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Giltner, NE - The High Banks’ legend has been cultivated by 100 years of competition. In the case of Chad Humston, the story is a work in progress that is taking the fast track…one that now includes taking the checkers at Belleville!

Chad’s career began in the Junior Class Mini-sprints at the age of 12. His first win came in 2000 while running the restricted A Class. He racked up six more wins to start the year, so the officials rescinded an age requirement to allow Chad to move up. The teenager responded by taking 8 more checkers in the unrestricted class before the end of the season. He compiled close to 40 victories, numerous honors, & multiple titles, including the Central States Championship, during his mini-sprint days.

Hartford, South Dakota will hold a fond spot in the Humston’s hearts. Chad ran his first sprint car race there in 2002, winning his heat race & advancing seven spots in the feature for a top-five finish. Over the next couple of years, Chad would wheel both 360 & 410 sprint cars throughout the Midwest. His rides included car #24B for Gary Swensen, Bruce Rossman‘s #3R, & the family-owned Humston #23C. Highlights included winning his first feature on July 11, 2003 at the weekly sprint show in Rising City, NE, and making his High Banks debut on July 28^th, 2005.

In 2007-08, owner Rick Hunnicutt signed Chad to pilot his late model across the plains. The teaming paid off right out of the trailer, with Chad taking the checkers at McCool Junction, NE, in his first LM race. They picked up 5 more victories over the two-year period, running SLMR & NCRA stops. During the ‘08 season, Chad struck up a deal with Lincoln, Nebraska’s Mark Burch and his open wheel team. They ran a limited number of shows in preperation for the next year and a full slate of sprint car racing. Crew Chief Marvin Brees helped pull the #1M team together, and the “Banana Wagon” began to produce consistent finishes.

Chad’s first full year behind the wheel of the #1M was a challenge, but it produce three wins in the highly-competitive ASCS regional sprint series. The first two wins came at the I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, NE and the I-90 Speedway in Hartford, SD. The Butler County Motorplex’ first annual “Race To Remember” provided the season’s final race and a victory to propel Chad, Mark, & Marvin into the next year with a trailer-load of optimism.

The Mark Burch Motorsports team ran 35 events in 2010, compiling 28 top-ten finishes, 18 top-five’s, and snatching victory in 8 races. The highlights from the season included winning his first feature at Knoxville, Iowa, placing third in points in the weekly 360 Sprint series, and earning the Lyle Boyd Hard Charger Award for passing the most cars during the feature events. Chad had Lady Luck intervene to ruin a fantastic shot at winning the 360 Nationals at Knoxville in August. After being the high points man and earning the pole position for the Saturday night finale, Chad led the first nine laps before a front suspension part gave way. The 24-year old collected his final checkered flag of 2010 over the Labor Day weekend. Chad lined up on the pole for the NCRA 360 event, weathered a pair of restarts, and put the exclamation mark on the 100^th Year of Racing on the High Banks.

For 2011, the Mark Burch Motorsports / Chad Humston Racing team will again be together as one. As his website says, “A potent combination loved by many and feared by more !”

Congratulations and Best of Luck to you, Chad Humston, the High Banks Hall of Fame / National Midget Racing Driver of the Month !