Chad Boespflug has been named the driver of the famed Hoffman Auto Racing Team based in Loveland, Ohio.
The team is coming off another successful season with driver Brady Bacon behind the wheel. It captured the AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car Championship for the 11th time and captured the Indiana Sprint Week Title and scored their 100th USAC win, as well. Bacon left the team to pursue an opportunity to run more Winged Sprint Car racing.
That opened the door for Boespflug to become the team’s driver as it pursues its 12th title in 2017. Back in August, Boespflug scored the biggest win of his career by capturing the $50,000-to-win feature event at Badlands Motor Speedway in Brandon, South Dakota.
Chad is the son of Todd and Monica Boespflug of Seymour. His grandparents, Bob and Phyliss Gatten, live in Columbus.
Staying the same are the return of the team’s major sponsor, Mean Green Cleaner & Degreaser, associate sponsors Lykins Energy Solutions, XYZ, and the addition of EZR. HAR remains an Official Military Order of The Purple Heart Race Team.
“As it is, we are excited to carry on our legacy with Chad. He will drive the 69 car. Chad’s career is taking off, and with the addition of Davey Jones as the crew chief, that makes us a threat every night, and for our 12th USAC National Sprint Car Championship,” said Richard Hoffman, President of Hoffman Racing.
The team will be headquartered out of Indianapolis.
“I am looking forward to working with Dynamics Inc. Hoffman Racing,” Bosepflug said. “With the help of EZR we will be chasing another championship in 2017. It’s a tall feat to follow in the footsteps of their accomplishments over the years, but also a huge honor to help carry on the Hoffman Racing legacy of excellence and championship. They truly helped evolve the sport of racing.”
Bosepflug began racing micros in 1998 in his home state of California. He graduated to sprint cars in 2004. He won the SCRA championship in 2005 and made the big move to Indiana in 2007.
Bosepflug became the Lawrenceburg track champion in 2011. He began his own team with the help of Chuck Eberhardt and Fred Zirzow and ran the entire USAC National Sprint Car schedule. They racked up six USAC National wins in 2016.
Hoffman Auto Racing has won more National races and championships than any other team in USAC sprint car history. HAR also has seven Silver Crown wins and one USAC midget win for a total of 108 USAC National wins. In 2003, HAR was recognized for excellence by the Ohio State Senate and House of Representatives.
HAR has finished in the top three in USAC National Sprint Car owner’s points 20 times since 1989.
Drivers from the past 87 years read like a who’s who of racing: Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Tracy Hines, JJ Yeley, Kasey Kahne, Kenny Irwin Jr., Rich Vogler, Dave Darland, Johnny Parsons Jr., Tim Richmond, Jay Drake, Brian Tyler, Robbie Stanley, Eric Gordon, Steve Butler, Jerry Coons Jr., Ryan Newman, Dave Steele, George Snider, Tom Bigelow, Shorty Templemen, Don Branson, Eddie Sachs, Bill Puterbaugh, Elmer George, Pancho Carter, Roger Ward, Andy Michener, Kyle Larson and Brady Bacon.
In all, approximately 131 drivers have competed in the Hoffman cars. Of those, there are four father-son combinations: Dick and Dickie Gaines, Jim and Tracy Hines, Kerry and Dave Norris of Columbus and Clark and Shorty Templemen. Two brother combinations are Larry and Steve Cannon and Pancho Carter and Johnny Parsons Jr. HAR also had a step-grandfather and step-grandson combination of Elmer George and Ed Carpenter.
Paragon Speedway lauds champions
Paragon Speedway has announced its 2016 track champions.
For the sixth time in his career, Josh Cunningham is the Sprint Car Track Champion at Paragon. Chris Hillman of Camby, who also captured the Super Stock Title at Bloomington Speedway this year, did the same at Paragon.
Mark Smith of Franklin was the top driver in the Bomber Division. Charles Shipley of Morgantown won the Pure Stock Title, and Chad Taylor garnered top honors in the Hornet Class.
Cunningham, who captured his first Paragon title back in 2004, took this year’s Sprint Car Division for the sixth time. Andrew Prather of Martinsville was second in the final standings, followed by Jake and Jensen Scott, both of Morgantown, and Brandon Spencer of Nineveh.
Hillman had a spectacular 2016 racing season, winning both Bloomington and Paragon titles. Steve Hawkins of Bloomington was second to Hillman in points at Paragon, with Winston Howe of Bloomington and Mike Ham and Rob Paris, both of Martinsville, completing the top five.
Smith took his first title in the Bomber class. Jacob Ham and Mike Swango, both of Martinsville, finished second and third behind Smith, with David Shepherd of Bowling Green and William Summers of Paragon rounding out the top five competitors.
Shipley took the Pure Stock division title for the first time, as well. Mike Swango Jr. of Martinsville finished second in points, followed by Frank Horvath of Mooresville, Jadas Whitaker of Martinsville and Ethan Litton of Paragon.
Taylor of Unionville captured the Hornet title at Paragon over A.J. Hobbs of Bloomington, Wendy Lainhart of Charlestown, Reece Novak of Gosport, Kyle Julius of Indianapolis and Jacob Babbs of Bloomington.
