Cody Manmiller tapped his brother-in-law and crew member Michael Storms to fill in for him last Saturday. Storms, in his first race since 2020, drove his in-law’s car (00) to a second-place finish. The runner-up performance occurred in the 602 crate sportsman class at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pennsylvania.
The week before, Manmiller drew pole position for the feature. However, rain postponed the program to the following week. Manmiller couldn’t make it due to a previously scheduled bachelor party. So, Storms took his place, which track rules permit. He started first, but wound up kicking himself for finishing second.
“I’m pretty upset with myself,” Storms, 34, of Mohnton, Pennsylvania, said. “I choked on the restart and gave up the lead to Dylan [Hoch], who won. I felt it was embarrassing to do so.”
(For more on Dylan Hoch, read “Dylan Hoch: Co-Worker Offers Him Sprint Ride”.)
Storms has a wealth of experience in full-blown modifieds.
“Racing in the crate division was stressful,” said Storms. “A crate sportsman does not have the power of a big-block modified. It was hard to get used to.”
Storms typically serves as the lone crew member for Manmiller. Manmiller’s father, Doug, races a modified and pits next to his son. Doug’s crew jumps in to help when they can.
(For more on the elder Manmiller, read “Doug Manmiller: Prepared for Impact”.)
“I came down from New York to help Cody in 2020,” Storms said. “My wife, Gabriella, and I wound up moving to Pennsylvania and I stayed on as Cody’s crew.”
Serving as the lead wrench, Michael Storms helped Cody Manmiller win the 2020 crate 602 sportsman championship at Big Diamond Speedway in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. However, his most recent foray in Manmiller’s crate 602 sportsman may have sparked interest in Storms’ talents behind the wheel of race car.
“I’m working on a deal to drive a modified again,” said Storms. “It will be exciting to be back. I hope to have a ride soon.”
The Outside Groove Director of Photography has written hundreds of stories since the website’s inception. This year marks his 54th year of covering auto racing. Adaskaveg got his start working for track photographer Lloyd Burnham at Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway in 1970. Since then, he’s been a columnist, writer, and photographer, in racing and in mainstream media, for several outlets, including the Journal Inquirer, Boston Herald, Stock Car Racing, and Speedway Illustrated. Among Adaskaveg’s many awards are the 1992 Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) Ace Lane Photographer of the Year and the 2019 National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) George Cunningham Writer of the Year.
