CONCORD, N.C. — Story by Race Chaser Online Managing Editor Jacob Seelman – CMS/John Davison photo –
DRIVER: Sheldon Crouse
AGE: 22
WINS: 4
TOP FIVES: 8
TOP TENS: 9
DNFS: 1
FINAL POINTS: 412 (out of a possible 460)
BEST ON-TRACK MOMENTS: Winning his first career Shootout race during Round 4; Winning Round 10 to clinch the Semi-Pro championship.
BEST OFF-TRACK MOMENT: Maintaining his longtime friendship with Devo Motorsports teammate John Holleman IV in the midst of the duo’s battle for the season title.
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Sheldon Crouse has been waiting to have a breakout season at the Bojangles’ Summer Shootout Series for three years.
This season he finally realized that long-sought after dream.
Crouse, in his third year competing in the 10-week summer series at Charlotte Motor Speedway, not only scored his first-career Shootout win during Round 4 in the Semi-Pro class, he went on a roll that included three straight victories and added a fourth during Champion’s Night to best teammate John Holleman IV for his first-career Shootout championship.
The run was one that Crouse equated to “a dream,” adding that all he wanted to do coming into the summer was break through and win once.
“We certainly did more than that, didn’t we?” Crouse laughed. “This is way more than I could have ever hoped for. To win four races and take the championship on the final night — that’s unbelievable. I’ve only been racing these cars for three years and for it to have started as a hobby and to be where it is now, I just don’t know what to say. This has been an amazing run.”
The 22-year-old is not a racer first, however. Crouse has learned many of the mental skills necessary to excel behind the wheel from his chosen profession though the week — as a first responder and EMT in Cabarrus County — and says that there are parallels between the two, even if one might not think so at first.
“Both are very fast-paced of course; you’ve got to think on your toes all the time,” Crouse said. “Much like a race is never the same, an emergency response is never the same, you have to take both second by second.”
“I used to think that there was so much pressure and stress involved in racing. But now I can be a lot more relaxed, because you don’t know pressure until you have somebody’s life in your hands.”
Crouse was very relaxed en route to his best-career Shootout season, and even more impressive? He did so with minimal practice and far less rest than any of his competitors.
“Sometimes it is rough, especially running without sleep,” Crouse explained. “I get off work Tuesday morning and then come straight here when the gates open just to work on my car and make adjustments and get my car ready. It seems like we always make it happen though.”
Crouse added that his season would not have been possible without the support of three people — crew chief (and former Shootout competitor) Steven Cantrell, veteran car owner Devo Keith, and his mom Brenda, who came to CMS all the way from California to be in attendance for her son’s big night.
“I wouldn’t even be close to where I am right now if it weren’t for Steven and Devo,” Crouse explained. “Steven and I excelled at each level of go-kart racing and just moved up the ranks, from club level up to regional level up to national level together. He’s the one that got me started racing Legends [in 2013] as well. We put a car together in a week and soon I was on the track racing without even ever practicing. We finished fourth in the points standings that year — and that was pretty amazing — but what he’s helped me do this year has been even more amazing than that. He’s like my brother, and he really helped me keep my head straight as we got down to business at the end of this year. I owe him so much in all of this.”
“[Winning the title] is awesome for Devo too,” Crouse added. “He’s taught me so much in the time I’ve worked with him, so to be able to bring this championship trophy back to the shop and finally give him something huge to celebrate — and with John finishing second in points right behind me — it’s just amazing for this whole team and we’ll be celebrating this one for a while.”
“And my mom — how much can you say about your parents? She’s been supportive of me in everything that I’ve ever done and for her to come all the way across country to be there during Round 10 when we were able to bring it home … that means more than anything I could ever ask. I know how much it meant for her to be here with me, and I’m glad we were able to seal the deal and make some memories that my entire family will never forget.”
So now that he’s finally broken through at the Shootout, what’s next for the West Coast transplant and newly-minted short track star?
“I’m not sure yet, to be honest,” Crouse smiled. “We’re going to celebrate and soak this title up for a while, and then I’ll go back to saving lives and see where life goes from there.”
“By next summer, who knows? Maybe we’ll be in position to challenge for another Shootout championship.”
For more information on U.S. Legend Cars International, visit www.uslegendcars.com, and for more information on the Bojangles’ Summer Shootout, visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network. Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s. He is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for both the United Sprint Car Series and the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
Email Jacob at: [email protected]
Follow on Twitter: @Speed77Radio or @JacobSeelman77
