Every year, teams want to make strides. Sprint car driver Kody Hartlaub has done just that.
In 2016, he jumped in the 358 his grandfather owned. They would race what they could afford and took a break in 2019. That’s when Hartlaub says guidance was key, learning from the Siegels.
“They taught me everything that I know now, basically. They actually gave me a car to race and we went and ran a full season that year, a full season the following year, we put a different car together this year and won three races and a championship. Can’t complain," said Hartlaub.
He’s only been racing full-time since 2021, and just two years later, Hartlaub won the Lincoln Speedway Track Championship in the 358, narrowly missing the Williams Grove Track Championship.
Hartlaub has deep roots racing with family members racing and owning teams. He started in 2005 where he raced Go-Karts until 2009.
The Hartlaubs are all in. They built a shop last year in his parents' backyard.
In June, midway through the season, Hartlaub gave the 410 division a try, and in his fifth race out, he finished second to Freddie Rahmer at Lincoln.
He dabbled and got some experience before receiving a call he wasn’t expecting from World of Outlaws driver and car owner Bill Rose.
Todd Berkheimer, who’s currently Outlaw driver Brock Zearfoss’ crew chief, put a good word in for Hartlaub. Next thing you know, Rose is calling him, asking Hartlaub if he can fill in for him after an accident took Rose out of the mix.
Hartlaub raced both nights at the National Open at the Grove and then the next week at the Nittany Showdown at Port Royal. Rose wanted Hartlaub to come on the road with him in 2024 but unfortunately, financially, Hartlaub wouldn’t have been able to swing it.
“I still can’t believe it happened. I mean, I wish our results could have been better. I never thought I’d race with the Outlaws, let alone being hired to do it for an Outlaw team," said Hartlaub.
2024 is going to be the biggest year yet for Hartlaub, moving up and racing the 410 full-time. He'll mostly be racing at Lincoln with a few other tracks sprinkled in the mix, like BAPS and Williams Grove
“I don’t want to become a great driver at one track. I want to become a good driver at every track and I know that takes money and time but that’s our team's goal. That’s our goal for everything, become the best that we can be," said Hartlaub.
High Limit Series
It's a big weekend in Indy for the PRI (Performance Racing Industry) show.
Two Pennsylvania cars committed to racing the High Limit Series. Justin Peck and Buch Motorsports will give it a dabble after racing a true outlaw season, last year, and after completing two consecutive years with the Outlaws and being named to the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award.
Spencer Bayston and CJB Motorsports have also committed to High Limit. The number of drivers and teams committing to be a "high roller" keeps increasing as the series is at ten teams officially announcing.