Archive for category: Scott Hess Racing

Tony Jackson returned to the seat of the Scott Hess Racing Sportsman last week for a pair of events, highlighted by strong speed early in the weekend as the team continues to work toward regaining comfort and consistency following Jackson’s extended hiatus from competition.

At BAPS Motor Speedway on May 3rd, Jackson climbed aboard in winged competition and showed speed immediately after unloading. After putting together a strong qualifying effort, Jackson raced to a heat race victory and appeared poised for a solid night. However, the team narrowly missed the feature setup, making it difficult for Jackson to advance through the field during the A-Main. Despite the challenges, Jackson battled to an eighth-place finish.

“I’m not a guy to put blame on one thing or the other, but I think just us not racing all year and getting comfortable again, we just missed things a bit,” said Jackson. “We started eighth and finished eighth, but it’ll take some time.”

The team then joined the World of Outlaws for a night of wingless racing on Tuesday, May 5th, where the focus shifted to continuing to build rhythm and chemistry. While Jackson and the Scott Hess Racing team struggled to get fully comfortable throughout the night, the veteran racer still managed to advance forward in the feature event, charging from seventh to finish sixth in the A-Main.

“We were better than our finish showed, but we just kind of missed things with gear selection,” he said. “We were close, but just not quite where we need to be. But to get some laps and get back into things was nice and we’ll take good with the bad and move on.”

Following a planned retirement that led to an extended break from racing, Jackson and the team understand there is still work ahead as they continue searching for the right balance and setup combination to consistently contend for wins once again.

“Right now, on the wing side there are a few teams running really well, and we got some catching up to do. On the wingless side, I think we’re just a tick off too.” Said Jackson. “But tracks change year to year and so do cars, so it’s just about getting comfortable and I think it’ll come around. We’re looking forward to the next race and hopefully finding some wins.”

The Scott Hess Racing team will return to action on Friday, May 22nd, at Port Royal Speedway in wingless competition during the prestigious Bob Weikert Memorial weekend.

Chase Gutshall turned heads in his debut weekend behind the wheel of the Scott Hess Racing Super Sportsman, charging from eighth on the starting grid to a solid sixth-place finish in the team’s first winged competition event of the season at BAPS Motor Speedway.

Gutshall’s night began on a high note, as he powered to a heat race victory from the second starting position, showcasing early speed and confidence with his new team.

“We were quick time overall in hot laps, and right off the trailer we were the best car on the track,” said Gutshall. “We quickly got to the lead in the heat race, and we ran well. It was nice to show speed and be competitive right out of the gate.”

The heat race win locked Gutshall into the eighth starting spot for the evening’s A-main event. Wasting no time, he surged forward and cracked the top six early in the race before adversity struck.
“We got to sixth early in the A-main and got caught up in a deal,” Gutshall explained. “We unfortunately had to go to the back, and the car was pretty bent up with a broken W-link.”

Despite the setback, Gutshall’s resilience and the team’s preparation were evident as he methodically carved his way back through the field to salvage a top-six finish.

“Even with a car that sustained damage, we worked our way back to sixth, and to do that with a banged-up car shows how good this team truly is. I’m thankful for the opportunity.”

Team owner Scott Hess praised the performance, noting both the speed and determination displayed in their first outing together and expressing optimism for the season ahead.

Gutshall echoed those sentiments.

“I got in the car, and it drove like a Cadillac,” he said. “I can’t be any happier about this situation. They have a solid group of guys working on the car, great equipment, and I think we’re going to be a force to reckon with all year long.”

The strong debut sets the tone for what could be a promising partnership as Gutshall and Scott Hess Racing continue to build momentum early in the season.

The team’s next scheduled appearance will again be in winged Sportsman competition on April 4 at BAPS Motor Speedway.

Tony Jackson and Scott Hess Racing put the exclamation point on a remarkable season in 2025, competing in 37 events across both the winged and wingless Sportsman divisions and delivering a results sheet that read like a highlight reel: 15 victories, 8 runner-up finishes, four third-place runs, one fourth, and three fifth-place finishes.

Even more telling than the trophies was the week-to-week consistency. The team never finished outside the top five unless sidelined by mechanical failure or an on-track accident, a testament to preparation, execution, and the steady partnership between driver and team.

“It was like a dream year. It kind of stings a little bit to walk away after a year like that, but we’ll embrace what we did and see where things go from here,” said Jackson.

The season’s momentum culminated in two championships, with Jackson and Hess securing the Wingless Championship at Path Valley Speedway and the Hess Ornamental Iron Wingless Tour Championship as well—an unforgettable pair of titles that perfectly framed a year that began with major news.

Prior to the season, Jackson announced that 2025 would be his final year before stepping away into retirement, adding extra meaning to every victory lane photo, podium celebration, and championship moment.

“Knowing this was my last full season made every race count a little more,” Jackson added. “To be able to finish it like this—with wins, with championships, and with the people who’ve meant so much to me—this is the kind of ending you dream about.”

Now, with the season complete, Jackson looks back on his career with gratitude and pride, excited for what’s next while reflecting fondly on his time behind the wheel.

“Racing has given me memories I’ll carry forever, and to say I was part of the history of the Sportsman division is pretty darn special,” Jackson said. “I’m proud of what we accomplished, and I’m thankful for everyone who supported me—my family, my crew, and every fan who cheered us on. I’m excited for the next chapter, but I’ll always be grateful for this one.”

For team owner Scott Hess, the offseason is already taking shape. Plans are currently being assembled to place a new driver in the seat for the 2026 season, but Hess emphasized that moving on from Jackson doesn’t close the door on the partnership.

“Tony’s retirement is bittersweet for all of us,” Hess said. “You don’t replace a driver like that—you build the next chapter and appreciate what you had. And I’ll say this: there will always be a seat warm for Tony here. If he ever gets the itch to race again, we’ll be ready.”

“The expectations were to always win some races and have fun racing, but Tony not only exceeded the expectations, but he set a precedent that will be hard to match going forward. I didn’t even know Tony when we started racing, and through racing we’ve built quite a relationship, but now we’re pretty much family, and I can’t thank him enough.”

Scott Hess Racing will announce additional 2026 plans—including driver and schedule details—at a later date.

Season by the Numbers (2025)

• Events: 37
• Wins: 15
• Runner-Ups: 8
• Third-Place Finishes: 4
• Fourth-Place Finishes: 1
• Fifth-Place Finishes: 3
• Championships: 2
  
  • Path Valley Speedway Wingless Championship
  • Hess Ornamental Iron Wingless Tour Championship

Tony Jackson and Scott Hess Racing captured yet another dominant victory this past Saturday at BAPS Motor Speedway, marking their impressive 14th win of the 2025 racing season. This victory, however, holds extra significance as it also marks Jackson’s 60th career win, adding another milestone to the long list of accomplishments in his storied racing career.

This weekend’s triumph, which came in Winged Sportsman competition, could very well be Jackson’s final time behind the wheel of a winged sportsman car, adding an air of irony and celebration to the already remarkable feat. As Jackson winds down his career, he continues to show the skill, determination, and consistency that have made him one of the most respected drivers in the Sportsman division.

“Realistically, I thought we would get to 50 as we started the year at 46, but I didn’t imagine 60 was in the cards,” said Jackson. “I’ve won a lot of races in my career, but this is the most we’ve ever had in one season. It’s been an unbelievable season.”

Jackson’s journey to victory lane started off with a solid performance in his heat race, where he finished exactly where he started—4th. The effort set him up well for the A-Main event, where he would line up in the same position. By the time the green flag waved, Jackson was already up to 2nd place, and within a handful of laps, he took the lead. From there, it was all Jackson, as he controlled the race and led the rest of the way to take the checkered flag with an impressive margin of 6.034 seconds.

“Honestly, the track wasn’t really to our liking early in the night, but Scott really convinced me the car would come to us later, and boy was he right,” said Jackson. “The car was so good come feature time, and when the car feels that good, you really just have to not mess it up.”

With only a handful of races remaining in the 2025 season, Jackson remains focused on finishing strong. The team will head to Path Valley Speedway next Saturday for one night of wingless competition.

“We’ve got a few shows left to go on the season and I’m looking forward to closing things out strong,” he said. “We’ve been so good in the wingless car all season, so I’m feeling confident in our chances, and I’m just having a lot of fun these days at the track.”

Scott Hess Racing and driver Tony Jackson continued their standout 2025 campaign this past weekend, adding another win to the tally with a commanding performance in wingless competition at BAPS Motor Speedway. The victory marked Jackson’s 10th of the season, further solidifying his reputation as a serious contender every time he hits the track.

Jackson’s night started strong as he powered from third to win his heat race, earning a seventh-place starting position for the A-Main. Once the green flag dropped, the No. 88 machine was on a mission. With a fast car underneath him, Jackson wasted no time charging to the front, taking the lead on lap five. From there, he never looked back, stretching his advantage to an impressive 6.9-second margin of victory at the checkered flag.

“Scott wasn’t with us as he was in Texas for work, so this just goes to show just how good of a team we have,” said Jackson. “He was on the phone with us throughout the night, kind of helping from afar, but it made it more special to know we can just kind of unload and be fast like that, no matter.”

The team now turns its attention to a busy upcoming weekend of double-duty action. On Friday, Jackson will compete in both winged and wingless sportsman divisions at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, followed by another twin-bill Saturday night at Path Valley Speedway Park.

With the prestigious Sportsman 100 looming next weekend, Jackson views this stretch of races as an important opportunity to both fine-tune their winged program and continue building momentum.

“We’ve saved a motor for the 100 that we’re going to bring out for the Grove, so this will be a good way to see where we stack up,” he said. “We’ve really kind of veered away from the winged program this year, so this is a perfect opportunity to get dialed in and hopefully end this year on a good note.”

Fans can follow along with updates, photos, and behind-the-scenes coverage of Jackson and Scott Hess Racing on the team’s official social media channels.