In the case of 21-year-old Tate Fogleman of Durham, North Carolina, his Talladega win will be a great lifelong story to recall. (Photo: Landen Ciardullo | The Podium Finish)
Heading into the 2020 racing season, Tate Fogleman pondered about his future in racing. While he was only 20 years old at the time, the Durham, North Carolina native nearly seemed at peace with his potential fate.
Suddenly, opportunity knocked for the second generation stock car racer.
“A few years ago, I figured I’d just be racing super late models the rest of my life, which I didn’t have a problem with because I’m a racer at heart,” Fogleman said. “And then Young’s Motorsports gave me the opportunity to come and drive full time. I couldn’t turn that down at all.”
After three starts during the 2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Fogleman earned a full-time ride as the driver of the No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado in 2020. With 11 top 20 results during a year primarily filled with “show up and race” weekends, Folgeman placed 17th in the final driver’s championship standings.
Steady wheelman Tate Fogleman delivered reliable results heading into Saturday’s Chevy Silverado 250 at Talladega. (Photo: Landen Ciardullo | The Podium Finish)
Shifting over to the No. 12 Young’s Motorsports entry this year, Fogleman raked in six top 20 finishes including a ninth at the Knoxville dirt race. However, Fogleman encountered misfortune in races where a top 15 or 20 seemed within reach.
Still, Fogleman kept his head up when the Truck Series made its annual stop at Talladega Superspeedway for Saturday’s Chevy Silverado 250. Starting 20th in the field, the patient wheelman stayed away from the chaos until lap 59.
As the field raced their way into turn 3, calamity ensued with a 21 truck crash. Fogleman’s truck was slightly damaged but still in raceable condition with some repairs.
Following a six truck accident on lap 77, Fogleman crafted his way into the top 10 in the final laps. Another solid top 10 finish seemed in the offing before Chase Purdy’s frontstretch spin on the penultimate lap resulted in an overtime restart.
After the race’s final restart on lap 98, Fogleman drafted his way into the fifth position for the final lap. Muscling his way up to second position heading into the frontstretch, Fogleman, with some drafting help from Tyler Hill, decided it was winning time.
In the blink of an eye, Fogleman battled for the win against championship contender John Hunter Nemechek. On this day, Fogleman would not be denied an underdog victory despite tangling with Nemechek.
Capture the flag. (Photo: Sean Gardner | Getty Images)
Fogleman took the lead and victory in rather dramatic fashion over Hill. Immediately after crossing the stripe, Fogleman and Hill tangled, resulting in the former hitting the inside retaining wall.
Regardless, Fogleman was absolutely elated with his maiden Truck win.
“It means a lot,” Fogleman said in a post race Zoom. “I mean, we do the best of what we have, try to take advantage of everything we’re offered. And we’ve been getting better throughout the year. We had a few unlucky breaks in the beginning of the year that costs us good finish. We finished ninth at the dirt race, finish good last race at Vegas and just finally, things just lined up and to get that first win, it means a lot because the guys at the shop, they work just as hard, even harder than these big teams. They pour their heart and soul into it. So to get them a win, it means a lot.”
Moreover, Fogleman observed how sim racing, particularly on the iRacing platform, catalyzed his efforts.
And it’s sweet, sweet, sweet victory. (Photo: Chris Graythen | Getty Images)
“Just like getting behind the wheel, even if it’s on computer based monitors, anything like that, just working on the reaction times,” he shared. “I know I got on iRacing and practice racing just like drafting and stuff like that, just things that people just overthink. Just getting on the sim, I know it’s not like real life, but it’s the closest thing we can get to it.
“So anytime on there is a big help. Just reaction time, you can really kind of time your runs and stuff on there too, similar to what you would do on the track. So any tool you can have to your disposal to help, I try to take full advantage of and iRacing is definitely going to help with that.”
Fogleman’s victory embodied the spirit of a feel good sporting moment. Ultimately, Fogleman will remember this rather exciting race day and win at Talladega years down the road.
In the words of Bonnie Raitt, it’s safe to say that Tate Fogleman gave us something to talk about. (Photo: Chris Graythen | Getty Images)
“To finally get a win, especially a win that is crazy as this one was, it’s a story, a time, and event that I’ll never forget the rest of my life,” Fogleman said with a smile. “This is something I just dreamed about when I was younger to get a national NASCAR series win. So to finally do that in spectacular fashion is just something I’ll never forget. And it’s a story I can tell for the rest of my life.”
