Column By: TOM WENNER / RPW – OAKS, PA – Teo Pro Car had a huge launch of their new Elite Dirt Modified Chassis at this past weekend’s Pioneer Pole Buildings Motorsports Racecar & Trade Show.
I was able to catch up with Matt Hearn in the Teo Pro Car booth for a few minutes to discuss the new chassis and Teo’s goal to become the elite chassis maker once again.
The new Elite was well represented at the show last weekend. Among those on display included Tanner VanDoren’s #22 in the Orange County Fair Speedway booth with Vinny Salerno’s Four Star #4 Modified, to be driven by Anthony Perrego this season, in Teo’s booth.
Matt, his father Bobby Hearn, and their team have killed it with the new design of the Elite chassis. The craftsmanship is outstanding and the attention to detail is clearly noticeable.
Hearn shared that the company is looking to bring the Teo brand back to Northeast Modified racing prominence. In 2021, Matt Stangle, Tyler Dippel and Brett Hearn each ran their new design of chassis with improved performance.
Dippel was fast at Super DIRT Week with a chance to win the Big Block 200-lap event until a late race accident took him from competition while Hearn, owner of over 900 career victories, won during the World Finals in Charlotte, bringing the Teo brand back to victory lane.
In 2020, Teo purchased a new Plasma CNC Machine for parts production. The new machine has helped to improve their manufacturing process, but has also made Teo more efficient. The company can now produce better quality Modified bodies, better components and deliver an overall better product to the racers.
The design team at the Vernon, NJ business has been working hard on changes to the design of their chassis to gain an edge on the competition. With better equipment in the shop, they’re making gains with each lap on track.
Last season, Teo built 80 cars. Right now, they’re on pace to produce 100 cars in this year. Matt stated that challenges in getting materials remain the biggest obstacle for them. The cost of aluminum and tubing has skyrocketed and his team has had to buy more material to keep on hand for building needs in ’22.
Teo is looking forward to this season, seeing how the likes of Brett Hearn, Dippel, VanDoren, Perrego, Willy Osmun, Stangle, Matt Janczuk, and JR Heffner compete with their new Elite Chassis. VanDoren is making the move to Big Block Modified racing at Orange County Fair Speedway in a new Keith Hoffman-owned machine.
Perrego will be chasing the Super DIRTcar Series in Salerno-owned cars in ’22 with Dippel looking to chase as many Super DIRTcar and Short Track Super Series events as possible. in 2022 in his Teo Elite.
Even Hearn, when not handling his duties at Orange County, will make selected appearances in his Madsen Motorsports #20 Teo.
As the show doors kicked open on Saturday, Teo Pro Car was awarded with the BEST Commercial Booth of the show. Kudos on a job well done. This award could be the beginning of a strong 2022 for the entire Teo team.