Strickler in Bloomquist's car at Port Royal
Kyle Strickler of Mooresville, N.C., will pilot a Scott Bloomquist Racing car — with the team’s Hall of Fame driver by his side serving as crew chief — in the May 21-22 World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series doubleheader at Port Royal (Pa.) Speedway, commencing a relationship that will put Strickler in the Team Zero camp moving forward.
Without a ride since his recent split with PCC Motorsports’ Craig Sims but still ranked third in the WoO points standings, Strickler found more than a stopgap with Bloomquist’s Mooresburg, Tenn.-based team and chassis-building enterprise. The 37-year-old racer will follow his weekend action in one of Bloomquist’s iconic machines by taking possession of his own Team Zero cars and racing them for the remainder of the 2021 season with backing from his existing sponsors, including Donaldson Grading and G-Style Transport.
“I think anybody would probably agree that Kyle’s a talent, he’s not scared to work, he’s not scared to race hard and he’s capable of winning,” said SBR president Cody Sommer. “He basically came to us just recently about wanting to drive Team Zero Race Cars, so we put together a plan. He has reason to need to be racing this weekend, (and) because of it, he’s taking our equipment and rig, he’s taking it all, and we’re gonna field him at Port Royal.”
Sommer added that Bloomquist will step out of the cockpit to work with Strickler this weekend in order to speed up his learning curve as he switches from the Longhorn cars he’s campaigned for the majority of his fledgling Dirt Late Model career.
“I’d say it’s most people’s dream to have an opportunity like this,” said Strickler, who was at Bloomquist’s shop on Wednesday getting fitted in the legend’s car and prepping for Port Royal. “Scott and I have been getting a lot closer over the last couple years here, and this just feels right. Especially with this time and situation that I’m in, it means a lot for him to help me like he is and hopefully work towards something for the future.”
Strickler will have his own Clements Chevy engine under the hood of Bloomquist’s car at Port Royal. A new Vic Hill powerplant that Strickler’s obtained last week with backing from his sponsors is also available to him.
The 57-year-old Bloomquist, who dropped off the WoO tour following last month’s events at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway and hasn’t raced since then, plans to make his return to competition in the May 27-29 Show-Me 100 weekend at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo.
