Bryson made the show the first night and fell just one position shy of cracking the lineup the following day.
“She did really well for the first time in a sprint car,” Santucci said. “You wouldn’t have known she hadn’t done it before. The first few laps you could tell she hadn’t run with a wing. She was pitching it in there and with a 360 that’s a no-no because they don’t have enough power.”
What about Swindell? Turns out he enjoyed the experience enough to travel to Hattiesburg, Miss., for a USCS show on his dime to lend a hand.
“He is really helpful,” Bryson said. “He will come up to me in the car and take me out to the track and show me the line. This is really cool because I grew up watching him. It feels awesome.”
There is little doubt that Bryson profited from the exchange, but Santucci feels strongly that Swindell was also a beneficiary.
“Sammy was a huge help to her,” Santucci said. “I was surprised at how excited he was. I don’t think he was excited about going in the beginning but that changed after the first night. I think it brightened up his day and who better to have as your coach? This was one of the best things for Sammy. He posted things on Facebook and you would have thought his PR guys were doing it. It’s cool to see him happy and not grumpy. He is enjoying life right now.”
When it comes to the feedback she gets from her mentors, their style reflects their personalities.
“Sammy is a lot gentler about it,” Bryson said. “He knows what he is doing and he is straight to the point. He just tells me what line I need to run. Aaron is a bit more on the goofy side and he will make a joke about how I missed the line. They have two totally different approaches to teaching me.”
As for Santucci, he admits: “I can’t get mad at her when that sweet little voice comes over the radio. But then I also haven’t had a reason to be mad at her.”
In the end, Bryson is surrounded by many people who believe in her. Santucci thinks she has a bright future, “I would not fool with her if I didn’t think she had a chance.”
Where will that chance take her? She would love to move to IndyCar but knows the issue is money. Everyone involved in her program understands that as well, but they all want to make things happen for her.
At age 22, Bryson understands the modern American racing scene well enough to know that fretting about tomorrow is counterproductive. Right now, she is living in the moment and believes she is on the brink of a great year.
“It seems no matter what it is I’m doing I love it,” she said “So I am going to try and be the best I can be in the car I am in. Wherever it takes me, it takes me. I do not feel any pressure right now. I know how all of this plays out. You don’t have a lot of control. You just have to be the best at what you are doing and know that everything is going to work out.”
This story appeared in the April 26, 2023 edition of the SPEED SPORT Insider.
