3/23/2018
Hunter Fischer
Season Opener – Turnpike Challenge at I-44 Speedway
Fischer Racing entered their Flying Tee sponsored #24 into The Fifth Annual Turnpike Challenge this weekend for a 2-day matchup between the POWRi National and West Midget Leagues. Held at I-44 Riverside Speedway in Oklahoma City, OK, 65 midget class sprint cars competed for the top spot, including NASCAR Truck series champion and the reigning two-time Chili Bowl Nationals Champion, Christopher Bell.
Starting spots are drawn each day. Friday put our driver, Hunter Fischer, in the 1st heat of the evening against some of the best in the league. Kicking off in the 6th position of 8 cars, Hunter was in the middle of the pack when the left-rear wheel decided to part ways from the axle. Further investigation determined the axle nut had stripped out and was easily replaced. Unfortunately, with the 8th place finish in the heat, Hunter would qualify in the 10th position of the first C-Main. The top 2 positions from the C-Main get to transfer to the back of the B-Main, so Hunter had some work to do. The Flying Tee #24 was “flying” through the field, making it up to 3rd place when a caution flag was displayed. Upon the restart, Hunter made a move into 2nd place with a slide maneuver. Unhappy with the move, 3rd place was able to tap Hunter’s bumper enough to get him out of the gas and make the move around him. 4th place was close enough to make the pass as well and that is where we finished the night. A tough start of the day yielded some promising results for Saturday.
Saturday offered up some great weather to go golfing at the Flying Tee on the Riverwalk in Jenks! Instead, Fischer Racing was preparing the #24 for another night of competition. Cleaning the car, meeting with friends, family, and fans at the track, and making adjustments is our typical afternoon before each race. The draw placed us deep in Heat 5, starting last on the outside of row 4. Hunter had a strong run, making it up to 5th place in the 8 laps (see the video). Determined again by heat points, the #24 qualified into the second B-Main in the 8th position. Of the 16 starters, the top 5 cars would be placed in the rear of the A Feature. The car ran well and Hunter piloted the Esslinger powered rocket with skill, only to be held up by 2 cars fighting for position in front of him. In the end, Hunter slid one spot overall to finish 9th. Thank you to all our sponsors including: Flying Tee, Bolted Spine Designs, FabTech, and Skips Performance Corner!
Article Credit: J. Fischer
Submitted By: James Fischer