2009 Season Stats:Driver Pts. $Earned Wins Top 5 Top 10 Jac Haudenschild 7889 $110,225 0 14 31
2009 was a special year for Jac Haudenschild as he was honored for all of his accomplishments in sprint car racing over the last 30-plus years by being inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, joining an elite group of individuals.
Among those already inducted that he now joins are longtime friends Brad Doty and Kenny Jacobs, who Haudenschild grew up with and cut his racing teeth against on the Ohio bullrings. He also had the chance to race against some fellow Hall of Famers that are still active this past season, including 20-time World of Outlaws champion Steve Kinser, three-time series titlist Sammy Swindell and West Coast legend Brent Kaeding.
“It means a lot to get in the Hall of Fame,” said a proud Haudenschild. “I’m glad to be in there. I’m sorry we couldn’t get out there for the induction. It’s a great honor, that's for sure. It is pretty special to still be racing and be inducted at the same time. We’re glad to still be out here racing. We have a good ride here in the R19 car and hopefully we’ll be out here racing for a while.”
On the track, Haudenschild finished the season ninth in World of Outlaws point standings on the strength of 31 Top-10 finishes with 14 of those being Top-Fives, with the Carnahan Motorsports team for whom drove finishing eighth in car owner points. It was the third time in the last four years that he has finished in the Top-10 in the World of Outlaws championship standings. After winning five times in 2008, Haudenschild came close a couple of times to reaching Victory Lane this past season, starting on the pole three times and earning seven podium finishes in 2009. He finished second in the finale of the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup Twin 30’s at Lernerville Speedway to pick up his best finish of the year.
“It wasn’t what we planned on,” stated Haudenschild of the 2009 season. “We were hoping to win some races this year and run a lot better. The crew did their job and we just didn’t get to victory lane. The main thing is to win races and I’m in the car again next year and that’s what we plan on doing. I still really enjoy racing.”
Haudenschild had another unique opportunity this season, as he had the chance to race on the same night in the same event, as his son Sheldon competed for the first time in a 410-winged sprint car at the famed Eldora Speedway in their home state of Ohio at the end of September. The father and son pitted next to each other, with Jac offering Sheldon plenty of advice throughout the course of the night to the now third generation driver, who was making his debut at the legendary half-mile, where his father has won over 20-times in his career. They wound up running in different heat race and different feature events.
“It was a little bit different,” shared the native of Wooster, Ohio when asked about racing against his son. “You really don’t think about it that much. You know he is out, but until he gets beside you, you don’t really think about it.”
Haudenschild is one of just four drivers that has competed in at least one event in each of the 32 World of Outlaws season’s dating back to inaugural 1978 campaign. With his ninth-place finish in points, he has now finished among the Top-10 in the series championship standings 15 times in his career. While he did not reach Victory Lane this season, he remains 10th on the all-time win list with 51 A-Feature triumphs.
“The competition has been tough every year I have ever raced with the Outlaws,” he explained. “You always about four or five guys that you have to beat. There are at least 10 guys that can win the race and it really does take a perfect night to win. You know that there will be at least four of them right on the money, so you just have to beat them.”
Following the third annual World Finals at The Dirt Track @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Haudenschild headed back home to Ohio where he is helping his son gear up for the 2010 season. He will also return for his third season in the No. R19 Owens-Corning Fiberglass Maxim for the Carnahan Motorsports team, with veteran crew chief Leonard Lee turning the wrenches on the World of Outlaws circuit.
“I enjoy my two months off in the wintertime, but I am usually building cars so it goes by fast,” Haudenschild said. “I’m looking forward to being back in the R19 again next year.”
World of Outlaws history: 1982: 16th in points…1983: 11th in points… 1984-20th in points… 1985-16th in points- 2 wins…1986- 5th in points… 1987- 4th in points- 1 win… 1988-8th in points… 1989-6th in points-6 wins… 1990-14th in points…. 1991-17th in points… 1992-8th in points- 3 wins… 1993-6th in points… 1994-6th in points- 1 win… 1995-2nd in points- 4 wins… 1996-10th in points- 1 win… 1997-4th in points- 2 wins… 1998-7th in points- 11 wins… 1999-16th in points- 3 wins… 2000-10th in points- 2 wins… 2001-20th in points… 2002-13th in points- 2 wins… 2003-16th in points… 2006- 5th in points… 2007-11th in points…2008- 5th in points- 5 wins…2009- 9th in points
Previous Racing History: 1974: Began racing sprint cars at Lakeville Speedway and Wayne County Speedway1976- First Sprint Car win at Lakeville, Ohio, just 16 years old… 1977- 8 wins driving the Ferguson No. 34… 1978: Drove the Yernian No. 75 to 10 wins… 1980-All Star Circuit of Champions- 10 in points… 1981-All Star Circuit of Champions- 10th in points, Lawrenceburg (Ind.) Speedway- Won non-wing sprint car race… 1982:All Star Circuit of Champions- 10th in points, driving the C.K. Spurlock Gambler House car sponsored by singer Kenny Rogers…1984- All Star Circuit of Champions- 5th in points. 1985- All Star Circuit of Champions- 10th in points. Kokomo (Ind.) Speedway first World of Outlaws win...1987- Won First Kings Royal at Eldora Speedway...1989: 15 overall wins, including five with the World of Outlaws… 1991: Knoxville Raceway Champion- 20 wins…1994- Eldora Speedway- Won Historical Big One worth $100,000 driving for Jack Elden, Won 2nd Kings Royal…1998- Eldora Speedway- Won 3rd Kings Royal, Won Gold Cup Race of Champions at Silver Dollar (Calif.) Speedway. …1999- Won 2nd straight Gold Cup, also won the Front Row Challenge… 2003: Eldora Speedway- Won Mopar Million non-wing sprint car race… 19 career All Star Circuit of Champions wins
Interesting Facts: 2009 will mark his 36th year racing sprint cars…Nickname is the “Wild Child” for his aggressive and entertaining driving style on the track… Races motorcycles in the winter with his son… Participated in Indy Racing League Rookie Test at Texas Motor Speedway in 1998…Competed at Eldora Speedway on the same night his son Sheldon did for the first time in 2009