Archive for category: Sportsman

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 the Scott Hess Racing team continued their dominant 2025 campaign this past weekend, capturing their 15th victory of the season with an impressive wingless feature win at Selinsgrove Speedway.

Jackson started the night with determination, charging from his fifth-place starting spot in the heat race to take the win, securing the third starting position for the evening’s 20-lap main event. When the green flag dropped, Jackson fell back a spot. However, by lap six, he had worked himself into the lead, and he never looked back, taking the checkered flag in convincing fashion.

“We fell back as far as fourth early in things, but we just worked ourselves back to the front around lap six,” said Jackson. “The track was in really good shape and things went nonstop, so once we got to the lead it was just my job not to mess it up.”

The triumph marks another highlight in what has been a standout year for Jackson and the Scott Hess Racing team. As the 2025 season nears its conclusion — and with Jackson preparing to step away from full-time competition — every race has taken on added significance.

The team will take the upcoming weekend off, but they have two more events remaining on their 2025 schedule before Jackson officially retires from the sport.

“We have two races left on the schedule, and when you look at how the weather has been, it’s kind of starting to sink in that this could be the last one,” he said. “I’m trying to soak in each race, win as many as we can, and just take it all in every time we hit the track.”

With 15 wins already under their belt, Jackson and the Scott Hess Racing team aim to finish their storybook season — and Jackson’s career — on the highest possible note.

Tony Jackson and Scott Hess Racing continued their remarkable 2025 campaign with a pair of victories over a grueling double-dose, double-duty weekend. Competing in four events across two nights, the team collected two more checkered flags, pushing their season total to an impressive 12 wins.

Friday Night at Williams Grove Speedway

The weekend began under the lights of Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, where 21-winged sportsman cars filled the pit area.   Following timed hot laps, Jackson lined up fourth for the main event.

From the drop of the green flag, Jackson charged from fourth to second on the opening lap. Just three laps later, he executed a bold move around the outside to seize the lead. From there, it was smooth sailing as Jackson stretched his advantage and claimed victory in dominant fashion.

In wingless competition later that evening, Jackson delivered another thrilling performance. Swapping the lead several times in a hard-fought battle, he came up just short at the finish line, settling for a strong runner-up effort.

“We won the winged race from fourth, but I really had to change my driving as I lost brakes around lap 11. So, it was nice to hang on. In the wingless show, we missed it a little on set up, so to finish second was almost a relief. But overall, it was a good start to the weekend, and I felt like we had a car capable of winning both shows.”

Saturday at Path Valley Raceway

On Saturday, the team traveled to Path Valley Raceway for another night of double duty. Jackson once again showed his versatility, winning his wingless heat race before lining up eighth in the A-main. With calculated precision, he worked his way through the field and surged to the front, capturing his twelfth victory of the season.

In the winged sportsman division, Jackson started fourth and raced to the front of the field and victory looked like a given. However, as the laps winded down and lapped traffic became an issue, Jackson got turned around with two laps to go but kept going. With the blend rule in effect, Jackson lined up fifth for the final two circuits, which is where he finished.

“It took some time for us to get to the lead, and we were running away with the win in the winged show, but I got turned around in lapped traffic with two to go and it cost us. When it comes to the wingless show, the car was just so good that I could really run anywhere on the track. A lot of that is credit to the track and the surface they gave us, and I’d say that might have been the best I’ve seen all year long at Path Valley.”

Looking Ahead

Next on the schedule for Tony Jackson and Scott Hess Racing is one of the most prestigious events of the year: the Sportsman 100 at BAPS Motor Speedway. Jackson, a previous winner of the coveted race, will look to capture the crown jewel for the second time in his career. They’ll also compete on Sunday in winged sportsman competition at Selinsgrove Speedway.

With momentum from another successful weekend, the team is confident heading into one of the season’s biggest stages.

“We pulled out a motor that we’ve been saving for the 100 at the Grove and it was fast, but we’re going to stick with the one we’ve been running most the year. We easily could have won all four races this past weekend, so I feel super confident heading into the 100 lapper about our speed and program. This is a race where, a lot of the time, the fastest car doesn’t win it. You’ve got to kind of play the game and there’s some strategy to it. And I’ve always said you kind of must lose one before you can figure out how to win one. I felt like I let one get away a few years ago and then we turned around and won it the next year. I’d love to get another one here before we hang it up and I’m excited about our chances.

Tony Jackson and the Scott Hess Racing team are showing no signs of slowing down in 2025, as Jackson added two more wingless Sportsman victories and a runner-up finish over a stellar two-night stretch at Path Valley Speedway Park this past weekend. The strong showing brings Jackson’s season total to nine feature wins and further cements the team’s momentum as one of the top forces on the regional circuit.

“I feel pretty good about the way the car is running here right now,” said Jackson. “The goal this year was to have fun and when you’re winning races it’s easy to do as much.”

Kicking off the weekend on Friday night, Jackson took to the track for a make-up feature event, part of the prestigious Butch Shatzer Memorial. Battling through a competitive field, Jackson proved to be a front-runner, driving to a strong second-place finish and narrowly missing out on a win.

Later that evening, Jackson rolled off from the pole position in the night’s regularly scheduled A-main and wasted little time opening up a lead on the field. With precise execution and relentless pace, Jackson held onto the lead and never looked back, capturing his eighth win of the season.

“The track was pretty slick and tough to pass on, but we went fourth to second in the makeup and then lead every lap from the pole in the main show,” he said. “I really just had to find the right pace and hit my marks and ultimately we grinded out a win.”

Not satisfied with just one victory, Jackson and the Hess Racing team returned to Path Valley on Saturday night. After winning his heat race and earning a fourth-place starting spot for the A-main, Jackson wasted no time surging to the lead by the end of lap one. From there, he controlled the pace and crossed the line first to collect his ninth victory of the 2025 campaign.

“The guy running second had his noise under me there on the last lap, so we almost gave one away,” said Jackson. “Anytime you get to the front early you have to take advantage of it and we were fortunate enough to grab yet another checkered flag.”

Next up, Jackson will take part in a two-race weekend, with events scheduled at Williams Grove on Friday and Lincoln Speedway on Saturday. Friday night will see Jackson piloting Mike Callahan’s 358 Sprint Car, while Saturday marks a return to winged Sportsman competition with Hess.

“The 100 lapper is coming up so we’re really focused on trying to get our winged program right here towards the end of the season,” he said. “Aside from that, it’s nice that Mike is giving me some opportunities in the 358 and I’m really looking forward to seeing how we can do in that car.”

Fans can follow Jackson and Scott Hess Racing on social media for updates, race recaps, and more coverage as they continue their remarkable 2025 season.