Lunatic Racing Team
We are a UTV team comprised of 10 members. Our short course team includes: Eddie Freshwater, Mike Herring, Tommy Clark, Zach Hudson, David Gazda, Shawn Ashmore, Tripp Clark, Marcus Birt, Matt Craig & Keith Hudson.
Learn about our racers below, their background and what makes our team unique.
Shawn Ashmore #727
Shawn found his interest in fast cars as a young teenager, learning to build high powered cars for drag racing in South Georgia. There was almost always a race to be at every weekend. There were long nights and countless hours in the race shop to see just how fast he could speed down the race track. This is where he discovered his competitive side to try to be one step ahead of his opponents. Go big or go home!!
Tommy Clark #187
Tommy lives in Canton, Georgia with his wife and three children. He is a gear head that has been turning wrenches since he was a young kid. His love for all things fast began at the age of 3 when his parents sat him on a 3-wheeler and showed him the basics. From the age of 3 to 14, you could find him outside on a 3-wheeler or his home-made go-cart. When he was 13, he started racing go-carts in a governed dirt gold plate class. He quickly graduated from go-carts to streetcars the next year. His father’s 1982 Stingray Corvette was his first motor build and drag race. In 1997, Tommy turned in the Corvette for his first car, a 1993 Dodge Viper RT10. With his Viper, he pursued Auto Cross and drag racing. He also frequented Road Atlanta. In 2003, Tommy upgraded from his 1993 to a 1995 Dodge Viper RT10. He started competing to become the world’s fastest 6-speed car and street tire car. In this pursuit, he was able to achieve 1100 horsepower and 1200-foot pounds of torque. Tommy brought home many first-place trophies and awards with his 1995 Dodge Viper RT10 before deciding to pursue his passion for off-road racing. He started riding dirt bikes in 2004 when he met his wife. Since 2004, that’s all she wrote. His journey started with a 2003 YZ250 dirt bike before upgrading to a 2005 YZ250. He took it from two wheels to four when he purchased his 2006 Yamaha Banshee. After racing and pushing the Banshee to its’ limits, he upgraded to a 2017 Can AM Maverick X3 XRS Turbo R. This has been his most recent and favorite transition so far. Tommy does not recognize the word “stock”. It does not exist in his world. Truer words could not be said to describe his X3. Tommy enjoys pushing the bar and seeing how much speed he can produce. He runs endurance racing, short course racing, monster truck shows and burnyards - including the Hoonigans. Tommy loves bringing the SXS world to the car world.
Tommy is sponsored by: Appalachian Armory and Off Road, Eyecon Performance Graphics, BirdCo, Ibexx, PMAS (Performance Mass Airflow Systems), Honest Design and Prep, Renegade Fuel, & LMC Restoration
David Gazda #16
From a young age David has always been interested in going fast, specifically going fast in airplanes. The only obstacle he had was that he was terribly afraid of heights! As a student pilot David decided to take a lesson in aerobatics to get over this fear. Not only did it help him, but the instructor suggested he consider competing. As a freshly minted pilot with only 80 flight hours under his belt, David decided to fly in a competition. After borrowing a plane that he had never flown, he went on to win 3rd place in the Southeast Primary IAC event. David was hooked! Unfortunately, life knocked on his door and he had to focus on his career in aviation. David spent the last decade climbing the aviation ladders from instructing primary students, to aerobatics and upset recovery, to becoming Chief Pilot of a flight school and charter company. He is currently flying corporate jets, instructing in them and serving as a Check Airman. However, it still wasn’t the excitement David once experienced. While seeking new adventure, he decided to get a Can-Am Maverick X3 XRS Turbo R and that’s how he met fellow teammate, Tommy Clark. David has enjoyed pushing his limits on his X3, meeting new people and exploring this thing called gravity down here on land. In October of 2019, David ran his first race. He competed on the Short Course track in the Modified Amateur Class of CORS at Durhamtown Off Road Park in Union Point, Georgia. With a duct taped race number and a prayer, he was able to place first and immediately felt that lost excitement come running back! David is excited to be a part of Lunatic Racing and see where this new adventure takes him… besides an empty bank account.
David is sponsored by: Appalachian Armory and Off Road, Eyecon Performance Graphics & BirdCo
Tripp Clark #401k
Tripp is 13 years old and lives in Canton, Georgia. Tripp has been riding a 4-wheeler since he was a baby. Strapped to his mother in a snugly as a passenger since 3 months old, to taking it solo and riding one of his own since 4 years old. He started on a 90 cc 4-wheeler and quickly transitioned to a 50 cc dirt bike. He then graduated to a 125 cc 4-wheeler. Since 2019, he has been on a 200 cc Yamaha Blaster, which is his current ride. Tripp started racing his UTV in the Fall of 2019. For his debut, he ran his Polaris RZR 170 in the Kids Stock Class at CORS Southern SXS Nationals at Durhamtown Off Road Park in Union Point, Georgia on November 29, 2019, where he placed 6th over all. Tripp then ran the SCORS UTV Winter Series at Sunnyside ATV Paradise in Wrens, Georgia, where he placed 2nd on the Short Course. Since then, Tripp has participated in Shot Out Racing's Battle at the Bullring in Ocala, Florida in January of 2020 where he placed 3rd. He raced again in Round 2 of Shot Out Racing's Battle at the Bullring in May of 2020 and placed 3rd on the Circle Course & 1st on the Short Course. Throughout 2021, Tripp ran his Polaris RZR 170 in the Kids Modified Class in CORS at Durhamtown Off Road Park in Union Point, Georgia. In 2022, Tripp transitioned into the Adult Amateur Class in his Yamaha YXZ 1000Rss. For the CORS 2022 season, Tripp placed 3rd in the Amateur Class for CORS Southern SXS Nationals which was held at Carolina Adventure World in Winnsboro, South Carolina.
Tripp is sponsored by: Appalachian Armory and Off Road, Eyecon Performance Graphics, ITP Tires & BirdCo
Photo Credit: David Lando w/ WFO Productions
Photo Credit: Kara Patterson Price Photography
Mike Herring #911
Mike lives in Conyers, Georgia with his two dogs. His father owned an auto repair shop since 1977, so Mike’s been turning wrenches his whole life. He now runs his own business and enjoys getting paid to build motors in his automotive machine shop. Mike's dirt career started at the age or 8 when he began racing motocross. At 16, he took it to the street and started drag racing. He was a sponsored racer that raced on a loom and participated in index and pro mod racing. In 2013, he stopped drag racing and decided to return to the dirt. In 2019, Mike participated in his first UTV race. He ran in the amateur class of the C.O.R.S. SXS Racing Series, where he qualified 2nd in his very first race. His second race was wave two of the C.O.R.S. SXS Racing Series at Durhamtown Off Road Park in Union Point, Georgia, where he qualified 1st and finished 2nd in the amateur division. His buggy of choice is his 2017 YXZ 1000R SS SE. Mike bleeds Yamaha, don’t ever try to convince him otherwise.
Mike is sponsored by: Appalachian Armory and Off Road, Eyecon Performance Graphics, Blue Otter Polarized, Historic Noir Coffee Group & Sharpsburg Muffler and Performance
Eddie Freshwater #111
Eddie lives in Minnesota and drives a Yamaha YXZ 1000R. For as long as Eddie can remember, he’s had a deep desire to race. This desire pushed Eddie into the automotive field where he became an ASE certified technician. He grew up watching Baja, Raleigh, Stadium trucks, and drag racing. Living in the south the only options Eddie had were circle track and drag racing. He started drag racing as soon as he could drive. Eddie soon began building his own engines, manual transmissions and eventually custom suspension setups. Before he knew it, he was doing the same for many people in his area. Eddie raced in several heads-up classes over the years, winning a few championships along the way and earning several podium finishes. While his love for high-horsepower seat-of-your-pants drag racing was deep rooted, he always had a longing to race off road. As soon as Eddie found out about SXS racing, he jumped into it with both feet and fell in love! His first ever race was a 2-hour endurance race at Night in the Woods where he finished third. Eddie’s next race was the C.O.R.S. Nationals where he took home third place in the GP race. This sealed the deal for Eddie and he bought a new car for the 2019 season. If Eddie's not racing, you can catch him on the GP track at Durhamtown Off Road Park in Union Point, Georgia.
Eddie is sponsored by: Appalachian Armory and Off Road, Eyecon Performance Graphics, ISP (Innovative Safety Products) and Sharpsburg Muffler and Performance
Zach Hudson #88
Zach lives in Dawsonville, Georgia. The job that pays the bills is a gunsmith. Zach has been riding off road in some form or fashion since he was 6. Unlike most, he started on two wheels with a Yamaha PW 80 and then moved on to a Kawasaki KX 85. His first quad was a Yamaha Raptor 350. He quickly discovered he enjoyed four wheels over two. Zach has always enjoyed working on anything with an engine. Between his truck, car and quad, his hands are bound to be dirty. His saying is that if it has a motor, he’s interested. Zach currently has a Suzuki LTR 450r and a Yamaha YFZ 450r. Depending on the race or the ride, will determine which quad you catch him on. Zach has recently bought a Yamaha YXZ 1000 that he is in the process of building. He hopes to run his first UTV race in the 2020 season.
Zach is sponsored by: Appalachian Armory and Off Road, Eyecon Performance Graphics & BirdCo
A Special Thanks to our 2023 Lunatic Racing Team Sponsors:
Our 2023 Lunatic Racing Individual Racer Sponsors Include:
