HUMBOLDT — Don’t let age fool you. Trevor Hunt can turn left with the best of them.
Hunt, a 13-year-old rookie, captured his first-ever B-Mod feature win Saturday night at Humboldt Speedway. He won his heat race Saturday after winning the pole spot for the 20-lap United State Racing Association B-Mod main event at the 2012 King of America II Modified Nationals.
“I hadn’t done very well the first three nights of racing. Winning the pole, I had a good start in the feature and got out front,” said Hunt after notching a wire-to-wire win and garnering the $1,000 winner’s share of the prize money for B-Mods.
“It’s an amazing feeling. I really never expected to get the win this early against a field of quality drivers like this. I drove my first B-Mod race right here last year at the King of America event.”
Hunt wasn’t alone on the front row at the start of the race as Nick Roberts, another teenager, was a fast qualifier. Hunt said his car, which has a sidebiter chassis, was a bit tighter — hard to steer on a line in the turns — all night Saturday.
“But I was able to handle it and stay out in front. When I took the checkered flag it was amazing and I was a bit shocked,” Hunt told the Register.
Hunt began racing when he was five in the go-karts. He said he asked his parents if he could have a go-kart like Jeff Gordon started racing. Hunt, from Kearney, Mo., has had success at go-kart racing then moved up to micro-sprint cars.
He has been competing in the USAC Midget Young Guns Series, racing on pavement and dirt, on the west coast. Hunt said he and his parents, Russell and Carrie Hunt, would fly out to California and other states for him to compete.
“This was great. The fans have supported me. I’ve got great sponsors in FVP (car filters and batteries), IXL (sports drink) and Awesome Racewear along with sidebiter chassis,” Hunt said. “I really enjoy the sport and this was a great way to start my B-Mod career.”
Jeremy Chambers of Oswego edged out Roberts, who is from Des Moines, Iowa, in a late-race battle for second place. Scott Drake of Joplin, Mo., who had won B-Mod features on Thursday and Friday night at the Speedway, finished fourth.
Nick Newton, Kansas City, Kan., drove from 13th spot to a fifth-place finish. Dustin Daniels of Colby ran sixth. After winning the first feature of the four-night run of B-Mods on Wednesday, Shawn Strong of Billings, Mo., was seventh.
Terry Burner of Olathe took eighth followed by Steven Muilenburg of Sparta Mo. Humboldt Speedway veteran Jack Simmons, Erie, rounded out the top 10. Jeremy Wilson of Humboldt finished 14th while Chanute’s Leon Bash was 16th, and Jimmy Davis of Chanute was 19th.
The USRA B-Mods join the USRA Modifieds this Friday night as the Humboldt Speedway kicks off the first week of weekly points racing.
