Roaming the hills of East Tennessee, you can find a family well-known to locals: the Cardwell's. It's not hard to come by stories about Jason Cardwell and his beloved #07 dirt late model; after all, he has earned himself five track championships in the region. Of course, Jason's nephew Hayden is essential for making sure that car stays primed and ready - no small feat considering he's only sixteen years old.
Although not as well-known as some of the other Cardwell clan, Hayden Cardwell has had an affinity towards racing since he was just a child. Although unfortunately there weren't the funds available for him to pursue his dreams like other members of his family, this did not stop him from continuing to nurture his passion for fast cars and roaring engines.
Eager to feel the thrill of a real race, Hayden Cardwell craved an adrenaline rush that only racing could provide. After searching for ways to satisfy his need for speed without breaking the bank, he stumbled upon rFactor - a computer racing simulator with hundreds of virtual dirt tracks from around the country and "mods" including dirt late models. Quickly becoming hooked on this exciting new form of competition, Cardwell found himself spending multiple hours every week immersed in simulated races across various digital locales and pitted against real drivers all over the world.
The moment Cardwell found out he could experience the thrill of racing with his beloved cars in a virtual world without burning through hundreds of dollars for real-life competition each weekend, he was enraptured. At only twelve years old, Cardwell pitted himself against some of rFactor's best and brightest sim racers - many twice his age or older. He frequently drove the number 07 car recreated within the game, just like his Uncle Jason drives on Tennessee’s dirt tracks every week.
In April 2016, iRacing announced their groundbreaking addition of dirt tracks and cars to the already hugely popular racing simulator platform. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell and many other real life drivers have praised this immersive experience for its realism in aiding them with preparation for success on actual race courses.
A restless energy swept through Cardwell as the dirt racing feature was unleashed on iRacing in March 2017. At fourteen, he seized this chance to prove his worth amongst some of the most renowned virtual and real drivers worldwide - many who'd he had already raced against, and beaten in rFactor. He hungered to show them what he could do on iRacing; its acclaimed realism lived up to all expectations, giving Cardwell even greater incentive to demonstrate that he belonged here, too.
"I knew I had to get iRacing just to see what I could do. I didn't have a lot of success running in leagues in rFactor, but I was only 11 or 12 years old at the time. Once iRacing added dirt, I started putting in time to get better and after a couple of months I knew I could keep up with some of the fast guys but I never got an opportunity to run against the top level of competition in leagues," said Cardwell.
That would change in early 2019 when Cardwell heard that Team VLR was starting up a new dirt late model series on iRacing. Team VLR is a long established name in the dirt sim racing community, having started way back in 2004 in the game Dirt Track Racing 2. Hayden Cardwell was just one year old at the time. Flash forward 15 years later, and the competition at VLR is known for being the toughest in all of iRacing.
Cardwell felt a surge of excitement as he clicked the "Sign Up" button on his computer screen. This was it: His chance to show that even at sixteen, he could go toe-to-toe with the world's best sim racers. Names like Bergeron, Wilson, Weaver and Leonhardi were becoming household names in sim dirt racing and even outside of that, due to live broadcasts of their events which saturated YouTube and Facebook channels alike. It seemed this new digital age allowed for competitors who weren't swimming in excess funds to take part in high stakes races from anywhere around the globe.
One name that wasn't well-known yet in sim racing was Hayden Cardwell. That would all change in a hurry, January 29, 2019 to be exact. That was the night of the first race of VLR's new Super Late Model Series, it was also Hayden Cardwell's first ever VLR start, at the virtual Dirt Track at Charlotte.
"I did a lot of preparation with my team leading up to the first race at Charlotte. At the time I was just hoping to make it into the show and go from there," Cardwell said, reflecting on the opening race.
Making the A Main was no Herculean feat for Cardwell, who at only 15 years of age managed to rocket himself from fourth place and streak across the finish line with a decisive victory in his series debut. With names such as these on track, it would be any driver's dream-come-true just to stay competitive - but Cardwell made it look like child's play.
Hundreds of eager eyes tuned in to watch the opening race of the new series with anticipation, many unfamiliar with this up-and-coming sim-racer from Tennessee. When all had come to an end and Cardwell emerged victorious, he was left stunned; trying fervently yet failing to fully express his happiness. "This is by far the best win of my career. I never thought I would be able to accomplish this, so I'm kind of speechless right now."
Suddenly Cardwell's name and sim race car was plastered over sim racing websites and social media pages. Even rumblings of cheating were being mentioned. There was no way a 15-year old "kid" could come out and upset the top sim racers in the world. It was the sim-racing equivalent of David vs Goliath, except there were about twenty Goliath's.
Cardwell was relentless in his ambition to prove he wasn't just a one-hit wonder, and the following week he took on an equally fierce crowd of competition. His domination paid off as Cardwell went back-to-back for two consecutive victories-- suddenly ascending from underdog status to the series title favorite.
"Coming into week one and seeing the names of the drivers in the race, I thought I was in trouble. I just knew I had to keep my head on straight and not over think things and do what I know to do."
The underdog story of Cardwell became a reality as he rocketed up the standings after two dominating wins in what is considered one of the most intense dirt-based iRacing series. Despite this success, many racers were uncertain if his luck would last, but five races into an eight week showdown and he's still got the points lead – solidifying himself as the Championship favorite. He countered doubt with yet another memorable performance on Tuesday night at Limaland Motorsports Park.
The thrilling new world of racing has seen a remarkable evolution in recent years, and young Hayden Cardwell is determined to show that you don't need an expensive Late Model racecar or garage full of tools - it's just as possible to make your mark with nothing more than a gaming wheel, pedals and computer. Who would've imagined even fifteen years ago that the next renowned driver from one of East Tennessee's most well known racing families had never stepped in a real racecar?