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Kevin Kovac
CONCORD, N.C. (January 26) - Austin Hubbard posed alongside his new high-profile dirt Late Model ride in public for the first time last weekend during the Motorsports 2010 show at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pa.
Now the teenage sensation from Seaford, Del., is ready to climb in Dale Beitler's familiar No. 19 and step on the gas.
Hubbard, 17, will get that chance when he begins his quest for the 2010 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Rookie of the Year crown during the 39th annual DIRTcar Nationals by University of Northwestern Ohio at Volusia Speedway Park. On his agenda are the national tour's season-opening events on Feb. 11 and 13 and DIRTcar Racing UMP Super Late Model programs on Feb. 8, 9, 10 and 12.
While garnering plenty of attention from the thousands of fans who attended Area Auto Racing News editor Lenny Sammons's 25th annual Motorsports extravaganza outside Philadelphia, Hubbard stood in the DIRTcar Racing booth and veritably bubbled with enthusiasm for his upcoming assault on the Volusia half-mile.
"I'm excited to go down there," said Hubbard, who had Beitler's Rocket in the Virginia Motor Speedway booth and displayed his father's distinctive Hulk-themed No. 11 in DIRTcar Racing's area. "Last year was the first time I ran at Volusia and I loved it. That's one of my favorite tracks.
"I like the 'D' shape. I like the size. I like how it's all wide-open. I like how you come off (turn) two and you're almost in the fence every lap. It's just such a fun place to race."
Hubbard already got a taste, albeit an abbreviated one, of what the track will offer during the 2010 DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH when he visited for a test session in mid-December. Rain cut the practice short, but not before Hubbard found the track's new clay surface to his liking.
"With that new clay, I think racing there (during the DCN) is gonna be a blast," said Hubbard, who had Charles Jarvis's Delaware-based No. 45 machine at his disposal for three days of off-season testing at tracks in the Southeast. "We only made about six laps there because the track was too wet, but you could tell they put some good clay down. It's gonna be hammer-down and a good time for the fans, that's for sure."
Hubbard speaks glowingly of Volusia despite experiencing a truly forgettable debut trip there in 2009. He qualified for just one of the six DCN events (finishing 22nd in Wednesday night's UMP Super Late Model A-Main) during an expensive week that saw him lose three powerplants.
"The third night we blew up, the fourth night we blew up and the fifth night we blew up," Hubbard said in exasperation, recalling his run of misfortune. "That kind of ruined the whole week, but it didn't make me hate the place. We just had a lot of bad luck."
Of course, returning to Volusia as the hired-gun driver of Beitler's Reliable Painting machine gives Hubbard a healthy dose of confidence. Following a 2009 season during which Hubbard turned heads with his performance on the WoO LMS (three top-fives and two fast-time awards in 28 starts) and in crown-jewel events (second-youngest driver to qualify for the World 100 and fast time for the Dirt Track World Championship), Beitler surprised the dirt Late Model world by hand-picking the rising star to succeed former WoO LMS champion Steve Francis behind the wheel of his blue-and-white cars.
The opportunity to replace Francis, who scored WoO LMS points finishes of second (2009) and third (2008) and won 12 A-Mains during his two years with Beitler's West Friendship, Md.-based team, simply blows Hubbard's mind. While his friends at home are still completing high school, he's heading out on the road as a fulltime professional driver with a well-established race team financed by Beitler and led by veteran crew chief Robby Allen, who returns as a WoO LMS mechanic for the first time since departing Rick Eckert's team after the 2006 season.
"I don't know how I deserve this," said Hubbard, who turns 18 on Feb. 17 and will soon complete a final night-school project that allows him to graduate early from Sussex Tech High School. "This is a deal you dream about, but it never happens. I mean, this is one of the premier rides in dirt Late Model racing, a World of Outlaws championship-caliber team, and to have it so early in my career is a dream come true.
"I know a lot of people are gonna hate me for getting this ride this year. Dale's definitely throwing it out there putting me in the car, and I appreciate that. I guess he saw something in me that made him think he could help take me to the next level, so I want to do everything I can to make sure I take advantage of this.
"Dale's given me a great opportunity," he added, "and I have to be totally serious about this. I've tried to make sure for the last couple months that I'm always dedicated to racing - live it, breathe it, sleep it - because Dale deserves nothing less from me."
Hubbard feels no pressure to perform from the 52-year-old Beitler, who has experienced plenty of success fielding cars for such drivers as Francis, Davey Johnson, Gary Stuhler and Steve Casebolt.
"This isn't me just being his driver, but Dale is one of the nicest, most giving people I've ever met," said Hubbard. "He has a lot of confidence in me already, which he's said and he's told me, but he's put no pressure on me."
Hubbard paused, and then said, "Eighty percent of the pressure is put on by myself, and 20 percent from 'Hog' (Allen) - not that 'Hog' is on me, but this is his job, how he makes his living, and how I do is gonna reflect on him and what people think of him and his (chassis setup consulting) business. He's putting his name on the line to help me. If he didn't think I could do anything he wouldn't help me no matter how much we paid him."
What are Hubbard's expectations for 2010? He understands there's still plenty for him to learn, but making at least one WoO LMS Victory Lane appearance tops his to-do list.
"Realistically, I'd like to win one World of Outlaws race," said Hubbard, who seeks to join Josh Richards (2005), Brian Shirley (2007) and Tim Fuller (2007) as drivers who won WoO LMS A-Mains while competing as Rookie of the Year contenders. "If I didn't win a World of Outlaws race this year I would be devastated, because I don't see how we couldn't.
"There's no reason I - well, anybody in my shoes - shouldn't be able to win a race. It's all there for me. I just gotta get after it."
And how will the approachable, outgoing Hubbard react upon earning his career-first WoO LMS triumph? He refuses to divulge details of his plan, but insider reports indicate that the post-race celebration will be, uh, quite interesting.
"I'm gonna show some emotion," Hubbard said with a sly smile.
The DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH begin on Feb. 2 and run nightly through Feb. 13. Joining the dirt Late Models on the schedule are the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series (Feb. 5-7); the Super DIRTcar Series for big-block Modifieds (Feb. 10-13); the All-Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car Series (Feb. 3-4); and the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds (Feb. 2-9).
For tickets to the 39th annual DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH, visit www.DIRTcarNationals.com or call Volusia Speedway Park at 386-985-4402. A ticket package for all six nights of dirt Late Model racing is available for $175.
In addition, for the first time in DIRTcar Nationals history, all fans will have the chance to see the competitors and their teams up close during each race nightt. A FREE Fan Pit Pass is available to every ticket-buying fan who comes through the main gates every night; fans can show their grandstand ticket and sign in to the pits at a table near the pit entrance.
For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.
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