If you’ve spent any time at 35 Raceway Park or Jackson County Speedway, you know the feeling when the 4‑cylinders roll out. It’s that little ripple that goes through the crowd. The smiles, the pointing, the “here we go” energy, because everybody knows they’re about to see some real grassroots racing. Not polished. Not high‑dollar. Just honest, side‑by‑side, hang‑on‑to‑it fun. And tucked inside that world is a 34‑year‑old father of six from Waverly, Ohio, wheeling a ’96 Ford Escort GT that looks like it wandered out of a mini late model field by mistake.

Tommy Gorman Jr. didn’t grow up chasing this. He found it in one of those unexpected ways that always seems to happen around here. He was racing RC cars at The Barn Raceway, just messing around, having fun, when the thought hit him: “Man, I need to get in the car.” That’s all it took. One spark. One moment. And then a guy named Teddy Lowry asked if he wanted to try a 4‑cylinder. Tommy said sure, thinking he’d still run demo derbies on the side. He didn’t know he was about to fall head‑first into something that would completely replace the world he’d known for over a decade.

Before dirt racing, Tommy spent eleven years running demo derbies at local fairs. That was his thing. That was his adrenaline. But once he strapped into a 4‑cyl in 2021, everything shifted. The competition was tighter. The challenge was deeper. The fun was different... better. He walked away from derbies entirely, and in just a few short seasons, he’s already stacked five feature wins in a field that doesn’t give anything away for free.

And then there’s the car. Tommy took a ’96 Escort GT and cut the entire body off - everything except the firewall, floor pan, and frame rails. Sent it out to have a full body put on. Invested real money. Built something that turns heads every time it unloads. It looks like a mini late model, but it fights in the 4‑cylinder stock class with the same heart as every other car out there. That’s the charm of this division: you can build something wild, but it still has to earn every inch on the track.

Of course, nobody does this alone. Tommy’s wife, Kayla, is his crew chief. The one who keeps the whole operation steady. When it comes to motors, he leans on veterans like Matt Brown, Charles Dozier, and James Deal, guys who took him under their wing and taught him the ropes of dirt racing. And if you’ve ever wondered why some folks call him “2cans,” it comes from one of those shop moments that only happens when you’re wrenching with people who know you well enough to mess with you. Rebuilding a motor, Tommy asked how many cans of brake cleaner they needed. Charles said, “Two cases.” Tommy, thinking they were messing with him, brought two cans. The nickname stuck.

And behind all of them is the group of local businesses that help keep the 2cans operation rolling every weekend. Diner 23, Old Canal Barbershop, Gray Racing Team, D&D Enterprises, Redbomb Graphics, Clay’s Performance Construction, Graphic Creations, and B&M Carriers all play a part in getting that Escort to the track, keeping it competitive, and making sure Tommy can chase the season he’s building toward. It’s the kind of support system that defines grassroots racing.

What Tommy loves most about the 4‑cylinder stock class is how real it is. You can buy a competitive car for $2000 - $2500 and go racing. The competition is tight. The racing is close. The energy is pure. This is the level where people fall in love with the sport, where families cheer, kids pick favorites, and drivers race because they want to, not because they’re chasing a paycheck. It’s the heartbeat of local dirt racing in the Ohio Valley.

In 2026, Tommy’s running full‑time at 35 Raceway Park and hitting five shows at Jackson County Speedway. Two tracks rooted in the same culture that shaped him. And he’s not shy about what he wants this season. He’s chasing a championship at 35. That’s the mission. That’s what he’s building toward for himself, for Kayla, for his kids, for the fans who have been cheering him on since his first derby, and for the people who helped him get here.

If you want to understand what grassroots racing in Southern Ohio feels like, you look at drivers like Tommy. A father balancing family and racing. A guy who learned from veterans and now races with pride. Someone who built something unique, found his lane, and is chasing a dream the right way, with hard work, community, and heart. This is the level where the sport's still real, and Tommy Gorman Jr. is one of the reasons it stays that way.

Driver Spotlight: Tommy Gorman Jr. - Waverly, Ohio

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Driver Spotlight: Tommy Gorman Jr. - Waverly, Ohio

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