March 22, 2006
By Bonnie Nibblett
Young Guy Gearing Down The Road
Delmar, DE.....Twelve year old Scott Hitchens of Gumboro, DE, has taken on a new challenge for the 2006 season advancing from dirt race karts to the Aaron’s Pro Challenge Racing Series. Pro Challenge cars are ¾ scaled Nextel Cup style car and Craftsman Truck style vehicles. Kawasaki 1100, ZX11 and 1200 ZZR12 engines, which are sealed, power them, a water-cooled engine, and race ready when you receive it. Cars and trucks race at the same time on the track at speeds of nearly 150 mph an event.
Hitchens started racing dirt go-karts at U. S. 13 Kart Club Track when he was only 8 years old. There he competed in Junior I and II for the last three years. During that time he earned 2004 Junior II Championship at US 13, and 3rd & 5th in Junior II Lite & Heavy DDDS (Delaware Dirt Divisional Series) (WKA) points. Last season Hitchens wanted to run the Junior III Class, but he wasn’t old enough. So his father, Greg Hitchens, said, “Last year we just messed around, since we were not running in Junior III, we decided not to run for points at Delmar. We found out about the Pro challenge and ran about 5 races in 05.” “It was a learning experience to see how things were done and we decided we wanted to run the full schedule for 2006; we made a call to Walt.” remarks Greg. (Walt Breeding – Director of TUSA)
We went to the Winternationals in February, qualified 18th, but on the first lap his brakes failed and he wrecked? No Brakes!” “Second night, Scott qualified 13th and made it up to tenth before the engine over heated and he finished 21st. Well, at least we finished, that means a lot.” In March, at Georgia, Scott qualified 19th and was in 12th position before some of the leaders came up on him; and finished 16th, but the Internet site has 17th? Either way it was good learning lesson, adds his Father. Scott is currently 11th in National Points, just 32 points out of 10th.
“I really like asphalt; it is faster and sticks better to the track.” Scott compared to dirt racing. “My goal? Well, I’d like to win 2 races this year, or as many as I can. I am looking forward to racing my LH Excavating and Greg Hitchens Services sponsored number 15 truck this year just get more seat time.”
Pro Challenge Racing Series is a way for young and old drivers to race in either an oval racer or a road racer style car. Pro Challenge Race Cars and Team United Sanctioning Association (TUSA) joined as the Title sponsor of the 2006 Aaron’s Pro Challenge Racing Series and the Aaron’s Dream Team. This program makes it possible for young drivers to compete against each other in the Aaron’s Jr. Dream Team, before moving to the Aaron’s Dream Team and it is one of the most promising divisions for young, hopeful racers to get the experience on big tracks in these scaled-down stock cars.
Age limits required getting behind the wheel of one those Pro Challenge Oval racers and the Pro Challenge SCCA-ready Road Racer varies from 12 years old to whatever age. Age difference with young drivers and older drivers mix it up in this series as drivers range from 12 years to 53 or so in years. There are over 50 members in the series this year, which range in between these ages. With the allotted number of cars in a feature, and all the variations of veterans along with new young driver talents; all in a fusion on the track at the same time? Sounds pretty exciting!
There are National racing dates as well as Regional, with even more opportunities in an attempt to score a title in any or each regional along with the National title, too. That would be quite an accomplishment maybe, a little something to strive for by some drivers, just a thought? The 2006 National races hosts 6 events, the first started, with Aaron’s Winternationals at Orlando Speed World in Florida, February 9, 10, to Aaron’s Dixie Shootout at Lanier National Speedway, in Georgia, on March 11th. Three dates left to go, April 28, Aaron’s Music City 50 in Music City Complex, in Nashville, Tennessee. Fifth race, Aaron’s Tour Race #5 runs at South Hampton Speedway, in South Hampton, VA, June 17, 2006, and the last National race will be held in Hickory, North Carolina, at the Hickory Motor Speedway for the Aaron’s Southern 100, on August 19, 2006. The region states races are in Carolinas, Florida, Tennessee/Virginia, Canada, and Georgia.
More information about the series can be found at www.t-usa.org or www.prochallengeracecars.com or contact a distributor in your area. For more information on how the series run and cost, call TUSA at 302-424-7700 or Pro Challenge Race Cars at 423-323-4015. To stay in touch with all your Delaware drivers visit www.redbud69racing.com. See you at the track!