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| Features |
| EKN Championship Spotlight: Trent Hindman |
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 | Trent Hindman had an outstanding 2008, winning the Cadet championship in his first season on the national tour
(Photo: On Track Promotions) |
The Cadet division of the Snap-on Stars of Karting program has been one of the most competitive divisions across the country for the past several years. Although standout pilot Sage Karam won championships in 2005 and 2007, they were both hotly contested and it was never an easy drive to the front. Karam moved up to the Junior ranks in 2008, leaving the class open to whoever was up to the challenge. When the checkered flag waved at the end of the season, Trent Hindman had picked up the torch as the young pilot went on to win the Stars of Karting national championship in his first full season on the national scene.
Like so many young drivers in karting, many get started very early. Hindman’s entrance was a unique, beginning on two wheels at the age of four. A Suzuki dirt bike fulfilled his need for speed until it was stolen out of the Hindman family garage on the Fourth of July in 2004. An article in the paper for Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, near the Hindman’s Wayside, New Jersey home, triggered their attention to karting just a month later. Not knowing anything about the sport, they took a trip out to the track and rented a kart for Trent to drive. All it took was one lap and Hindman was hooked. A few weeks later, they ordered their first chassis, a Margay from Kustom Kart Shop. Trent and his father began club racing at Englishtown before the summer was over.
For two years they raced at the club level before moving up to try some regional races. In December ‘05, the Hindmans traveled down to Daytona KartWeek for the first time. The event was a learning experience as Trent was unable to qualify for any of the main events in his classes. They would go on to follow the Yamaha Jr. Sportsman class in the WKA Manufacturer’s Cup Series during the 2006 season and returned again to the program in 2007, adding the HPV Jr. Sportsman category to his roster. Trent and his father Doug spent those two years working together, learning as they went along, enjoying the time together at the race track. Trent would finish 10th and 11th in the point standings in 2007.
“Every time they would get ready to head out to a race, I would ask them why they continue to go even though they are not winning, but they didn’t care because they were having a great time together and spending time with their racing friends,” stated Kim Hindman, Trent’s mother. “When I was able to go with them to the race track, it would help me understand the fun they were having."
 | Hindman and the Merlin Nation were a solid combo in 2008
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
One day at the track, a friend mentioned the name ‘Mike Doty’ to them. Doty and Doug knew of each other in passing at the race track, both at the local and national level. Mike kept an eye on Trent’s results and saw potential in him. At the end of the 2007 season, Doty set up a test with Jamie Sieracki aboard a Merlin chassis at Concept Haulers Motor Speedway. After the test, half of the formula was set as the Hindmans were happy with the out and both Sieracki and Doty were pleased with Trent’s lap times. Doty then placed a call into Gary Woltjer at Woltjer Racing Engines for the power. The program was coming together.
The start of the 2008 campaign began with the Hindmans looking to contend just the WKA Manufacturer’s Cup Series. The opener in Daytona saw mixed results in his first weekend, not making the finals in the first day, but running to a fourth in Cadet Jr. Sportsman on the second day. Trent would follow that up with a solid performance at the WKA Man Cup Lowe’s event. Just a couple weeks prior to the Stars of Karting Eastern Division opener in Ocala, Florida, the Hindmans and Doty decided to compete at the race. The decision would prove to be the right one. Trent would earn a second place finish in the wet in his first Stars final and would follow it up with his first Stars victory in the second race. All in all, Hindman’s season was a successful one, winning a total of six races to earn the Eastern Division and Western Division titles heading into the Stars National Finals in Las Vegas in October.
“Trent is an exceptional talent who just knows how to go fast and that’s something that can’t be taught,” commented Doty. “His feedback is really good and he knows what he wants out of a kart, which makes our job easy at the end of the day. Trent is a humble, polite, well-spoken kid who has a bright racing future and I am glad that I can be apart of his racing and family because the Hindmans treat you like family and would do anything for you, making racing a lot of fun again.”
Along with Doty and Sieracki, Hindman has a full team behind him, helping out in many different ways. Tyler Dueck, Wesley Boswell, Colby Jenn, Steve Welk and Scott Ferris have all helped Trent in one way over the past few years - giving him driving tips or turning wrenches on his #64 machine. Junior drivers in 2009 will need keep an eye on Trent this coming year. Having already run events in the Junior level, Hindman already is challenging for wins and pole positions. Hindman is already looking to use his karting experience to move up the ranks in motorsports, however, his family understands the importance and experience he will gain with racing karts for a few more years. |
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