Daryk Pitzer put in a stellar performance through the 2013 GNCC Racing season but came up just 1 point shy of a College-B class championship. With his eyes set on the College-A class for 2014, we caught up with Daryk to take a look back at his 2013 season and more.

Photo: Amy McConnell

GNCCRacing.com: How’s it going today?
It’s going great, just got home from school.

Cool! So, tell everyone a little about yourself.
I’m 18 years old and live in Fombell, PA with my mom, dad and brother Shane, who also races GNCC. I’m a senior in high school and love to hunt, fish, mountain bike and snowmobile besides racing.

How did you get started racing?
It all started about 5 years ago when Ed Atwell invited us to a local race to watch him, Kristen and Angel Atwell race. Ed knew I loved to ride and suggested I try it. The following year I finally talked my parents into it and went to my first local AWRCS race, and I’ve been hooked ever since!

So are you ready to get back to GNCC Racing?
Absolutely! Can’t wait to head south.

How about a new Florida track. Are you ready for that?
Yeah, for sure. I think it will be interesting to have another new track on the circuit.

How have you been spending your winter break?
I decided to change things up this year and take a little time off from racing. I’ve been doing a lot of hunting, relaxing and hanging out with friends. It’s nice because it’s a little bit of a break from the same thing over and over, and will definitely make it even more fun when I get back on it.

When will you get back into the swing of racing?
I actually just started my new training program this week and I’m pretty excited about it. We plan on heading south after Christmas for some seat time.

So tell us how your 2013 season went.
I think 2013 went pretty well even though I had a few mechanical issues and drama to deal with along the way, but it felt great to snag some wins along the way and challenge for the championship. It was kind of an up and down season but overall, it was good.

Did you expect to have that strong of a season?
Actually, I was a little disappointed and expected to finish better than I did but that just kind of gives me more fuel to try even harder next year.

What would you have liked to have done differently?
I should have been a more prepared at the start of the season, run more consistently and finished more races.

What was the biggest highlight of your 2013 season?
The Big Buck race probably. After a horrible start, 12th off the line and 8th after the first lap, I came back to take the win by almost 40 seconds.

And the College B class was pretty stacked in 2013, wasn’t it?
It sure was! There was a great group of guys and I had a blast battling with Cam Bruce, Kenny Shick and Brigham Patterson. They made for some pretty stiff competition.

What was it like racing against all those guys all season?
With such a competitive class, you couldn't make any mistakes or they would sure make you pay for it when you did. It was a lot of fun though.

What are your plans for 2014?
I’m making the jump to the College-A class for 2014. I’m excited for the challenge and can’t wait to see how I stack up with those guys.

What do you hope to accomplish in 2014?
This year will be a challenge as the class will be stacked again but setting the bar high, I’m shooting for some amateur overalls and strong, consistent finishes.

What about beyond 2014, what do you hope to accomplish down the road?
It will be very rough and challenging, but I plan on making my way to the front row someday to make a run for the #1 plate that we’re all shooting for.

Alright, before we wrap this up, who would you like to thank?
First of all, God for all his blessings and keeping me safe. My parents, as none of this would even be possible without them. My brother, Shane, for always supporting me and pushing me to do better. All of our racing family and friends who make it such a blast every race and anyone who has helped me at any time along the way. And of course my 2013 sponsors; Motowoz ATV shocks, JB Racing, Leatt, GBC Motorsports, Fly Racing, Fasst, McElwain Motors, Wholesale Builders Supply, Irwin Builders Supply, Ram Acoustical, State Farm Insurance (Rich Vetica Agency), X-Country Photos, Pitzer Photos and a huge thanks to my mechanic, Cody Buchanan at Buchanan Racing.