Lone Jack, Missouri: Simply put entering the Helm Memorial for the USAC MWRA Sprint Cars at Valley Speedway on September 24th the Ted Hall & Tribble Racing Team had seen and experienced almost everything you could on and off the track, and most of it had been disheartening, discouraging, and disappointing, over the last two seasons for racer Cody Baker, his grandfather Ted Hall, and everyone associated with the 38 & 9 non winged sprint car team. But like many stories that end with a positive and uplifting outcome, the resolve of these show-me state racers, led to redemption, and rejuvenation, after Baker would pull off a 3-Peat racing with the MWRA over a 8 day stretch to finish off the 2022 campaign.
At the start of the 2021 season everything was looking up on the race track for Cody Baker. On May 8th Baker would win the lid lifter for the MWRA at Nevada Speedway. The ensuing celebration afterwards was one of pure joy between Cody and Ted in victory lane, and represented what appeared to be a watershed moment as the Lone Jack racers were off to a flying start after winning their first ever MWRA race.
That celebration quickly faded into the past on Sunday May 30th at California Missouri's Double X Speedway. That night Baker was involved in a accident on the front stretch that severely damaged the THR sprint car. Baker was uninjured, but what happened on the speedway was the least of anyone's concern by the next morning.
Later that evening Cody would ride his motorcycle back to Lone Jack. Unfortunately he would never make it home. On the road back Baker was involved in a single vehicle accident suffering injuries that were very serious in nature, and derailed him from competing for most of the Summer. When he finally came back to competition, more bad luck followed at the Hockett Memorial as another car was destroyed while Baker was running in a contending position.
After regrouping for 2022, the THR & Tribble team was ready once again to take on non winged sprint cars finest racing in the Heartland. At the first event for the MWRA on June 3rd Baker would run second to Wesley Smith at US 36. And the veteran of micros, as well as winged and non winged sprints followed that up by finishing 4th at Valley Speedway the next night to take the early point lead for the series in 2022.
On June 25th at 81 Speedway in Park City, Kansas, Baker appeared to be on his way to his second ever USAC MWRA race victory when tire woes while leading relegated him to a 13th place finish instead. And at the Weld Memorial at Lakeside Speedway in August Cody was once again in the thick of the battle running second when late in the race he made contact with leader Wyatt Burks going into one. Somehow Burks escaped the melee to go on for the win, while Baker unfortunately went off the track on the hook.
At this point Cody Baker felt snake bit once again in 2022. And after not running over Labor Day weekend, plus more car problems at the Hockett once again it appeared both Baker and his grandfather were ready to call it a year after another heart breaking campaign.
However in the face of adversity that derailed both the 2021, and now the 2022 season to this point, the resolve of the Ted Hall & Tribble Racing Team would not allow them to end the season on such a soar note once again. At the 5th Annual Helm Memorial at Valley Speedway Baker was on point all night long, and after stalking Burks for most of the A Feature would win his second MWRA feature all-time to end the points season for this USAC series in 2022.
That victory provided both redemption, and rejuvenation, for Cody Baker, and his grandfather, after such a long dry spell, and after so much hardship. While giving the Missouri race team “Big Mo” on their way to 2 more victories, and a 3-peat after winning back to back races at US 36 Raceway last weekend for the Missouri Nationals. While giving this Missouri race team a happy ending for 2022 that would rival any Hollywood Movie.