DRIVER PROFILE - KADE HIGDAY
Kade Higday
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Interview with Kade Higday
by Eric Arnold
Not too many 15 year old kids are lucky enough to race a sprint car, especially at the Knoxville Raceway. Kade Higday is a rookie this season in the 305 class, and a second generation driver, the son of Josh and Dawn Higday. Kade has been racing for about 10 years already and his sights have been set on racing where his father has been so successful in his own career. Josh Higday was the 360 Track Champion in 2007, won the 2002 360 Tournament of Champions, a total of 17 career 360 wins and was the 2002 Knoxville Nationals Rookie of the Year. His father is hoping to get his own car back on the track at some point this year, but he is the crew chief on the Chris Martin 44 sprinter along with working on the family owned 24 for his son. Kade has a tough reputation to live up to and he is off to a good start so far this season with feature finishes of 10th, 2nd, 4th, and couple of DNF’s, including one hard crash in week three. Coming from a racing family, the racing fever is engrained in his DNA and it’s only a matter of time before we see him win a feature at Knoxville. It’s time to get to know this talented 15 year old kid who goes to Southeast Polk high school, Kade Higday.
EA: How old were you when you first started racing?
Kade: I started racing four-wheelers when I was four and then I raced go-karts when I was six or seven. I raced those until last year (2013) when I started driving a sprint car.
EA: You were 14 years old last year, not quite old enough to race at Knoxville, where all did you race last year?
Kade: Burlington, Allsion, and Corning. Most of my races were at 34 Raceway in Burlington.
EA: How was your 2013 season then?
Kade: We didn’t win any races, qualified second one night and my best feature finish was a fifth. It was a learning year for sure to be comfortable in the car before we came to Knoxville.
EA: Last year you were able to test at Knoxville for a few laps. What was that like, your first time on the famed half-mile? What were your emotions?
Kade: I thought it was pretty cool because I was only 14 and I have grown up at Knoxville every Saturday night watching my Dad race. We would have qualified ninth if they would have let us race, but I was too young. It was tough to have to wait another whole year to get back on the track there.
EA: Did it seem like you were going as fast as you thought you were? I’ve been around in the pace truck and I thought that was fast.
Kade: Oh it was fast! Knoxville is one the fastest tracks. I thought it was cool to just be there with my friends and family, and I mean, it’s the track where the Knoxville Nationals is held.
EA: What’s it like racing now against some drivers you grew up watching race against your Dad? There’s a real mix of talent in the 305 class.
Kade: The talent in the 305 class is really good and it’s growing. You have guys like Steve Breazeale and Chris Walraven, guys I used to admire as a little kid and it’s kind of initimidating to run with them in a way, but it just makes me want to win that much more.
EA: You were involved in a pretty hard crash at Knoxville a couple of weeks ago. From your point of view, what happened?
Kade: I made the same move coming out of turns one and two, I slid up behind the 4 car and made up some ground and I tried the same thing in turns three and four. Some people say I’m crazy for trying pass in a heat race, but honestly I was just trying to run second and his car got a little loose on the top and we connected the left front and right rear, and the rest is history. I slowed up and got out of the gas, but it was too late.
EA: How did you feel after that crash?
Kade: I was sore for a couple of days, but I’m fine.
EA: Your parents have to be a little bit crazy for letting you race sprint cars, but with you being so young do you feel like your parents are ever over protective?
Kade: My parents have made me aware as much as they can about safety on the cars and wearing as much fire retardant equipment as I can get, wearing a HANS device, but other than that I drive a lot like my Dad. He gives me pointers on where to run and what to watch for on the track as it changes. But mostly they just tell me to go do my thing.
EA: Do you work on the cars yourself at all, or does your Dad do the majority of the work?
Kade: Dad does most of it by himself. He is particular about the cars and all, but I help as much as a can. I don’t have the time with school work, but Dad loves to prepare the car and he likes it done the right way. I trust him 100% working on the cars, and he has so much experience at Knoxville and racing, he is a real asset for me.
EA: Are you working a side job to help pay the bills on the race car?
Kade: (Laughs) Not yet, but at some point I’m sure I will have to!
EA: What subjects do you like in school?
Kade: I REALLY don’t like math! Or history! (Laughs) But all the other ones are alright.
EA; You have been racing for ten years already, so what’s your proudest moment in racing so far?
Kade: Running second at Knoxville in only my second start.
EA: Where do you hope to see yourself in five years?
Kade: Hopefully racing with the World of Outlaws! That would be pretty cool. But we will take it one race at a time and see where it goes from there.
EA: Have you rehearsed what you’re going to say when you do win a race at Knoxville?
Kade: To win a race is still a dream at this point, but it’s becoming more real in a way after finishing second once this year already, but when I do win it will be a party. As much of a party as it can be at 15 years old anyway!
Higday Motorsports would to thank their sponsors for their support: Global Ag, WreckAMended, Tom Davis Automotive, and Moose Magnetos.
For a kid who isn’t legally able to drive a car on the streets, Kade seems to have a lot of talent, and a good car. He does have a similar racing style to his Dad. No fear. If this kid can keep the car off the fence I think we will see him in victory lane soon. There was some controversy after his crash with Chris Horton a few weeks ago, that it may have been an aggressive move on Kade’s part for just a heat race. But after watching the replay several times I can see his point of view. It was unfortunate, but both drivers walked away, and Higday was able to get back to the track the following week and be competitive. It’s nice to hear Kade appreciates the history and prestige of Knoxville Raceway, even if history isn’t his favorite subject in school, I think he understands what it means to be a sprint car driver at the “Sprint Car Capital of the World” more than most people. The sky is the limit for this kid from what I have seen so far. Good luck to the Higday Motorsports team the rest of 2014!
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