Kody Vanderwal began racing at the age of 11 in a full-bodied stock car doing enduro races on dirt at I-76 Speedway in Fort Morgan, CO. When he was 14, he moved to the asphalt in the Pure Stock division at Colorado National Speedway in Dacono, CO. Kody has earned several wins, quick times, and top 10's and his talent garnered the attention of multiple people within the industry. This recognition e
nabled him to begin competing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West touring division. In two seasons, he accumulated 2 back-to back wins, 15 top 10's, 9th and 7th place in points standings, a Driver Achievement Award, and the Spencer Clark Driven Foundation Award. In 2019, he began the K&N Pro Series West season racing for Levin Racing out of Tucson, AZ. Kody earned 2 top 5's and 3 top 10's in 7 races. He also gained his first pole award at his home track (Colorado National Speedway) and set a new track record for the series. Due to lack of funding, the rest of the season could not be completed. He was able to complete the full Pro Truck schedule at Colorado National Speedway and became the 2019 Pro Truck Champion! At the end of 2019, Kody was contacted by Jimmy Means Racing and was asked if he would be interested in driving their #52 Xfinity car for the 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. It was an unexpected offer and he decided was that it was an opportunity that he couldn't pass up. NASCAR approved Kody to step into the #52 starting at Phoenix Raceway(after the first 4 races) and compete in the remainder of the season. He was so grateful for the chance to get seat time, improve his skills, and pursue his dream of competing in a national series. In 2021 the sponsorship woes continued and Kody was not able to compete at a national level, but he has done some local racing in his Pro Truck and new Super Late Model. His first SLM win was the prestigious $5000 to win 150 lap Challenge Cup XLVI at CNS! The dream to climb the ranks in NASCAR is still alive and the search for sponsorship/partnerships is ongoing. Lord willing, Kody will continue the pursuit.
Kody's passion for the sport, willingness to learn, personable attitude, and calm demeanor make him a winner on and off the track.
On a personal note:
Kody grew up on a rural acreage about an hour north of Denver, Colorado. His parents brought him up in the church and he placed his faith and trust in Jesus as his Savior at a young age. He was home-schooled and learned the value of hard work and having strong character qualities. After graduating high school in 2019, he began working full time at the family business as a Dairy Service Tech. He fixes, maintains, and installs the equipment needed to milk cows on dairy farms. In between work and racing, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, attending Bible studies, and doing many of the outdoor activities that Colorado has to offer.
