Hunter Wright has made a name for himself as one of the premier Late Model drivers in the Deep South, winning at a high level across various short track facilities.
The Lebanon, Tenn., native has also garnered the reputation as a racer who has gone about his rise through the ranks the right way, representing the blue-collar realm of racers that many think are dwindling in number.
Like many racers, Wright got his start in the sport by competing in smaller, local events. His came in the broader Nashville area and helped foster a relationship that’s benefitting him to this day.
“When I grew up, my dad raced at a local track called Highland Rim Speedway,” Wright told Frontstretch. “It’s a small 1/4-mile, and I took a keen interest to it when I was really young. Started racing Quarter Midgets when I was around six, and then at 14 we started racing Legend Cars.
“[I] got to know Mr. Wayne from racing over at Highland Rim. That track’s just a couple miles from his shop. I think we raced together for the first time in 2019, and we’ve been doing it ever since.”
Wayne Day, the man Wright referred to, is a staple in the Nashville area racing community. Day serves as a car owner and businessman, with decades of involvement in Central Tennessee’s grassroots racing scene.
Day is the owner of Day Racing Products, where Wright works during the week. Operating CNC machines, Wright oversees the manufacture of a plethora of racing products that drivers use throughout the country.
With both owner-driver and employer-employee dynamics at play, Wright’s connection with Day is meaningful. The pair have worked with each other in some capacity for several years now, forging a special relationship in the process.
“I wouldn’t be racing late models if it wasn’t for him,” Wright admitted. “I’ve learned a lot from him and he’s more than just a friend, he’s family. He’s sort of like a father figure, and he’s been that guy for a lot of other people too.”
Day’s longtime presence in the Nashville racing scene has been well-received, including an induction into the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway Hall of Fame as part of the 2025 class. That level of respect can also be seen in Wright, who is one of the local favorites whenever short track racing comes to Music City.
Wright’s reputation as one of the most notable blue-collar racers in the area has much to do with the support system he has around him.
“I try to surround myself with good people,” Wright said. “We work hard and we all know the situation that we’re in. We’re strapped on a tighter budget than most. To preform the way we have over the past couple of years has meant a lot.”
Despite the budgetary constraints that challenge countless short track competitors, Wright and crew have picked up no shortage of accolades in recent memory. Wright has even briefly ventured into ARCA Menards Series East competition with Man Motorsports.
Perhaps the most prized award for Wright is his most recent. During the 2025 All American 400 weekend, Wright picked up the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway track championship in the Pro Late Model class.
The title was Wright’s first at the historic Nashville facility, his home track. And while it wasn’t Day’s only championship at the track, it was the first in many years.
“Mr. Wayne, I think he’s only won one championship here before this, and it was back in the late 70’s or early 80’s,” Wright said. “I know it’s pretty special for him, Ms. Jean, and everybody at Day Racing Products, Day Racing Chassis, and Day Racing Engines.”
Many from the outside looking in could see Wright’s success as reason to push for a rise into NASCAR competition. While NASCAR is almost always the goal for short track prospects, Wright is making sure to enjoy the short track world while he can.
“I’m just having fun and racing with my friends,” he said. “It means a lot to get to do this at this level. We’ve won the World Series of Asphalt the last two years. We get to do some ARCA stuff every now and then with Mark Noble, which is a lot of fun. It’s all just really special, and we’re having as much fun as we can while it lasts.”
Wright’s rise through the racing world serves as a reminder that the people you surround yourself with are crucial to your success – and the Tennessean’s attitude towards the sport shows that the journey is often bigger than the destination.