By Joseph Terrell
Olympia, Wash: During the summer of 2022, Jesse Schlotfeldt was making noise and turning heads. Whether it was at the Dirt Cup or during the Outlaw swing, the Arlington, Wash., native was drawing attention.
So much so that even the former World of Outlaw NOS Energy Sprint Car series infield announcer gave him a nickname on the spot one night.
“Chase Raudman gave me the nickname B-Main Bandit after a few races because I won three out of the first four B-Mains I was in. Those were my first races against the Outlaws. The other B-Main I was in, I finished second to Logan Schuchart. It wasn’t too bad. It was pretty good,” Scholfedlt said in a recent phone interview.
Sure, no driver wants to run the B-Main, but making main events with the Outlaws is not easy, especially given the competitive fields out west. Just making the main every night is an accomplishment, and Schotlfeldt showed promise by making the first feature in his first five starts with the series.
But even before that showing, the 20-year-old graduate of the micro sprint ranks had already impressed many of the Skagit faithful with his performance at the 2022 Dirt Cup. After making the main event Thursday night and missing it Friday, Schlotfeldt came ready to play for the Saturday night finale.
“That Dirt Cup was one of those things where the final night I was running in the top 10, like ninth or tenth. I was running behind Eliason and his steering broke and I hit him and fell back to 15th and 16th. I had started like 18th and was in the top 10 with 30 or so laps to go. That is when I realized I liked the 410 more. There is more technicality.”
Schlofeldt raced a 410 Sprint Car nine times in 2022, his first starts in the division, and all came in high profile events and against stacked fields during Dirt Cup week and with the Outlaw swing at Skagit, Grays Harbor, and Silver Dollar.
He made seven of the nine main events against some of the stiffest competition on the West Coast. He never finished in the top 10, but he never looked overmatched either.
In 360 Sprint Car competition in 2022, Schlotfeldt had a win and eighth top fives. He finished fifth in both 360 and 410 points at Skagit Speedway.
Even before his breakout season of 2022, Schlotfeldt had shown some star power in 2021 during his rookie campaign. He ran second in his first 360 race at Skagit and then in late July finished second to Dominic Scelzi at Ocean Speedway in his first appearance in the Golden State.
Having that experience in the background, the SHARK Racing Engine employee by day, seemed prime for a big 2023. After a couple early season starts at Tulare and Cottage Grove, Schlotfeldt put on a clinic during opening night at Skagit and the thought of a huge season seemed like it was coming to fruition.
“I won opening night last year at Skagit in the 360. We had run in both divisions at Tulare already and struggled with the 410 but ran pretty good in the 360,” he said. “We had also raced at Cottage Grove in April but struggled.
“Then that night [at Skagit] I drove by (Jason) Solwold, (Trey) Starks and then (Colton) Heath. Not a lot of drivers do that at Skagit. It was a great start but after that, we just couldn’t seem to get right. After that win nothing was too memorable the rest of the season. Dirt Cup went pretty good, [he finished 11th] but that was about it.”
The reason the season didn’t stand out is because the results were not great in 2023, or at least not what Schlotfeldt had expected after 2022.
That doesn’t mean Schlotfeldt wasn’t competitive. He finished 10th in 360 points at Skagit despite missing two events and was third in 410 points at the track. In 32 total starts in 360 and 410 competition, Schlotfeldt tallied one win and eight top five finishes.
However, after thinking about it Schlotfeldt did recall one head turning moment in 2023, which occurred at the Summer Nationals at Skagit Speedway in late July … “The Summer Nationals I went from the C to the B to the A and finished sixth.”
After a terrible Friday night, Schlotfeldt was buried in his heat race Saturday based on points. Things didn’t get any better, and he found himself in the C-Main after coming into the weekend with hopes of competing for $12,000 first-place prize.
Schlotfeldt, though, stepped up to the challenge and started a soup run from the C to the A. When the dust had settled, Schlotfeldt’s SHARK powered Triple X had passed more than 20 cars and was scored sixth at the finish line.
One thing that may have had an effect on his performance in 2023 was a new hierarchy in the family team that saw Jesse take the reins from his Dad, Clint Schlotfeldt. This meant Jesse was responsible for managing the day-to-day operations, making sure the car was ready to go race, and ensuring the all necessary travel plans were made.
This was a big change that may have caused the young driver to lose focus at the track due to the new responsibilities.
“I think a lot of my inconsistent problems was my mentality towards the whole thing, I was starting to take over the racing thing,” Schlotfeldt said. “I wasn’t in the right mind. I do feel more mentally prepared and ready for this year.
“I think drivers know the mental part, but fans may not always catch it. I think I am now more established in life and can be the racer I want to be. Last year, my Dad wanted me to run the team. I plan out travel and everything on that end as well as being responsible for all the maintenance. The buck stops with me.”
Schlotfeldt was quick to point out that his longtime helper, Scout, is always in the shop and on the road with him. And he added Scout does a lot of the maintenance and work on the car, but it is not Scout’s race team; it is Jesse Schlotfeldt’s team. So, it’s ultimately his responsibility that everything is completed.
“It is all on me. It is me and Scout in the shop. But I am solely responsible. If something isn’t done, it is my fault. Scout does a lot of the work and will do whatever I ask but it’s on me if something goes undone.”
With a whole year under his belt running the team, and not just being the driver, Schlotfeldt feels he is better prepared for 2024 and ready to put his subpar 2023 season behind him.
So, what does this season have in store? More than likely a heavy dose of races in the northwest and specifically at Skagit. Because even though Schlotfeldt would like to travel more to get more exposure, that doesn’t always align with financial realities.
The reason is Skagit Speedway’s 410 purse ($5,000 to win and $500 start) and 360 purse ($2,500 to win and $240 to start) are much better than most of those in California. Schlotfeldt said the talent might be better, but the money just isn’t always that great in California.
“For us it means we are going to try to run every 410 weekly show [at Skagit]. It is just that there is a lot of positives and cons. For the weekly show it is a lot of money and to put it back in your racing operation, it makes it hard to justify traveling,” he said.
“The thing is Washington isn’t the place to do it; to make a name for yourself. I want to travel to where I can get the most publicity, but it doesn’t always make the most financial sense.”
Though the money may not always be right, expect Schlotfeldt to make some appearances in California for two reasons. First, the racing season in the northwest is short. Second, the competition in California is bound to attract young drivers trying to make their name.
And making his name is what Schlotfeldt is trying to do. Despite the urge to be financially stable, the lure of racing keeps calling even if he is unsure of his future.
“Being a racer is catch 22,” Schlotfeldt said. “Not sure what the future holds. Maybe I am waiting for that one moment that gives me a clear choice. I think one of my biggest concerns in my life is that I want to be financially stable. Racing can take away from that, but I love racing so much.”
Maybe 2024 will be the type of successful season Schlotfeldt is confident he can have, and the choice will become clear on what his future will be.