Middlebury Hotshoe Bates Sets Sights on NASCAR National Championship
Teenager’s long racing season begins Sunday at Devil’s Bowl Speedway
Most teenagers are just beginning to learn how to drive on the street. Not Hunter Bates – he’s racing toward a NASCAR national championship.
In between classes at Middlebury (VT) Union High School, where he is an Honor Roll student, Bates will make his first attempt at the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national title. His season begins on Sunday at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, VT with the 101.5 “The Fox” Spring Green.
“We’re going for it,” Bates said with a grin. “Hopefully we can get some wins together and make a run at the national championship. I think it’s going to be fun.”
Bates, who turns 17 on July 3, will campaign two very different race cars at tracks in two states as he chases down NASCAR national short track stars Keith Rocco of Wallingford, CT, and defending Whelen All-American Series champion Philip Morris of Ruckersville, VA. Bates will race an open-wheel car in the Bond Auto Parts Modified class at Devil’s Bowl Speedway and a full-fender Late Model at Canaan Fair Speedway in New Hampshire.
The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national championship is based on each driver’s best 18 results in “Division I” competition – Devil’s Bowl’s Modified class awards NASCAR “Division I” points, while Canaan’s top class is the Late Models.
Even at his young age, Bates has already seen success in both cars. He was the Sportsman Modified champion on the former Champlain Valley Racing Association circuit at age 15 and won the Devil’s Bowl Late Model title last year in his first season in the division.
Bates was more comfortable in his Late Model during pre-season testing than he was in 2011. “I feel a lot better about the Late Model because I’ve got that experience under my belt from last year,” he said. His Modified – the car he started his stock car career in – was very quick. “I like [Devil’s Bowl] a lot, and I think we’ve got a pretty good car. I’d like to think we can pick up a couple wins this year and maybe have a shot at least a track championship.”
Bates will start his year off by pulling double-duty at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Sunday at the 101.5 “The Fox” Spring Green, racing the 35-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Modified feature and his Late Model in a 112-lap American-Canadian Tour (non-NASCAR) event.
General admission for the 101.5 “The Fox” Spring Green on Sunday, May 6 is $18 for adults, $15 for seniors (62+), and free for children 12 and under; discount season passes are available. Racing begins at 1:30pm. Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, VT, six miles north of Exit 2 on US Route 4. For more information, call (802) 265-3112 or click www.devilsbowlspeedwayvt.com.
Sources: Devil’s Bowl Speedway
PHOTO: Hunter Bates (#69) will begin his quest for a NASCAR national championship on Sunday at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, VT. (MemorEvents photo)