Besides the 16 All Star wins (he had nine All Star victories in 2018), Reutzel also scored a World of Outlaw victory at California’s Perris Auto Speedway in March.
Among those triumphs have been big-paying events such as the $52,000-to-win Tuscarora 50 at Pennsylvania’s Port Royal Speedway and a $12,554 victory at Atomic Speedway in Ohio. He has taken the checkered flag on several $10,000-or-better-to-win events as well.
After starting on the pole for the Knoxville Nationals, Reutzel came home in fifth after being the Nationals’ hard charger in 2017 (19th to seventh).
“For whatever reason, I seem to get around Knoxville pretty good. The last three years we’ve gotten better and better,” Reutzel acknowledged. “I was disappointed this year. We went in with a game plan of what we were going to do and when it didn’t pan out like we expected we panicked a little at the break and did things to the car we shouldn’t have done.
“I think the Nationals shows how tough the All Star competition is,” Reutzel added. “There are always three to four All Star teams in the A-main. Just to make the A with that competition is tough.”
The Baughman-Reutzel race team calls Knoxville, Iowa, home, working from the shop on St. Rt. 14 north of town that once housed Kerry Madsen’s Kinetic Racing operation.
“I love Knoxville,” Reutzel said. “It’s a quiet little town but everything you could need is within driving distance and it’s so close to a lot of racing that pays good money. If there’s a rain out in Pennsylvania, we are already in Knoxville so we can run a weekly show. There’s also a lot of $10,000-to-win 360 shows within four to five hours of here, so we have another option.”
Another “cool” thing that occurred for Reutzel this year involved team owner Josh Baughman.
“We both won races on the same night twice this year,” Reutzel said proudly. “Josh doesn’t get a lot of chances to race, so it’s hard for him to have success with as tough as it is out here. For him to get two big wins against tough competition speaks a lot to his skill.”
Reutzel said his plans for 2020 are still undecided. Many believe he and the Baughman team should hit the road with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series.
“We actually thought about it in 2018, but we thought we needed a little more learning time in something that wasn’t as stressful like the Outlaws,” Reutzel said. “But coming home to my family (wife Shelbey and kids Carson, 6, and Riley, 2) opened my eyes a little. When I’m home now Carson is at school, so I don’t get to see him that much.
“I love spending time with my wife and kids and I don’t want to miss them growing up,” he continued. “My kids won’t always be little, but the World of Outlaws aren’t going anywhere so there’s still time to pursue that dream. The Baughmans are big on family, so they understand.”
Reutzel said the team could go after a third straight All Star title or go with more of an “outlaw” type schedule.
“That’s the beauty of living and racing in this area. We have a lot of choices between the All Stars, World of Outlaws and open shows that pay great,” Reutzel explained. “This year proved we can go compete and beat the best. We won an All Star race at Williams Grove (Speedway in Pennsylvania) this year and that broke a very long drought for the All Stars beating the Posse. That’s a huge confidence booster to know we can go to any track on any night and have a shot at winning.”
Reutzel is planning to run some wintertime midget races in cars owned by Chad Boat.
“I really want to get a little more seat time in the midgets in preparation for the Chili Bowl. They are so much fun to drive and the competition is just as tough as any form of racing out there,” Reutzel said.
Reutzel claims it’s difficult to put into words what the last two years have meant to his family.
“I’ve been given an unbelievable opportunity and I’m surrounded by really great people and I can’t tell them enough how grateful I am for every single person involved with this team,” he said. “Of course, winning is fun but it’s the nights when not everything goes your way when I really understand how fantastic it is to have these people in my corner.”