By Ben Deatherage
BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 6, 2022) – Count Hunter Smith among the young lions in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock ranks.
The Brush, Colorado teenager, IMCA’s national and Big Daddy Race Cars Northern Region rookie of the year in 2021, has had a roller coaster of a past year on and off the race track but will look to end his 2022 IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s run on a positive note.
Tragically he lost his father last winter and is running in his memory this season.
“We want to get in the top eight in our qualifier,” said Smith, 15. “We should be good if we can make the dance this week. I’m comfortable with this race track and I feel confident.”
Although he didn’t make the Big Dance last year, he did become the first Colorado driver to qualify for the Stephenville Starter Race of Champions.
He has already more than doubled last year’s total of 10 wins with the majority of those checkers coming in the Centennial State at El Paso County Raceway in Calhan, Holyoke’s Phillips County Raceway and I-76 Speedway in Fort Morgan.
“Our year has been really good,” he said. “I have had a perfect season with only a few bad nights.”