Just moments after returning to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway pits from his third top five to start the High Limit Season, Tanner Thorson debriefed with his secret weapon—Stevie Smith. 

Each night at the half-mile dirt track, the 29-year-old Minden, Nevada, racer improved his position—fifth, fourth, and then second after briefly seizing the lead from Aaron Reutzel just seconds prior to a caution in the Saturday night finale. 

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After contemplating what could have been, Thorson shifted his thoughts to the bigger picture—how far he had come.

“I feel a hell of a lot better than I did last season or the year before, that’s for sure,” Thorson said. “Now, I feel like we can get on a half-mile and contend. 

“It all comes down to—and I felt like this in NASCAR on big tracks—it’s not all the driver in that sense. It’s how good your car is. A good driver can make up for a little bit on a half-mile but not like on a small track.

“The car is good. Everything is good. We just have to keep building from here. We’ve got a little bit we need to work on, I feel like myself as a driver—also the car a little bit—but other than that, everything is solid and sporty.”

If there were a first weekend award for most improved team and driver, Thorson and the No. 88 Rod Gross Motorsports crew would win hands down. Thorson not only qualified for the feature each night, he was the only competitor to leave Sin City with three top-five results.

Certainly, Thorson’s work ethic is legendary. If he’s not working on his own equipment, he’s helping another driver or team. But ask Thorson what he’s learned from his father-in-law Stevie Smith, and he doesn’t hesitate, “Everything.”

If the National Sprint Car Hall of Famer could win the High Limit Racing Cometic Gasket Crew Chief of the Month from his couch in Oklahoma, imagine what Smith’s contribution was over the weekend in the No. 88 Rod Gross Motorsports’ pit area.

“I have to figure out how to get him to all of the half-miles, at least,” Thorson said following the finale on Saturday. “He keeps my mind straight, honestly. I’ve been known to get a little sporadic on stuff, just making changes and swinging for the moon. And our car is the most simple it has ever been from the wings to the wheels. Everything.

“I’m just really happy, honestly. It’s a sign of relief to have someone who has worked on the race car and drove a race car in my corner. And I’ve got Lee Lindgren as well who watches and sees what I’m doing…I couldn’t ask for anything better. 

“It’s a good feeling to know how fast we are, but it’s also a pissed-off feeling to know we could have won that race, too. Stevie is that calm person in my life. He doesn’t get wound up like I do. He probably thinks I’m a bit crazy at times, but it has been good.” 

Lindgren has helped turn wrenches on Thorson’s cars for years. But with a full-time career and a young family at home, it’s difficult to juggle the High Limit schedule.

Once Smith moved to Oklahoma and retired from full-time competition, he, too, turned his sights to business, although he still has a vested interest in Thorson, his daughter Shaylee and granddaughter Blakelee.

“We wanted to see if we could get him off to a good start,” Smith said. “It’s a really competitive series and it’s a tough series. I just felt if there was anything I could do to help, I’d like to be a small part of it.” 

Mission accomplished. Thorson improved each night at Las Vegas, earned another runner-up finish Thursday at Central Arizona Raceway and now leads the High Limit Racing championship standings after four races. 

“My guys did a phenomenal job,” Thorson said. “I want to win, but I also need to run up front every night and give everybody that’s a part of this program—and my guys—a shot at winning and just good runs, and the rest will play out.”