BACK IN THE SADDLE: ANTON HERNANDEZ RIDES AGAIN
By: Pat Sullivan - USAC Media
Swedesboro, New Jersey (June 14, 2023)………There was a time when Anton Hernandez was viewed as a can’t miss future star. In 2015 he was the POWRi West midget champion and Rookie of the Year. His prospects continued to soar when he snared a Golden Driller at the famed Tulsa Shootout in 2018 and then one year later was behind the wheel of a 305 powered winged sprint car and captured the Indiana Racesaver title. Then he came face-to-face with the cold reality of professional racing.
Because of his success he got a chance to compete with USAC and in 2020 was the leading sprint car rookie for the bulk of the season. Then things turned sour. For a myriad of reasons rides fell through his fingers and he was left searching for a way back to the top. He did whatever he could to stay involved in the game. It was his only choice, but it produced predictable moments of utter frustration.
As he looks back on his career to date, he realizes he has learned some painful but valuable lessons. “I can’t say too much and bash anyone,” he says, “and there is no room for me to do that. It is just that sometimes I feel I get taken advantage of. Some of it could be me too. I’m still growing up, and there is some growing up that I must do. That is true with nearly everyone. I know the racing world can be brutal. It is very cut-throat. Things happen, and you just have to grit your teeth and move on.”
Move on is what he did, albeit reluctantly. Without a ride he returned to his native Texas and stayed active. “It was tough,” he admits. “Because I make money by going racing, I had to do something.” He spent more time holding a wrench than gripping the wheel but was still thankful to be going to the track. Yet, in the end he knew he would never realize his dreams of staying close to home. “In Texas it is mostly just local racing,” he says, “Most people own their own stuff. So, there aren’t that many car owners. There really was no place to become a racecar driver there, so I needed to come back to Indy because that is where most of the car owners are.”
It wasn’t easy. Upon his return he lent his services to race teams while still hoping to get back in the seat. He helped Kenny and Margo Baldwin and he also spent time assisting drivers Emerson Axsom and Zach Hampton. This helped pay the bills, but more than anything Hernandez was committed to convincing others he deserved another chance. “I work hard,” Anton notes, “because I love racing. I am willing to work 80 to 90 hours a week just to be able to do it.”
Then the call came. It had been eight long months since his last appearance at Indiana’s Gas City I-69 Speedway when he got the nod from owners Kenny and Margo Baldwin to suit up for USAC’s annual Eastern Storm series. He could not be more thrilled.
“This is huge,” he says emphatically, “I feel Kenny and Margo are one of the few car owners who have good equipment and are willing to put you in the car for free and give you a chance. There are not many owners now who will do this.”
In his case, this is the only arrangement that can possibly work.
“I come from nothing,” he says, “I can’t buy my ride or buy my own car and go racing. I am very fortunate to have this deal because if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here. It is a big opportunity and I feel I have a lot to prove.”
Even though he has been jostled around a bit he has never lost confidence in his abilities. He feels he can be a force even against stout competition.
“That’s my plan,” he notes, “I have always wanted to win a USAC race and that’s my goal. I’m not here to finish second.”
