Powell Racing Enters Three for the 70th Pay Less Little 500 presented by UAW-GM
Anderson, Indiana (April 10, 2018): Powell Racing has once again entered three cars for the 70th Pay Less Little 500 presented by UAW-GM. Long time car owner Jerry Powell will once again lead the charge. Powell has already tabbed two drivers for the Little 500 in Scotty Hampton and Nick Hamilton.
Powell himself ran the Little 500 in 1970-1972. His best finish came in 1970. He started in 33rd position but was able to finish in the 7th position. Since his days of racing he has expanded into the ownership role. His best finish as an owner came in 2012 with Billy Wease. Wease was able to finish in second place to Brian Tyler. “I think we are starting to figure out how to win this race,” said Powell. “We got a couple laps behind in the race last year, but we aren’t going to let that happen this year. I am not getting any younger (will be 78 years old this May), and it is time we win the Little 500.”
Nick Hamilton #2 – Jerry Powell Racing
Danville, Indiana driver Nick Hamilton will be attempting to make his third start in the Pay Less Little 500 presented by UAW-GM. He has made his two previous starts driving for Jerry Powell and as a teammate to Scotty Hampton. “Scotty Hampton has helped me tremendously through my growing process,” said Hamilton. “It’s nice knowing he wants to help me and I am always cheering for him and trying to be any help I can. It’s really great being able to have other guys to b
uild off of especially when I was first getting into the sprint car.”
Hamilton’s best finish came in 2014 when finished in ninth position. Last year he didn’t fare as well when he was caught up in an early incident with Donnie Adams Jr. This has shaped his thoughts going into this years Little 500, “I have learned that this race is not won on the first couple laps. My first year I sat back and ended up getting 9th by being patient but last year I tried to press it and fell behind the rest of the race for being too eager.”
2018 will see Nick Hamilton running more than just the Little 500. He will also compete in local dirt midget shows and the Thursday Night Sprint shows at Anderson Speedway. However, the end of 2017 was one that Hamilton will not soon forget. He drove the family pavement midget in the Fort Wayne Rumble. On night two he was able to take the win in his first Rumble victory.
“Winning gave me a lot more confidence behind the wheel and I hope it transfers outdoors. I feel like any driver knows that when you finally get the feeling of knowing that you can win really helps you to really calm down and be able to focus in the future with that weight off.” Hamilton said.
Nick Hamilton will be supported by Curtis Motor Sales and Powell Racing.
Scotty Hampton #59 – Jerry Powell Racing
Greenfield, Indiana driver Scotty Hampton will be driving for Powell racing in his fifth Pay Less Little 500 presented by UAW-GM. His first race was in 2010 where he qualified 32nd and finished 21st. His best finish came in last year’s Little 500. He was able to qualify 12th and finished an impressive 7th place.
Hampton was introduced to the Little 500 at a very young age. “My dad was the fuel guy for Eric Gordon when Jack French owned the car,” explained Hampton. “He also worked with Jacob Wilson for a couple of years.” The French and Gordon duo won six times in eight starts. They also finished no worse than third place. Hampton got his first taste of racing at a young age by racing quarter midgets. He made the move to 600 sprints and then in 2006, to the family dirt Sprint Car. He competed at Indiana dirt tracks like Paragon, Bloomington, Gas City, and Lawrenceburg. Hampton first teamed up with Jerry Powell in 2010 after he had wrecked the family sprint car. “I originally was only going to race with Jerry for one race” said Hampton. They ended up running the rest of 2010 together and he qualified for the A-Main at the 4-Crown nationals at Eldora. Hampton then transitioned away from racing to pursue his degree from IUPUI. In 2015 he returned to racing and has since run the Little 500 for Jerry Powell.
Hampton will compete in the Little 500 once again with teammate Nick Hamilton. This will be the third time in the last four years they have worked together. Both have come from different backgrounds. Hamilton grew up in a pavement midget background an
d Hampton cut his teeth on local Indiana dirt tracks. Hampton has repeatedly talked about the benefit of having teammates. “It’s nice to be able to work with my teammates and talk about what the cars are doing on and off the track. Nick Hamilton has more pavement experience than I do. It’s nice to be able to talk with him and get his thoughts on how to make the car better or help improve me as a driver. He has given me a lot of ideas on how to get more speed in the car for short runs.”
Scotty Hampton will be back behind a dirt sprint car once again in 2018, driving for Ted Slinkard and working with Jerry Powell to get his dirt sprint car back on track. In addition to racing this season Hampton will also be getting married. Scotty Hampton will receive support from the Hollingsworth’s Family, Slinkard Racing, Johnny Turbo, Zeigler family, Hinchman Uniforms.
Jerry Powell has again entered a third car for the 2018 Pay Less Little 500 presented by UAW-GM. No driver has been announced yet, but he has talked to a couple of drivers. The team has run three cars in the past two Little 500’s.
Pay Less Little 500 presented by UAW-GM Tickets
You can purchase tickets by calling (765) 642-0206 or by stopping by the track. More information on the Little 500 or the 2018 racing season can be found at www.andersonspeedway.com.
Entry List for the 70th Pay Less Little 500 presented by UAW-GM
1 Davey Hamilton Jr Indianapolis, Ind. Davey Hamilton
2 Nick Hamilton Danville, Ind. Jerry Powell
3 Jerry Coons Jr. Tucson, Ariz. Nolen Racing
4 Kody Swanson Kingsburg, Calif. Nolen Racing
4 Shane Cottle Kokomo, Ind. Contos Racing Inc.
5 Kyle Hamilton Indianapolis, Ind. Klatt Enterprises Inc.
8 Chris Neuenschwander New Haven, Ind. Tony Neuenschwander
9 Jason Fuller Milford, Ind. Jeff Fuller
12 TBD TBD Jerry Powell
20 Shane Hollingsworth Lafayette, Ind. Nolen Racing
26 Jeff Bloom Bangor, Mich. Jeff Bloom Racing
26 Aaron Pierce Daleville, Ind. Sam Pierce Chevrolet
41 TBD TBD Contos Racing Inc.
44 Brian Tyler Mt. Pleasant, N. Car. Contos Racing Inc.
55 Tommy Nichols Plant City, Fla. Tommy Nichols Ent. LLC
59 Scotty Hampton Morristown, Ind. Jerry Powell
68 Mickey Kempgens Tampa, Fla. PCS Racing, Inc.
Photos: Scott McIlwain and Bill Miller
