Jason VanOchten

D.O.B. - 12/27/1977

Hometown - New Port Richey, Florida

Current Home - Hudson, Florida

Status - Married

Years Racing - 3

Best Finish -

Thunderstock -1st (1 feature and 3 heat wins)

Streetstock - 4th (2 Heat wins)

Hobbies and Interests - Racing, video games, working on cars, music, watching football, Origami

      Jason VanOchten watched his father race as a young boy and always dreamed of following in his footsteps. Jason finally got the chance in 2005 when he purchased his first race car. He sold his Mustang street car and bought a 1973 Ford Torino 4dr thunderstock. Ironically, His first car was also a 4dr 1971 Torino. The car was in rough shape after surviving several seasons at Citrus County Speedway. After some new sheet metal , paint , and engine, Jason started his first race in March 2005. The season started off rough with a wreck 3 laps into the first race but things got better on April 30th when Jason led all six laps for his first heat win. He struggled the rest of the season with an underpowered car and finished 11th in the final points. It was however enough to earn him rookie of the year honors. 2006 started off bad with mechanical problems plaguing the #97 car. Things got better after the county fair break. Consistency was they key with Jason stringing together top ten finishes and moving up to 4th in the points. Things quickly changed as the mechanical gremlins returned with four races to go. With 2 races to go, Jason got his first heat win of the season but the gremlins bit him again in the feature. Jason went into the last race with something to prove. It would be his last points race in the #97 car since he will be taking over the #99 streetstock in 2007. Jason cruised to his second heat win leading all six laps for the second week in a row. The feature went just as the heat had with Jason leading every lap and holding off a hard charging Randy Spicer in a green, white, checker finish giving him his first career feature win. The win was enough to move him back up to 7th in the final points. 2007 saw Jason take over driving duties of the #99 streetstock. The year started off bad with Jason missing his first feature with a broken driveshaft but he rebounded the next week to a best finish of 4th in the feature. The rest of the year however was a disaster. A blown engine, a wreck with the wall, and axle problems provided major setbacks for Jason's quest for a top ten points finish. Thanks to some hard work the final result was a tenth place points finish.

The #99 streetstock

Year - 1970

Make - Ford

Model -Mustang

Engine - 351 ci windsor

Transmission - 3 speed standard

The #97 Thunder/Purestock

Year - 1973

Make - Ford

Model - Torino

Engine - 351 ci windsor

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