(Photo by Dean Yoder)
KOKOMO, Ind. – After two weeks with the World of Outlaws in his winged sprint car, Hunter Schuerenberg is heading back to Indiana wingless action for four consecutive nights with the best the United States Auto Club has to offer. Following a makeup event from a rained out Indiana Sprint Week race on Wednesday night, the Kokomo Sprint Car Smackdown IV ensues with three separate shows on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Schuerenberg will pilot Tony Epperson’s No. 2e Claxton-powered Spike Chassis for all four events.
The prior races on the road with the Outlaws included the Prelude to the Ironman and Ironman 55 events on August 7 and 8 at I-55 Raceway, where Schuerenberg made the main event both nights just up the road from his hometown of Sikeston, Mo. The Saturday night 55-lap feature race ended early for Schuerenberg when the water temperature gauge skyrocketed and he exited to the infield while running in 16th under caution with 43 laps complete.
One more race for the weekend was upcoming, a long five-hour drive from eastern Missouri to central Iowa. “Hunter Percent” was set to make his first career attempt at the famed half-mile Knoxville Raceway for the 4th Annual “Capitani Classic.” A whopping 80 sprint cars were shooting for the $5,000 winners share of the purse. Splitting the field into two 40-car qualifying groups, Schuerenberg qualified 36th to take the final spot in heat race action. Starting 12th in the final heat race, he managed to pick up three positions to take ninth in the eight-lap heat. Since placement in the B- and C-Mains were determined by qualifying time, Schuerenberg was relegated to the rear of the C-Main lineup and ultimately rounded out his night with a 17th-place showing after returning to the pit area halfway through.
Regrouping over the next three days, the Roof Bolt Express/Nolen Racing No. 20N next hit the track on preliminary night two of the 55th Annual Knoxville Nationals. 57 cars were in attendance, with Schuerenberg timing in 47th with a 16.178-second lap. From outside row five in heat two, the Mach 1/Rider entry moved forward to eighth to take the final transfer to the B-Main. Starting in 18th, Schuerenberg couldn’t replicate the forward progress from the heat race and completed the night 21st in the B-Main.
Friday night, dubbed “Hard Knox” by fans, officials, and competitors alike, was a re-qualifying night for those 27th or lower in the overall Nationals points tally, which included Schuerenberg. Qualifying 30th in the first 40-car set, he next began his heat race from tenth, and finished in that position as well. The same happened in the first of two B-Mains, where Schuerenberg started and finished 20th to finalize his point standing and set his Saturday night starting position.
Beginning on the front row of the finale’s E-Main, Schuerenberg battled for much of the ten-lap race with western Pennsylvania native Jimmy Light. In the end, it was Light taking the checkered first, though Schuerenberg’s second-place finish transferred him to the D-Main. Starting 21st there, Schuerenberg was only able to complete one lap before encountering steering issues and closing out the weekend being scored 22nd in the D.
A weekend off preceded the upcoming four-race spectacular at Kokomo Speedway, where Schuerenberg is already locked into the main event via his qualifying effort on July 11 before rain forced the postponement of the night’s remaining races.
Schuerenberg would like to thank Roof Bolt Express, Nolen Racing, Mach 1 Chassis, Competition Suspension Inc., AFCO Racing, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Hinchman Racewear, Keizer Wheels, High Side Design, and Ron Gorby’s Howard Johnson, as well as all of his fans for their continued support.
2015 Stats
38 races, 26 features, 1 win, 9 top fives, 14 top tens, 9 DNFs
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