NEW CUMBERLAND, Pa. — Up until this weekend, Jason Johnson Racing was the most-tenured team in the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series.
Four years ago, JJR gave New Cumberland’s Nathan Repetz a shot, leaving his position as an agricultural teacher to tour full-time with the series.
Now, he’s coming back home to work for a local team at Macri Motorsports.
For most kids, their story of getting into racing typically begins with a family member. That stands true for Nathan Repetz. “I went to Williams Grove a few times a year with my dad. [It] got me interested and excited about [the] kind of racing we have in Pennsylvania," recalled Repetz.
When he got older, Repetz began gaining experience while working for Tyler Baer. “They were willing to take a guy who didn’t know anything," Repetz said.
He was balancing his school work at Penn State University with his constant learning of everything he could about sprint cars.
After graduation, Repetz began teaching at Benton High School in Columbia County but still managed to travel most weekends to Port Royal Speedway to help the team.
However, Repetz never in his wildest dreams imagined that the connection he met during college would lead to him touring on a national series.
“It’s proof that it’s all who you know at the right times and being the right guy at the right opportunity. I went to Penn State with Lisa Boltz and her parents owned the Jonestown K.O.A. and now they’re on our car as Boltz family," Repetz stated. "We became friends in the same major at Penn State. I met them and therefore, met the team. She’s the one [who] told me when the position became available, and they all put in a good word of recommendation for me.”
He was in the classroom for less than three years before getting the call to work for Jason Johnson Racing as a tire specialist.
So far, Repetz has worked with two drivers while with the team; first with David Gravel and then Carson Macedo.
"I think Nate has come a really long way as a tire guy. When he first started, he was a high school agriculture teacher. I think he had no idea what to expect going into this role, and he’s just done an incredible job," Macedo reminisced. "He’s probably one of the best on the road. He has the experience and does a first-class job, every night."
The “tire guy” spent four years with JJR, touring with the World of Outlaws. Although being on the road from February to November can be difficult, Repetz says it was very rewarding.
“Now, I’m four states shy of [visiting] all 50, thanks to this job. It’s a different change in lifestyle and you definitely miss people when you’re gone. [But,] the chance to travel the country and work on race cars is a dream come true," said Repetz.
When reflecting, the former teacher said he wouldn't change a thing that led him to get the career he has now.
Repetz was with JJR for some notable wins including a crown jewel, winning the National Open at Williams Grove, the track where he found his love for racing.
After four straight seasons on the road, Repetz is coming home to work for Macri Motorsports in 2024; this means that the team will have two crew members, with not just outlaw experience, but experience at numerous tracks around the nation.
Car owner Nick Macri expressed, “He’s a perfect fit. He’s young, he’s knowledgeable, he’s energetic and we’re excited to have him on board.”
Macri went on to say, “I feel like we can compete on a national level [and] that we can be a threat at any track we go to because both Joe [Mooney] and Nate have been around the country. They’ve been to tracks. They know what to expect and can relay that all to Anthony. We’re excited. I’m looking to be a threat."