Zach Blurton was born the son of a racer. His father, John, began racing in 1978, competing in stock cars before moving to sprint cars.
Zach Blurton was born the son of a racer. His father, John, began racing in 1978, competing in stock cars before moving to sprint cars, running with NCRA and claiming the series championship in 1990.
Blurton‘s desire to take part in motorsports began at just two-and-a-half years of age, playing around on motorcycles before his mother suggested that he not follow that path into racing.
In 2001, Zach‘s father became co-owner of Jetmore Motorplex and retired from driving.
At roughly age 14, Zach began helping some local racers, and started racing karts.
However, with only a few karting events around his hometown of Quinter, Kan., although he was running competitively, Blurton only ran about 20 shows before deciding to move on.
In 2010, he and his father attended the Tulsa Shootout to learn more about micro-sprints, thinking they would be a good option for the younger Blurton.
But with John‘s background in sprint cars, it was decided that he could put together a sprint car just as easily, and the decision was made.
John Blurton pieced together an engine and the duo built a low-buck 305 sprinter.
Zach attended a sprint car driving school put on by the United Rebel Sprint Series, the popular 305ci sprint car series, before launching his sprint car career.
His first night out was a weekly non-winged 305 show at Dodge City Raceway Park and he earned the checkered flag.
However, the night began with some drama.
“It was our first night out in the car, and I hadn‘t turned any laps without the wing,” recalled Blurton. “We went out for hot laps and I was thinking, ‘This thing‘s a dog; the non-wing car‘s a little different. This thing isn‘t running right.‘ And it turned out that my dad had put the gears in upside down.
“It was the only time in all his years racing he‘d ever done that,” Zach added with a laugh.
Blurton began competing with the URSS and finished fifth in points, earning the 2010 URSS National Rookie of the Year honors.
The Blurtons updated their equipment, debuting a better quality mount for the 2011 season. Blurton earned his first winged victory, taking the checkers in the Steve King Memorial at the track his father had built and previously owned, Jetmore, and claimed another win with the URSS series, finishing fourth in points for the season.
Following the 2011 season, the Blurtons put together a 360 and Zach competed with the NCRA throughout the 2012 season, finishing fifth in points and earning NCRA Rookie of the Year honors. He also claimed a URSS feature win with the 305.
“That winter was my senior year of high school,” Blurton explained. “Me and my dad decided that we wanted to go race weekly at Knoxville. We got a shop from a guy in Indianola. We would leave Fridays after my dad got off from work.”
ZACH BLURTON
DOB: – Sept. 3, 1994
HOMETOWN: – Quinter, Kan.
SERIES: – United Rebel Sprint Series, 360ci and 305ci sprint cars
SPONSORS: – J&K Trucking, Martin family, Randy Patterson Welding, King Racing Products, Joe‘s Hand Cleaner, Jon Johnson, parents John and Connie Blurton, in-laws Randy and Nike Patterson, and wife Ally and daughter Zannah.
It was a nine-hour drive each way to and from Knoxville, and the duo would drive straight to the shop to prepare the car for Saturday night.
Zach finished the 2013 Knoxville Raceway season 10th in points and was the Knoxville Raceway 360 Rookie of the Year.
When possible, he fit in some URSS shows, earning three wins with the series that season with the 305.
The 2014 season began with an inaugural appearance at the Chili Bowl, driving a car owned by Don Droud Jr. After that, Blurton ran the full URSS season, but claimed just one win for the year.
He rebounded the following season, finishing in the runner-up spot in URSS national points in 2015 and earning the URSS Kansas Region championship with three wins.
In 2016, the URSS switched to IMCA Racesaver rules, and Blurton again ran second in points after earning five feature wins and claimed the URSS Colorado Region championship.
Blurton also earned the IMCA Racesaver National Rookie of the Year honors.
The 2017 campaign saw Blurton claim three feature wins on his way to his first URSS National championship. He also finished ninth out of hundreds of drivers in the national IMCA Racesaver Series points.
Blurton earned four wins on his way to his second consecutive URSS championship in 2018. In 2019, he earned his third URSS national title in a row.
This past season, Blurton claimed a dominating 11 feature wins on his way to earning his fourth consecutive POWRi Lucas Oil United Rebel Sprint Series title, including the last five races of the schedule.
In addition, he finished the season fourth in the IMCA Racesaver national point standings.
Owner Jeff Stefonik also put Blurton in his No. 11 360 sprint car for the season last year.
“Last year was the first time I‘ve ever driven someone else‘s car for a whole year, and man it was great,” Blurton shared. “Jeff gives me anything that I think is gonna make a difference, so I am so, so grateful for what he has provided me with.”
This year Blurton is again running the 360 for Stefonik, as well as his own No. 2j 305 sprinter. And, he‘s looking to run a true outlaw schedule.
“All I‘ve ever done is run for points. I don‘t wanna run for points this year, I just wanna go to the race track to win,” Blurton explained.