Layser said that he’s seen a lot of things within himself grow over the past eight months.
“I think the biggest change in myself from last year to this year … is that I find myself wanting it more now,” he explained.
“About mid-season last year, I think the real turning point was when we were going up to … Lanco (Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway), I think it was … and when I was talking to Alex I realized just how much he wants it every time he goes to the track. That was the point when I realized to be successful in this sport, you really have to make it your life, and now I’m starting to make it mine.”
That philosophy includes additional time spent working with Bright away from the track, and Layser is confident that his association with the veteran will only continue to pay dividends because he’s still young in his racing career.
“I think it’s a real benefit to me to already be working with Alex at such an early stage of my career; he’s the best on the East Coast when it comes to midget racing,” said Layser. “Being with him really puts my career path on fast-forward. I’m not sure I’d be looking at the national races we’re looking at running this year if it wasn’t for his help and support.”
Though Layser’s car wasn’t ready to go for the season-opening Shamrock Classic in March at DuQuoin, he is locked and loaded for the April 6-7 Pennsylvania doubleheader that opens the 2018 USAC-ARDC calendar.
Those races, at Linda’s Speedway and Lanco’s Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway, will be followed by a weekend double at Kokomo (Ind.) Speedway on April 13-14 – two races that Layser hopes will be the kickoff to his run at USAC National Midget Rookie of the Year honors.
“Our schedule this year is going to be pretty similar to what we raced last year, but we’re going to race a lot more USAC (National) shows. We wanted to start off the year at DuQuoin, but the car just wasn’t quite ready for us to make a go at it and we didn’t want to rush things.”
“I’m really excited about some of the places we’re going to get to go this year. We’re planning to race during Indiana Midget Week, Pennsylvania Midget Week and at Eldora (Speedway). I’m just really looking forward to the year and to growing the relationship we have with Alex Bright and his team. He’s taught me so much already and I think we’ve got a lot to build on for the upcoming season.”
As far as his plans for future years, Layser has a specific road he wants to travel: one that’s already been well-walked by some of the top names in motorsports over the past decade.
“I see myself hopefully running the full USAC national tour in the next couple of years, and I also want to add some sprint car races into the mix as well if I can, because that’s another style of racing that I think is really cool and something I’d like to break into.
“My ultimate goal is to follow a path similar to what Kyle (Larson) and Christopher (Bell) did and make it to NASCAR if I can, but we know we just have to take it one step at a time.”
