Family legacy continues at Flat Rock Speedway with new Cornett at wheel
The name Cornett is a familiar one at Flat Rock Speedway.
Royce Cornett Sr. made it that way with success at the speedway notching 28 Late Model wins, a tally that’s still good enough to rank the racer fifth all-time in Flat Rock history.
And when the track at Flat Rock hosts its opening night Saturday the locally famous No. 8 car will have a Cornett behind the wheel waiting for the green flag to drop.
It just won’t be Royce— it will be his son, RJ Cornett.
Royce is excited, but wants to temper expectations among attendees for his boy’s first race at the speedway.
“Wow. It’ll be quite something Saturday,” he said. “As for our expectations the bar is very low, but if he keeps his wits and doesn’t back into the fence or tear it up too early on, I’ll be happy and we’ll go from there.”
Royce, 68, ended a career at Flat Rock that spanned more than three decades and included a track championship in 2002 in 2011.
Among those who will be on the crew this summer for young Cornett are Keith Nelson and Bill Schneider, longtime family friends as well as past pit crew members for Cornett, Sr., as well as RJ's uncle Randy Cornett, who also raced at Flat Rock.
Both RJ and Royce said this weekend wouldn’t be possible without their sponsors and they owe the opportunity to them.
“Our sponsors need to be high-fived we couldn’t do it without them,” Royce said.
RJ is just 16 years old and will be a senior at Whiteford this fall, though that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have racing experience.
At age 5, he started racing go-karts and has had his fair share of success at it. In 2022, he won his fourth Open Division Championship at Palmyra Speedway where he set a track record for the most consecutive championship wins.
“He had a lot of miles under his belt by the time he was 13 or 14 years old,” Royce said.
RJ recalls his fascination with racing started a few years before participating in those first go-kart races.
He remembers sitting on a trailer at the Cornett’s home in Temperance watching his dad and his buddies working on a car when he was three years old.
“I was just a little guy,” he said. “At the time they were usually putting me down to bed by eight thirty, but I remember it getting dark—and then here comes mom madder than heck.
“She wasn’t happy that’s for sure, but I just remember being so fascinated at what they were doing with that car.”
The young driver’s racing career got a little murky last summer during a dirt-track truck race. A piece of clay created an issue in the front end of the vehicle causing RJ to go off course and slam head on into the wall.
“Oh man that was a bad night—one of those freak deals you do everything to prepare for, but can still happen,” Royce said.
RJ was transported via helicopter to a hospital in Toledo where he was treated for his serious injuries. He wound up making a full recovery.
“I felt like the Good Lord was watching out for him that night,” Royce said.
That accident reinforced to RJ that there isn’t time to think on a racetrack.
“When the green flag drops there’s no room for error you have to be perfect,” he said. “I try to tell guys on the (football) team. In football you get a 15 second break every play to gather your thoughts. In racing you have no time to think and you have to be perfect.”
Perfect is what RJ will try to be Saturday. Before the race starts, he’ll take a minute to himself as he always does.
“Often times on a track you have a moment to yourself,” he said. “People are in the stands, but they can’t really see you and what you’re doing. It’s an opportunity I take to say a little prayer.”
Opening Night at Flat Rock Speedway
When: Saturday.
Times: Pit gates open at noon, practice at 2 p.m., racing at 4 p.m.
Events: Outlaw Super Late Models, Figure 8s, Street Stocks.
Tickets: $15 for adults, $5 ages 6-12, under 6 free.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Family legacy to continue at Flat Rock Speedway with new Cornett at wheel
