Pfluger drives ‘Ford Fusion’ to 11th place

Scott Rueschenberg (left) and Victor Pfluger

Local racecar driver Victor Pfluger took 11th place at the recent Concord Motorsports Parks Super Sonic 100 ASA Late Model South series race.

The Project Blue Oval Ford Fusion has already been in Victory Lane at Tucson Raceway Park seven times this season with owner/driver Scott Rueschenberg behind the wheel, but Rueschenberg’s commitment to run a limited ASA Late Model schedule this season would mean “The Ruesch” would miss the July 5 race at Tucson Raceway Park and most likely surrender his point lead to last year’s Champion, Joe Paladenic.

As things worked out, Paladenic won that event and seized the points lead while Rueschenberg competed at the famous I-70 Speedway with his ASA team. The summer monsoon break at TRP allowed the Desert Mountain Medical team to bring the Blue Oval Fusion east for the summer and put the car to the test against North America’s best Late Models, but the question was, who do we put in the Blue Oval Ford Fusion?

Since the start of the 2008 season, Rueschenberg in his Blue Oval Ford Fusion has only been beaten by two drivers - his ASA Late Model teammate and 2007 ASA North Champion Trent Snyder and 2007 ASA Speedtruck Challenge Champion young Victor Pfluger.

On May 3, Pfluger narrowly beat Rueschenberg to win the biggest race of his career while also beating three-time Craftsman Series Truck Champion Ron Hornaday in Tucson Raceway Park’s Hornaday 100, but Pfluger hasn’t raced since due to budget concerns.

With Snyder already committed, Rueschenberg tabbed Pfluger for a one-race deal at Concord Motorsports Parks Super Sonic 100 ASA Late Model South series race, driving the Desert Mountain Medical Blue Oval Ford Fusion, and Pfluger did not disappoint the team with his efforts.

After collecting the car from the folks at GAT Racing in Tucson Arizona Pfluger and veteran Crew Chief Chuck LaHorgue spent a couple of days at Eddie Sharp Racing with help from ESR employee Kyle O’Brien setting the Ford up for Concord’s unique tri-oval layout. While loading the car for the trip to the raceway, the radiator was damaged and the hasty repairs robbed valuable practice time on Friday night, leaving Pfluger and team behind the eight ball. Pfluger and the Ford qualified a conservative 21st and relied on their team’s long race set-up strategy to get a good finish.

Early on in the 100 lapper, Pfluger got tagged and spun, putting him a lap down, but he was able to run times close to the leader and keep in contention while waiting out the possibility of a Lucky Dog. As luck would have it, a lap 84 caution gave the team what they needed and put Pfluger back on the lead lap. With just sixteen laps left Pfluger worked his way up to a respectable 11th place finish among North America’s best.

Pfluger was very impressed with the power of the Ford crate engine and equally impressed with the handling of the Lefthander Chassis, which were both new experiences for this young driver, and he hopes to get another chance behind the wheel of the Blue Oval Ford Fusion.

The Pfluger team appreciates its project partners who helped make this project a reality.

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