KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle development driver Trevor Hunt used wins at Ocean Speedway and Santa Maria Speedway to win the four race California Speedweek for USAC Ford Focus Young Guns. The 12 year-old driver had a dominating performance at Santa Maria to cap off the week and solidify the championship.
The events kicked off two weeks ago at Santa Maria Speedway with Hunt winning the eight lap heat race. Starting fourth in the feature, Hunt was able to advance one position to finish the 20 lapper in third.
Hunt again won a heat race on Wednesday night at Ventura, against arguably the toughest field of the Speedweek. But in the 20 lap feature, time was not on his side as he started eighth and drove to third by the close of the main.
Hunt came into last weekend’s events needing a boost to contend for the Speedweek championship and he got the job done in a big way at Ocean Speedway. The fast quarter-mile track held a qualifying session with Hunt timing in second. For the third consecutive race, Hunt picked up the heat race win as well.
In the 20 lap feature, Hunt started on the pole but fell to second at the start. After a great battle, Hunt took over the lead from Speedweek rival Brodie Kostecki before driving away for the win. The win by Hunt was his first ever dirt USAC Young Guns Midget win.
With one feature win and three heat race victories, Hunt still found himself behind Kostecki by one point in the Speedweek championship. But on Saturday night at Santa Maria, the FVP-sponsored driver took the bull by the horns by taking fast-time in qualifying.
Hunt drove to second from sixth starting in the heat race, then started on the pole for the feature. Hunt masterfully wheeled his #8 Wally Pankratz-owned entry to a commanding victory leading all 20 laps.
“After qualifying with the fastest time, the full field invert for the heat race had me starting last,” Hunt said. “Although I was able to drive to a 2nd place finish, I felt I needed a small shock adjustment in the right rear for the feature. I started on the pole and led all 20 laps to clinch the Speed Week championship. I guess the shock adjustment was the right thing to do!”
Hunt leads the USAC Western Young Guns standings by eight points with his next race to take place on the pavement at Stockton 99 Speedway this Saturday night. Hunt will climb back aboard the #11 FVP sponsored, Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle car.
“This is the first of many championships Trevor is capable of winning for us this year,” Driver Coach Ron Sutton said. “Trevor overcame some adversity from high inverts and proved to be a ‘clutch’ driver when it mattered most!”
Race fans can follow Trevor Hunt at www.trevorhuntracing.com
Trevor Hunt Racing and Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle thank partners: FVP, Awesome Racewear, K&N Filters, Scribner Plastics, Allstar Performance, Sunoco Race Fuels and Star Racing Supply.
For more information on Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle, log on to www.winners-circle-racing.com
About Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle:
Ron Sutton's Winner's Circle is an established talent scout and development program, providing long term, comprehensive racing and career development for up and coming drivers focused on professional Stock Car careers. RSWC drivers are raced, coached, groomed, trained and molded, within a professional racing environment, into what top teams look for when hiring drivers. Drivers involved in the program race in a variety of cars, including USAC Young Guns Focus Midgets, USAC Ford Focus Midgets, NASCAR Grand American Modifieds, NASCAR Late Model stock cars and NASCAR K&N Pro Series stock cars.
