By ohnson 
“The Straight Shooter” Scott Kreutter has undoubtedly left a remarkable imprint during this indoor racing season, yet perhaps not precisely in the manner he would have preferred.
Hailing from Alden, NY, Kreutter has found himself having to stage comebacks from the rear in each of the Indoor Auto Racing Championship A-Main events in Trenton, Allentown, and most recently Atlantic City. He has masterfully executed some awe-inspiring drives to the forefront of three highly competitive TQ Midget fields.
A former Patriot Sprint Tour USA Champion and a multiple-time 360 Sprint Car feature victor, Kreutter has thus far been unable to claim that indoor glory in the Composites Fibreworks No. 94 ride. Despite several top-five accomplishments to his name, including a fifth-place finish at the Battle of Trenton in December and a fourth-place finish at the same event earlier in 2016.
This past weekend, Kreutter came perilously close to another top-five finish with a sixth-place run in Saturday night’s ‘Gambler’s Classic’, but the path he took to get there was anything but straightforward, much like the valiant charge he made from the back of the pack in Trenton last December.
Throughout the entire weekend in Boardwalk Hall, Kreutter and his team were confronted with significant challenges, and those obstacles began to surface during Friday afternoon’s time trials.
“We were the very first car out for the time trials on Friday, and the track condition was far from satisfactory,” Kreutter pointed out. “It truly placed us at a considerable disadvantage for the entire weekend. The time trial was simply dreadful.”
With a highly unusual 66th fastest time out of the 78 cars present, Kreutter had to position himself at the back of the pack in his Friday night qualifier, which determined the direct transfers to Saturday’s main event.
In the qualifier, the nightmarish start to Kreutter’s weekend persisted as he endured a wild ride while attempting to forge his way to the front in the 20-lap preliminary event.
“In last night’s qualifier, we were actually performing exceptionally well and overtaking cars on the outside,” Kreutter declared. “Regrettably, I was hit from behind, caught a wheel, and for the second consecutive year, flipped upside down into the grandstands.”
That incident exacted a heavy toll on Kreutter’s vehicle, which has been one of the few self-constructed efforts that have genuinely impressed against the well-established Lafler Chassis in this year’s indoor events.
Battling for a top-ten position in the point standings with the prospects of making it to Saturday’s A-Main severely compromised, Kreutter and his crew toiled tirelessly from Friday night into Saturday morning to effect repairs on the No. 94.
“The frame was bent, we tore the floorboard right out of the car,” Kreutter recounted. “We had to source a new radiator and encountered difficulties in getting it to fit, but eventually found one after some engineering efforts. We then had to porta-power the frame back down, participated in the last chance qualifier this morning and emerged victorious.”
Kreutter did not fare as well in his heat race despite a commendable performance in the last chance event, only managing to progress from 10th to 6th throughout the ten-lap green flag interval.
“There truly wasn’t much we could do in the heat race,” Kreutter remarked. “It was green to checkered and I didn’t have much to work with; I needed a yellow flag.”
With only the top two from each of the six heat races advancing directly to the Gambler’s Classic, Kreutter was compelled to contest the B-Main later in the evening, but a glimmer of hope emerged amidst his ill fortune.
Sitting seventh in points as the weekend’s action at Boardwalk Hall commenced, Kreutter had the opportunity to utilize the “Highest in Points Provisional” to secure a spot in the A-Main if necessary.
“With the B-Main, I was aware that we had the provisional to enter the major event,” Kreutter said. “But, I merely went out there to assess what we could do to enhance the car. We maintained a clean driving record and refrained from overtaking anyone. We simply held our position because we knew we were in the show.”
After finally attaining his goal following a tumultuous weekend, Kreutter’s performance in the A-Main proved rewarding. Starting from the very back and driving all the way up to the aforementioned sixth-place finish.
“Tonight was magnificent,” Kreutter stated after the race on Saturday. “In every one of these indoor season shows, I’ve had to come from the rear and overtake numerous cars, but it’s exhilarating. I would prefer to start at the front to secure a win, but it’s truly enjoyable to handle this car.”
Having demonstrated his ability to hold his own against the elite of the Indoor Auto Racing field, Kreutter hopes to return next year with the same car if his car owner grants him the opportunity.
“Next year’s arrangement depends on the car owner,” Kreutter noted. “I hope that Trey is content with our performance throughout this indoor season and we can resume our endeavors next year. I would like to devote considerable time to the car next year and I cannot express my gratitude enough to him and Carl. They have spent countless nights in the shop working on this vehicle and without them, I wouldn’t even be here. I truly have to thank those individuals. My entire crew has accompanied me to every race and taken excellent care of me. Without them, I would be in a truly dire situation. My guys are exceptional, so I simply have…”