Tucker Boulton made his first 305 sprint car start during the fall of 2018. Since then, he has honed his skills in the division and culminated it by winning the 2022 Mid-South Sprint Car Ass’n championship.
The 20-year-old began his racing career at the age of 4. He got his start in go-karts and was a two-time national champion before graduating to mini sprints.
Boulton, a first-generation driver, developed a love of sprint car racing at a very young age.
“Once we got into go-karts, as soon as our race was over at the end of the night we’d run over to Riverside Speedway and watch the sprint cars run,” Boulton recalled. “That was something we were a big fan of.”
The Brighton, Tenn., native decided to make the jump to sprint cars after three seasons in mini sprints. The family ultimately decided on 305 sprint cars, as there were several events in the area and it was an affordable option.
“It was a stepping-stone for sure,” Boulton explained. “Just learning how a sprint car handles, works and the different driving styles, it was really the next stepping-stone from the mini sprint. It was also something local we could do to dabble our way into the sprint cars.”
Boulton fondly remembers his first night driving a sprint car.
“I remember it like it was yesterday,” he said. “It was at Lexington 104 Speedway. We rented a car from a local guy. It was a 305 and we went and raced with the 360s. That night I started second in the heat race and finished second in the heat race. I ended up starting on pole in the feature with the 360s.
“I started off with a little bit of big head because I felt confident after starting on pole with the 360s,” Boulton said with a laugh. “Little did I know I just got lucky that one night. It was a learning experience. It was a feeling like nothing else. I felt at home the moment I sat in a sprint car.”
The family purchased the car the next day.
“With a little bit of sponsorship help, we had a car the very next day,” Boulton said. “It was the car that we ran that first night.”
Boulton began his first full season in the 305s in 2019. He had a successful rookie effort by all accounts. He was the Mid-South Sprint Car Ass’n and Riverside Int’l Speedway rookie of the year. He was second in the MSCA final standings and third in the Riverside Int’l Speedway standings. He was also awarded Riverside’s Greg Hodnett Pursuing Excellence award.
His 2019 accolades didn’t go unnoticed. He was offered the chance to drive for car owner Bobby Sparks prior to the 2020 racing season. He won his first feature later that season.
“We were racing for the championship that season. At Riverside, we got together with another car and totaled our car,” Boulton recalled. “A good friend of ours loaned us his car. Three weeks later, I won my first 305 race at Riverside in a car that wouldn’t even run.”
Shortly after, Boulton made the leap to 360s.
“We had some people who raced 360s and put different people in their cars, reach out to us,” Boulton said. “They made us believe we could do it and were gonna give us an opportunity. We ended up buying a 360 engine and trying it in 2021.”
Prior to the 2022 season, Boulton teamed with another car owner with intentions of competing for the MSCA championship.
“Jim Kinney and I became good friends over the winter,” Boulton noted. “We partnered and decided we would run for the MSCA championship. We would dabble in our own 360 here and there.”
Boulton says his 2022 season, couldn’t have gone any better.
“It was an awesome year. We won the very first MSCA race of the year and we won the last MSCA race of the year,” he said. “In between then, I think we finished outside of the top five only once. We were very consistent and fast every weekend.”
With the 305 title under his belt, Boulton will focus on 360 racing this season.
“We plan on moving up and staying up,” he said. “I would absolutely like to make it to the 410s. That has been a long-term dream of mine. But for now, we need to try and learn these 360s and make a name for ourselves.”
FAST FACTS
Tucker Boulton
Birthday: Dec. 16, 2002
Hometown: Memphis, Tenn.
Series: Mid-South Sprint Car Association
Sponsors: Henderson Recovery, NAPA of Millington, Greenpoint AG, Aloha affordable Pools, RE Technologies, Nutrition Stop of Arlington
This story appeared in the Jan. 11 edition of the SPEED SPORT Insider.
