RANDY VARNEY

 

Randy Varney from Muskegon began his driving career in 1981 at the Ionia County Fairgrounds where he finished in the top 10.

 

His first win came a couple years later at a Sprints On Dirt race at what most people might consider his home track, Thunderbird Raceway on July 24,1983. He accumulated over 40 wins in sanctioned sprint car events in Michigan and Indiana, including on the Sprints on Dirt circuit and the United 360 Sprints series. He also had one win in the Auto Value Super Sprints circuit. He had close to 100 top podium finishes in sanctioned events.

 

Randy specialized in sprint car dirt track racing and was the 1994 United 360 Sprint Car Champion, and finished second in their points on two other occasions (1993 & 1995). Of the 20 documented United races from his championship season of 1994, Randy won half of them.

 

His best finish in final points in the Sprints on Dirt (SOD) was a fourth in 1989. He finished in the top 10 SOD points on two other occasions.

 

He began driving for his father, also named Randy, who owned Varney Automotive on Apple Avenue in Muskegon. His dad started the business in 1973 and was a top mechanic on racecars since the 1950’s at short track racing in Michigan. Randy’s father was also a mechanic on Indy cars that ran at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,

 

In 1984 young Randy was driving a Ben Cook built sprinter. The family owned #64 became a familiar site in victory lane for many years. He has also driven J&J and Stealth chassis. His engines were built in house.

 

Besides running the various Michigan based sanctioned like SOD and ULS, he also ran occasionally in the All-Star Circuit of Champions at tracks like Eldora Speedway. Randy, who builds his own engines, also won numerous races at the Michigan weekly sprint car tracks like Butler Motor Speedway, I-96 Speedway, and Hartford Motor Speedway.

 

Randy has won a number of big races in his career. In 1988 he won $2,000 when he won a SOD 30 lapper at I-96 Speedway. He came back two years later and won another $1,500 at the SOD Summer Nationals at I-96. He also won numerous open competition events, including the 30 lap Spring Nationals on the ½ mile high banked U.S. 131 Raceway in Martin in July of 1984. He had one win in a Dealer’s Choice main. Randy’s most serious accident was at Ohio’s Bryan Motor Speedway in 1983, where he suffered a broken arm.

 

He has been married to Janet since 1986 and they have two children. Sarah and Brett.