Hunter Schuerenberg Breaks Through At Stateline For First-Ever All Star Win

Story By: TYLER ALTMEYER / ALL STAR CIRCUIT OF CHAMPIONS – BUSTI, NY – For the first time of his career, “Hunter Percent” Hunter Schuerenberg is a FloRacing All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 main event winner, earning his triumph during the Empire State Shootout 30 at Stateline Speedway in Busti, New York.

Pocketing a $6,000 payday for his efforts, the Sikeston, Missouri-native was forced to outduel not only fellow Series full-timer Zeb Wise for his first check in the All Star win column, but also Mother Nature, as the event was plagued by a constant mix of light rain and steady mist that caused several delays including a 90-minute pause just before the evening’s main event.

Nonetheless, Schuerenberg came out on top, taking command for the first time on lap 14 after starting third on the grid. Wise, who led the first 13 circuits before a bobble in traffic opened the door for Schuerenberg, held on to finish second, followed by Justin Peck, Paul McMahan, and Cory Eliason.

“Our balance was so good at the beginning of the year, but something knocked us off. The crew and I put our heads together and determined that there can’t be anything too crazy wrong with this car because we haven’t done anything different. We found a little shock issue, but once we figured that out, things have been back to normal,” Schuerenberg expressed in Stateline Speedway victory lane. “I was getting really tired of my son asking me where the confetti was, so, I’m really happy the track stuck this out and allowed us to race. This track really fits my driving style. It was a lot of fun to run that race.”

As aforementioned, Schuerenberg, aboard the Vermeer Motorsports, Maxim Trucking and Materials, TK Concrete, No. 55 sprint car, took command of the 30-lap contest on lap 14, using the bottom of turn one to sneak by Angola, Indiana’s Zeb Wise. Wise, who started from the outside-pole position, found himself trapped behind a lapped car at the end of the straightaway, ultimately forced to go high to avoid potential contact.

“This is a whole new car, different motor; a whole new package,” Wise said. “To come out here and put it on the podium the first night, and with our friends from Sundollar here, as well, that’s pretty special.”

The weekend will continue just two hours southwest of Busti, New York, in Hartford, Ohio, where the All Star Circuit of Champions will revisit Sharon Speedway for a two-day blockbuster on Saturday and Sunday, July 10-11. Awarding a total winner’s share equaling $14,000, the two-day Sharon Speedway takeover will activate with the highly sought after Lou Blaney Memorial on Saturday, honoring National Sprint Car Hall of Famer and former Sharon Speedway track champion, Lou Blaney.

Vienna, West Virginia’s Cale Conley is the defending Lou Blaney Memorial champion, securing a $7,500 payday in 2020 over Rudeen Racing’s Cory Eliason and California invader, Rico Abreu; the 2021 edition will award an $8,000 payday.

The All Star Circuit of Champions’ invasion of Sharon Speedway will resume on Sunday, July 11, with the annual Justin Snyder’s Salute to the Troops program presented by Self Made Racing, honoring military veteran and open wheel advocate, the late Justin Snyder. Derek Snyder, owner and founder of Self Made Racing, as well as the executive manager and partner of Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC in Boardman, Ohio, will honor his brother with the season’s final All Star visit to Sharon Speedway, set to award a $6,000 payday.

Contingency Awards/Results: Stateline Speedway | Friday, July 9, 2021:
Event: Empire State Shootout 30
Entries: 21
C&R Racing Hot Laps: Tyler Courtney | 15.255
Dixie Vodka Fast Qualifier: Zeb Wise | 14.623
Ford Performance Heat #1 Winner: Paul McMahan
All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads Heat #2 Winner: Hunter Schuerenberg
Hunt Brothers Pizza Heat #3 Winner: Jared Zimbardi
Kear’s Speed Shop Dash presented by Elliott’s Custom Trailers and Carts Winner: Justin Peck
FloRacing A-Main Winner: Hunter Schuerenberg
Hercules Tires A-Main Hard Charger: Bill Balog (+5)

Qualifying

Group (A)
1. 10-Zeb Wise, 14.623; 2. 13-Justin Peck, 15.008; 3. 11-Spencer Bayston, 15.029; 4. 7BC-Tyler Courtney, 15.121; 5. 26-Cory Eliason, 15.123; 6. 4-Cap Henry, 15.193; 7. 91-Kyle Reinhardt, 15.243; 8. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg, 15.245; 9. O7-Skylar Gee, 15.254; 10. 5-Paul McMahan, 15.290; 11. 22C-Cole Duncan, 15.327; 12. 35-Jared Zimbardi, 15.404; 13. 97-Greg Wilson, 15.451; 14. 17B-Bill Balog, 15.558; 15. 23-Darren Pifer, 15.592; 16. 21N-Frankie Nervo, 15.681; 17. 22-Brandon Spithaler, 15.747; 18. 6-Bob Felmlee, 15.794; 19. 29-Logan McCandless, 16.297; 20. 47-Brett Brunkenhoefer, 16.577; 21. 19-Joe Kubiniec, 16.773

Heat #1 – Group (A) (8 Laps) – Top 8 Transfer
1. 5-Paul McMahan [1]; 2. 7BC-Tyler Courtney [3]; 3. 91-Kyle Reinhardt [2]; 4. 97-Greg Wilson [5]; 5. 10-Zeb Wise [4]; 6. 21N-Frankie Nervo [6]; 7. 29-Logan McCandless [7]

Heat #2 – Group (A) (8 Laps) – Top 8 Transfer
1. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg [2]; 2. 22C-Cole Duncan [1]; 3. 13-Justin Peck [4]; 4. 26-Cory Eliason [3]; 5. 22-Brandon Spithaler [6]; 6. 17B-Bill Balog [5]; 7. 47-Brett Brunkenhoefer [7]

Heat #3 – Group (A) (8 Laps) – Top 8 Transfer
1. 35-Jared Zimbardi [1]; 2. 4-Cap Henry [3]; 3. 11-Spencer Bayston [4]; 4. O7-Skylar Gee [2]; 5. 6-Bob Felmlee [6]; 6. 23-Darren Pifer [5]; 7. 19-Joe Kubiniec [7]

Dash #1 (6 Laps)
1. 13-Justin Peck [1]; 2. 10-Zeb Wise [4]; 3. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg [3]; 4. 35-Jared Zimbardi [2]; 5. 5-Paul McMahan [8]; 6. 26-Cory Eliason [5]; 7. 7BC-Tyler Courtney [6]; 8. 11-Spencer Bayston [7]

A-Main (30 Laps)
1. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg [3]; 2. 10-Zeb Wise [2]; 3. 13-Justin Peck [1]; 4. 5-Paul McMahan [5]; 5. 26-Cory Eliason [6]; 6. 7BC-Tyler Courtney [7]; 7. 4-Cap Henry [9]; 8. 11-Spencer Bayston [8]; 9. 97-Greg Wilson [13]; 10. O7-Skylar Gee [12]; 11. 17B-Bill Balog [16]; 12. 22C-Cole Duncan [10]; 13. 35-Jared Zimbardi [4]; 14. 91-Kyle Reinhardt [11]; 15. 6-Bob Felmlee [15]; 16. 22-Brandon Spithaler [14]; 17. 29-Logan McCandless [19]; 18. 21N-Frankie Nervo [18]; 19. 19-Joe Kubiniec [21]; 20. 23-Darren Pifer [17]; 21. 47-Brett Brunkenhoefer [20] Lap Leaders: Zeb Wise (1-13), Hunter Schuerenberg (14-30)