TGR StaffHenry Repeating Arms featured a debut entry at Bristol Dirt Nationals in the Open Modifieds class, driven by Spring Valley, Wisconsin native Jake Hartung. The team arrived from the company’s Rice Lake, Wisconsin headquarters on Monday to get a whole week of qualifying features under the tires before this weekend’s finals on Saturday evening. Hartung is co-owner of SSR Race Cars, a fabrication, and parts shop specializing in designing and building open-wheel modified dirt-track cars. Hartung has been competing for over a decade and has several championship titles to his name.
“There is something magical about this track that just makes you want to get after it,” says Hartung. He continues, “This is a bucket list race for me, and it means a lot to have the support of such a great crew around me all week. The car feels great, the track is fast, and I am ready to put on a good show for everyone.”
Henry Repeating Arms, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, is also no stranger to the racetrack. In addition to local dirt track racing, the company is the title sponsor of the Henry 180 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, the primary sponsor of Riley Herbst’s No. 98 Henry Ford Mustang for that race, and the sponsor of 2021 USAC Silver Crown Champion Kody Swanson’s non-wing asphalt sprint car for this season.
Henry Repeating Arms’ company president, Andy Wickstrom, says, “This is our first time racing at Bristol Motor Speedway, and the reception from fans and everyone at the track has been outstanding so far.” Wickstrom continues, “While rifles and shotguns are our bread and butter and what we do best, we’re all huge gearheads too. This race provides us with a platform to share our story, meet some customers and dealers face-to-face, and let us have a bit of fun at the same time.”
