The Scoop
WHEELCHAIR BOUND RACER PATTEN REFUSES TO BE SLOWED BY PARALYSIS
Posted on: Thursday May 13, 2021
Despite being wheelchair bound, Egg Harbor, Wisconsin’s Cody Patten plans on wheeling his street stock this summer at The Hill Raceway in Sturgeon Bay, He’s shown here with his girlfriend Hannah and their kids Daisy and Gentrey.
Despite being paralyzed from the waist down, Cody Patten refuses to let his handicap slow him down – literally.
When he’s racing the 26-year-old street stock racer from Egg Harbor, Wisconsin in Door County is forced grab the steering wheel with one hand while racing. Without the use of his feet for the gas and brake pedals Patten has modified his racer to have the car’s master cylinder mounted in the cockpit. He hits the throttle and the braking with his ‘free hand.’ A tough enough chore to perform on a dirt track with two hands, much less one.
However, the last thing this Adams-Friendship native wants is sympathy. He still holds down a regular job at his parent’s campground (Rustic Timbers) and always seems to be tinkering with something in his race shop.
“I had raced snocross and got into demo derbies,” Patten explained. “Eight years ago, I was on my way to work and I rolled my pickup truck. The crash basically paralyzed me from the belly button down. But I’ve been around motorsports of some sort my whole life.”
Before his accident Cody Patten competed in snocross events. (Shawn Mueller photo)
When Patten’s parents Brian and Sherrie Patten obtained the Door County campground Patten began attending races at The Hill Raceway in Sturgeon Bay. “We moved to Door County in the summer of 2014,” Patten explained. “They used to have a trailer race every year and I did that three years in a row.”
For Patten, the wheels kept turning in his brain as to how he too could race stock cars despite his disability. “I had a few friends (Jay and John Denil Jr.) who raced stock cars,” Patten said. “We began brainstorming about some things. That is sort of how this oval track thing for me got started.”
Patten modified his drivers door to allow him to slide into the cockpit from his wheelchair.
Denil’s helped Patten construct his trailer truck for the annual race each year. “Kim Denil had an old hobby stock that was up for sale,” Patten recalled. “It was truly one of those opportunities where it was the right place and right time to buy it. So I wound up buying the car from John Denil.”
With help from his friends Patten began renovating his race car to accommodate his needs. “I took the top door bar out and refabricated that myself to allow me to slide into the cockpit from my wheelchair,” Patten said. “Truthfully, (the door) is probably stronger now than it was before. The throttle and brake are both on one stick. It’s one nine-inch solid rod. Because of that I have to drive with one hand.”
You can see the master cylinder from the car’s braking system mounted inside the cockpit. Patten drives with one hand and operates the brake and throttle with the other hand on a nine inch stick welded into the cockpit.
Patten got his slightly ‘modified’ race car cleared by the technical officials both at The Hill and at 141 Speedway in Francis Creek. “Everything kind of was like trial and error,” said Patten, who raced weekly at The Burg Speedway in Luxemburg in 2020. “I think we did get a little better with it each time out. Now I think it’s to the point where it’s pretty good. I switched to disc brakes. That helped the brakes out tremendously.”
Patten sports number 94 on his street stock. “My snocross number was 394,” Patten explained. “I chose that number because my birthday is on the 3rd day of the month and I was born in the 1994. When I switched to stock car racing I didn’t want three numbers on the car so we shortened it to 94.”
At Luxemburg Patten finished 14th in the track’s final point standings. “I think I made like four or five features last year,” Patten said. “I got tangled up a few times but nothing super serious. It was a learning curve but I felt we did improve each time we went out.” In addition to the racing at Luxemburg last year Patten also practiced his car at 141 Speedway’s quarter-mile, clay oval in Francis Creek.
For his 2021 ride Patten already hauled in some hardware as he received the best appearing car award at The Hill’s pre season car show and practice session. His race car was lettered by long time sign maker Woody’s Signs of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. “We built a whole new car in the off season,” Patten said. “It’s got a new front stub, new rear end, transmission, motor and body. Sturgeon Bay’s track is more of a circle and it almost felt like you were setup for a corner halfway around the track. It is a very different driving style at The Hill than at Luxemburg that is for sure.”
To reach out to another stock car driver who’s wheelchair bound Patten got in contact with a late model racer from Tennessee Charlie Powell. “I talked to Charlie quite a bit,” Patten said. “We both tossed around a few ideas we had. He’s been racing a lot longer than me. Same deal though as he too, learned. Basically, I just want to stay consistent with top ten finishes or maybe snag a few heat wins. Anything more than that would be great.”
Patten’s ’21 racing schedule includes running The Hill weekly, along with a few trips to Outagamie Speedway in Seymour and even a trek or two to Francis Creek. “We might even catch a Sunday at Luxemburg again here and there,” Patten said.
Patten’s team of pit crew members includes Jay and John Denil. John, Jeremy Anschutz and Brian Anschutz. “They’ve been a huge help with building the car over the winter,” said Patten. Dillion Ploor and Wade Weckler also lend an assist along with Patten’s girlfriend Hannah and their children Daisy and Gentrey.
His team sponsors include Ground Breakers Excavating, Waite’s Odd Jobs, Engine Rebuilding Services, Rustic Timbers Campground, Reese’s Auto Body, Denil Auto, Anschutz Auto, Suregrip Hand Controls and Back To the Outdoors.
“I’m sure not looking for handouts or sympathy when I’m at the track,” said Patten. “I mean if a driver rubs up on me and trades some paint, I’ll do it back. I race clean but I certainly don’t expect to be treated any differently because I’m paralyzed. Once you strap that helmet on and you are competing there is no better feeling with. You forget about all the other stuff you have going on in your daily life and you are focusing on that one thing – in that moment.”
HILL NOTEBOOK – The Hill is one of the only northeast Wisconsin racetracks that did not host a race in 2020 due to Covid 19 restrictions. The season opening race is Saturday, May 15 at 6 p.m. for The Hill Birthday Bash. 2021 will mark the 67th season the Door County Fairgrounds oval has been in existence.
Highlighting the track’s 10-date 2021 schedule will be the Nathan Bouche Memorial race Sunday May 30 and Hall of Fame induction night June 19. Inductees include Brussels Randy Guelette, Luxemburg’s Augie Derenne and Forestville’s “Chargin’ Charlie” Kroll. Kroll is the second winningest driver in the track’s history behind Algoma’s Todd “Felix” Dart in all time victories.
Hometown driver Bernie Reinhardt will look to keep his streak of attending consecutive races at The Hill. If Reinhardt takes the green flag May 15 it will be his 394th consecutive race at Sturgeon Bay since the track reopened in 1993. He has not missed one race during that time. Modifieds will make return appearances to The Hill May 30 and July 24.
All retired or active service members with I.D. will be admitted free to the grandstands at The Hill in ’21. Fans can check The Hill’s Facebook page for the most up-to-date track information.