Juggling Two Classes, Local Roots Fuel #37 Danny Young
By Kelly Sebulski
THUNDER BAY — For Danny Young, the race track has always been a family affair, even if he started his tenure in the pits from the bottom up.
Long before he ever strapped himself into a bucket seat, Young spent his childhood days at the old Riverview track collecting empty beer cans and bottles. The deposit money wasn’t for pocket change—it was the seed capital that funded his early go-kart ambitions. While scavenging the grounds, he’d regularly stop trackside to watch the late models thunder through the corners, anchoring a lifelong fandom around local racing great Tom Nesbitt.
Though his father had raced before Young was born, that era was already history by the time he reached the grandstands. Today, however, the #37 driver has firmly established his own legacy on the local dirt and asphalt—and he’s doing it with twice the workload of most drivers in the pit area.
The Two-Class Demands
Fielding a single competitive race car week in and week out is a grueling test of late nights, mechanical know-how, and endless adjustments. For Young, doing it twice is simply part of the weekend routine.
”The two-class grind is tough,” Young says. “It seems like it’s four times the work to get two cars ready. I’m really not sure why. But I enjoy running both cars though.”
That balancing act requires keeping two completely different machines—a fast-handling Super Stock and a powerful Modified—tuned and ready for battle. The effort has paid dividends on the track this season. His Super Stock has consistently run near the front of the pack, while the Modified has given him a strong foothold in the open-wheel ranks.
Young credits part of that open-wheel success to an important local partnership. “I have to thank Ed Fukushima for letting me drive the mod,” he notes. “Without him, we definitely wouldn’t be in that class. He’s also been a huge supporter of the Super Stock this season and made it as competitive as it’s been.”
Forged Across the Border
Young’s path to competing in his home region was unconventional. When Riverview closed its gates and local racing options dwindled—with tracks like Mosquito Speedway running Late Models only on a sporadic, once-a-month basis—surviving in the sport meant looking south.
Cross-border racing became an immediate necessity.
”Cross-border racing was huge for us when we started,” Young explains. “I had actually never raced in Canada prior to racing at Thunder City, and I had never raced any other class of car but a late model.”
That early baptism by fire in American bullrings shaped his driving style. Racing regularly against tough out-of-town competition builds a resilient racer, and Young believes those road miles are precisely why Ontario drivers frequently find success when racing south of the border.
”I think the Ontario drivers do well in the states because the competition is very stout at home,” he says. “It makes you better when you race against good competition all the time.”
A Team Effort
Behind every competitive lap is an extensive support system holding the operation together in the garage and the pits.
Young’s race-day execution relies on a dedicated crew handling the heavy lifting: Glen, Neill, Carey, Davin, Dane, Kevin, George, and Ryan. Behind the scenes, logistics are managed by Julie, who takes care of team meals, and Alex, who oversees driver draws, lineups, and social media coverage.
The support extends right to the home front. Mom assists with cleaning and general upkeep wherever needed, while Dad handles the property maintenance, freeing up vital hours for Young to focus on car preparation.
Financial backing from a broad lineup of local businesses keeps the #37 haulers rolling each week. Team sponsors include Mahon Electric, Hood Equipment, Frostbites, MNP Shelly Gaudreau, Recycle West, Pioneer Construction, Victor Ventures, Hi Impact Signs, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Kal Tire, Morgan Fuels, Wakefield Oil Change Plus, TBay Modular Floors, Snap-on Tools, and TRC Race Cars.
As the green flag drops this weekend, Young will once again strap in for another demanding double-duty night, carrying decades of local racing history and a hard-earned work ethic straight to the front of the field.
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