THE “WILD CHILD” RETURNS TO TERRE HAUTE THURSDAY FOR “HURTUBISE”

Jac Haudenschild (Serena Dalhamer photo)
Sheldon and Jac Haudenschild. - Bill Miller Photo
Sheldon and Jac Haudenschild. – Bill Miller Photo

From Dick Jordan

The “Wild Child,” Jac Haudenschild of Wooster, Ohio, returns to the AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car Series Thursday for the “Jim Hurtubise Classic” at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track!

Haudenschild won the richest sprint car race in history – the one million dollar 2003 “Mopar Million” – at the Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, and he’ll pilot a high-profile car Thursday at the half-mile Terre Haute oval.

Jac will drive the #11x entry for car owner Jeff Walker. In May, Kevin Thomas Jr. wheeled the car to a runner-up finish in the “Tony Hulman Classic” at the Action Track.

Haudenschild’s last Terre Haute USAC start produced a second-place finish in the richest Terre Haute Sprint race ever – the 1999 “Terre Haute Open.” His last USAC starts were last year in the Ocala, Fla. opener and later in the “4-Crown Nationals” at Eldora. The latter produced a second-place finish!

Jac has also indicated he will compete in the upcoming September 27 “City of Lawrenceburg Fall Nationals” USAC race at the Lawrenceburg (Ind.) Speedway.

He’ll challenge USAC’s top drivers in Thursday’s race, including the “Tony Hulman Classic” winner Dave Darland and recent “Indiana Sprint Week” winner Bryan Clauson, both at Terre Haute. Darland will try to add to his all-time leading total of 53 series wins while Clauson will try to notch a historic 100th USAC National win for long-time car owner Mike Curb.

Thursday’s event will be accompanied by late models, which will include former USAC Champion Ken Schrader, who was listed as the third richest NASCAR driver of all time in a recent poll.

2014 AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car Standings: 1-Brady Bacon-1,554; 2-Dave Darland-1,551, 3-Bryan Clauson-1,522, 4-Jon Stanbrough-1,473, 5-Chase Stockon-1,345, 6-Tracy Hines-1,231, 7-Justin Grant-1,230, 8-Chris Windom-1,225, 9-Robert Ballou-1,142, 10-C.J. Leary-1,080.