Every once in a while – too often for my taste – we are reminded that this two word adage holds true in racing:
“Money talks”
Sean Hingorani, the 16-year old from Newport Beach, California, who currently drives for Venturini Motorsports in the ARCA Menards Series, is set to make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut this weekend at Milwaukee, driving the #61 for Hattori Racing Enterprises. This, despite the fact that just over a month ago he was embroiled in one of the nastiest controversies in recent memory.
On the last lap of the ARCA Menards Series race at Mid-Ohio, Hingorani – evidently in retaliation for an earlier incident – intentionally wrecked his teammate Dean Thompson who was at the time battling for second place. Amazingly, this happened after Hingorani had already been summoned to the hauler post-race for an earlier incident with 73 year old series veteran Bob Schacht.
It was possibly the worst display of poor sportsmanship many NASCAR fans, myself included, recalled ever seeing. Patty-caking around a road course as slow as you like, waiting for your own teammate to catch up with you, then intentionally wrecking them out of a top-5. It was beyond ridiculous, and along with his already somehow long list of on-track controversies should have at the very least produced a major speedbump in the 16-year old’s early career progression.
Evidently, that’s not the case.
Following a one race suspension and season-long probation for his conduct, Hingorani has jumped right back up on the horse for Venturini like nothing even happened. In fact, since that race he has won two races in the ARCA West Series, and has finished third in the two other ARCA races he’s run. And now, he’ll get his shot at the next level.
Not for nothing, but note the sponsor on the truck he’ll be running at Milwaukee, Fidelity Capital – Hingorani’s father is a high ranking executive for the company, which has sponsored much of his career to this point. Imagine that! In fairness though, you can’t control what situation you’re born in to, and I’m not about to rag on a guy too hard for taking advantage of it.
His recent results though lead me to this: I’m not going to sit here and act like Sean Hingorani is some kind of talentless hack. He’s won four ARCA West races this year, has four top-5’s in five ARCA East races, and has finished 3rd in three of his five starts in the flagship ARCA Series. He clearly has some real talent, and should be considered a legitimate prospect, pay to play or not. But he also very clearly (and I mean VERY clearly) has some real growing up to do – and I’m just not sure a one race suspension followed by almost immediately getting to make his National Series debut is going to lead to any sort of maturation.
Money talks – it’s up to his opponents if patience walks.
Photo Credit: Hattori Racing on Twitter (X)
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