Swood Racing has its origins many moons ago, back in 2010 when team patriarch Greg Netherwood took to the dirt track of Canandaigua Motorsports Park in Canandaigua, NY, running a full sized Pure Stock dirt car. Fulfilling a life long dream of hitting the dirt that had harbored for what seemed like an eternity, Greg managed 4 (very trying and expensive) seasons on the dirt before having to hang up the helmet for good. During that time, his brother (and current team driver) David was stationed far away at Fort Hood, TX, consistently providing moral support and advice whenever possible. Always making it clear he would rather be at the track under the car tweaking things than toiling away in the motor pool of Fort Hood! The disappointment was clear when Greg hung it up before he ever had the chance to experience it.
Fast forward a number of years Greg now would have a family, with a step-son, Tristan, that was seemingly as much into racing as his new found dad. Frequent trips to the mall electric karts was almost a weekly occurrence. Tristan just could not get enough of being behind the wheel it seemed! Whats the best way to itch a scratch when you have a dad who is as hard core a racer as any? Well, Greg would sell his favorite toy, his motorcycle, using the proceeds to surprise the boy with his very first Coyote Zenith LO206 kart! A real life ride! Choosing the #13, Tristan would first see the track just as Covid was finally going away, in the spring of 2021. That first season at Avon Speedway was a bit rough. Beginning life in the Sportsman Gold-slide class, that first month we were all wondering if maybe this wasnt the best idea. That first race? Lapped 4 times in a 10 lap feature. It was rough.
Some sit downs with his new uncle David and some heavy pep talks from other competitors and family would see Tristan pick it up, and by the end of the year was even challenging for wins! Something we all knew he had in him!
In 2022 he would move to the Junior class, and would consistently challenge the front of the field. Even picking up his first career wins! Throughout the year he improved, facing some of the toughest Junior competitors in the north east on a weekly basis! At the end of the year, he’d have his first 2 wins and a solid 4th place finish in points!
2023, Tristan would remain in Junior, and now he would have a “teammate”. His uncle David, who to this point was our most valued crew member, decided he wanted to throw his hat in the ring. He too went and purchased a Coyote Zenith LO206, and it was game on for the two of them. David would be competing in the Masters, and he would pick it up more and more every week, and even having a couple wins to boot! And at the end of the season? He would even be crowned Champion! Tristan would have a great start to his season. Fighting consistently for wins, and in the summer would pick up his 3rd career win in a wild battle with fellow Coyote driver Brady Eichoff, which put him in a good spot to challenge for the points lead. Sadly, from that point forward, it was all down hill. The last 9 weeks saw Tristan knocked off track, crashed or otherwise having issues with other competitors on track, and that challenging for a title turned into another 4th place in points. Tough to swallow, but we all saw the both of them had it in them!
2024 would have Tristan moving to Senior Light and Medium, with David staying in Masters/Legends.