco, and they helped us get it made.”
The 19-year-old lives in Bakersfield, California — the 52nd most populous city in the United States. Flippo considers himself urban rather than rural.
“[I wanted to look] more redneck [and related to] racing,” said Flippo. “You see a lot of suspenders and button-up jeans in the racing scene. I just wanted to fit in. It didn’t look like a race suit, but it really was.”
Despite his city upbringing, Flippo uses the suit to pay tribute to those people who form the core of the dirt-track racing scene.
“Most people in dirt racing are good people from small towns,” Flippo said. “They may not have much money to race, but they are trying to have a good time.”
Flippo remembers that even his family’s roots grow deep in the soil.
“Some of my older grandpas, they did farming back in the day,” said Flippo. “I got pictures of them and they’re wearing the same thing [as my fire suit resembles]. It’s cool.”
Jerry Flippo enters his fourth year of racing modifieds, competing predominantly in his home state of California. Earlier this season he crossed the country to race the Bristol Dirt Nationals at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee. He claimed an A-feature win at the fast, half-mile and finished ninth in the final A-feature. Regardless of where he races, whether it’s in the Volunteer State or the Golden State, his message seems to resonate with the racing community.
“Whenever I go racing, I get looks and thumbs up,” said Flippo. “[People say,] ‘It’s the coolest thing they had ever seen.’”
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.
