Drag Illustrated Issue 151, December 2019 | Page 115

30 UNDER 30 / 2019 DI 30 UNDER 30 CLASS OF 2015 VINCENT NOBILE, LEAH PRITCHETT, JUSTEN MOSER, KIRK WOLF, MARK SAVAGE, MIA TEDESCO, RICKIE JONES, MEGAN FESSEL SCHUMACHER, CAMERON FERRE, MATT SACKMAN, DANIEL PHARRIS, PRESTON TANNER, AUDREY WORM, STEVEN WHITELEY, JONNIE LINDBERG, KYLE DVORAK, TERA WENDLAND-GRAVES, JARED JOHNSTON, DONOVAN STOTT, BRITTANY FORCE, TYLER CROSSNOE, DREW SKILLMAN, ASHLEY SANFORD, JOHN PAUL GUTIERREZ, JON SCHAFFER, PJ NORTH, COREY MICHALEK, JIMMY SACKUVICH, LIZZY MUSI AND TROY COUGHLIN JR. DI 30 UNDER 30 CLASS OF 2016 JONNIE LINDBERG, DAN FERGUSON, JASON GARDNER, BRONSON DUNNE, JASON HAMSTRA, CORY REED, SARAH EDWARDS, ALEX HAYS, GAGE BURCH, AMANDA BOICESCO, CALEB COX, KEVIN BRANNON, RYAN RAKESTRAW, TY TUTTEROW, CODY MEDEISIS, JUSTIN LAMB, KRISTA BALDWIN, CHUCK GROSPITCH, JIMMY DANIELS, JEFF PIERCE, JOE ALBRECHT, SHANE WESTERFIELD, CHRISTOPHER MENAPACE, ALEX LAUGHLIN, BRANDON SERAPHINE, DOUG FOLEY JR., ALEX TAYLOR, JUSTIN KIRK, MEGAN MEYER AND TREVOR LARSON. DI 30 UNDER 30 CLASS OF 2017 LE TONGLET, MATT BYNUM, COURTNEY FORCE, RAY MILLER III, ZACH SACKMAN, NATHAN VANBEEK, LYLE BARNETT, DANIEL MCKUNE, CADE POE, DANIEL WILKERSON, DREW AUSTIN, AUSTIN WILLIAMS, ROBERT BAUER III, DAVID “BIRD- JONES, JAMIE HANCOCK, TANNER GRAY, BOB MANDELL II, JOHNNY PLUCHINO, DILLON VOSS, CORY VOSS, JOHNNY EZELL, BLAKE HOUSLEY, DENNIS KLANGEBO, MICHAEL RECCHIA JR., ANDREW JOHNSON, TYLOR MILLER, JUSTIN ASHLEY, JORDAN GRUNWALD, CHASE COPELAND AND AARON STANFIELD. DI 30 UNDER 30 CLASS OF 2018 BLAKE ALEXANDER, HECTOR ARANA JR., CORY GULITTI, JORDAN ENSSLIN, MATTHEW DEYOUNG, TYLER BOHANNON, CAM CLARK, JAKE SIMMONS, BRANDON GRECO, DEVIN ISENHOWER, NICOLE LIBERTY, KYLE LANG, COLE ROKOSKY, MADYSON AYESH, JIMMY PLIMPTON JR., JUSTIN HUTTO, SANTO RAPISARDA JR., SANTINO RAPISARDA, JAKE HOWARD, SADIE GLENN, DANIEL YOUNG, EDMOND ELLISON, CALEB ELLISON, JAKE SANDERS, RACHEL MEYER, CAMRIE CARUSO, MIKE DECKER III, ANDY SCHMALL, ASHLEY PRITCHETT, CHARLES MYERS, KRIS WHITFIELD, MARINA ANDERSON JOE HUNT ■ GROWING UP in a same town, Joe Hunt and Joey Hiykel became fast friends over one love: racing. They formed an impressive duo and one-two punch in the True Street and No-Prep scene, racing together and traveling around the country. After Hunt’s tragic death in September following a high-speed accident at the Coffeyville Street Drags, it’s those memories that Hiykel will always remember. “We traveled around pretty much everywhere and kicked butt. We were the type of guys who would drop what you were doing and go rac- ing,” Hiykel says. “It won’t ever be the same. I’ll keep on racing, but it’s pretty hard.” Hunt’s unfortunate passing sent heartache through the racing scene, especially in the areas where the 27-year-old competed. Hiykel estimated Hunt won close to 10 races in 2018, with the big victory coming in True Street at the No-Prep Na- tionals at Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka. He was an adept driver behind the wheel of his “Blackhawk” Trans Am, displaying plenty of skills when it came to the mechanical side of things as well. Hiykel, though, said his good friend could drive just about anything – and do it well. “You just become a good driver when you have that kind of talent,” Hiykel says. “He was able to drive anything with wheels and he loved to wheelie anything.” It was a Hunt specialty, and there’s no denying he was special in the seat. It’s partly why D rag I l - lustrateD chose to honor him with a spot on its 30 Under 30 list for 2019 after his passing, but Hunt, who also starred on the second season of Horsepower Wars, was about much more than just his driving. He racked up plenty of success on the track in True Street and No Prep scene, but Hunt was just as highly regarded for his actions off it. Hunt was rarely without a smile on his face, always willing to work and help others. It’s those traits that won’t be forgotten, allowing Hunt’s legacy and impact to live on well into the future. “We would go all over and a lot of people met him, and we would help anybody out if anyone needed anything,” Hiykel says. “We were racing a lot of the same people and it just became a big family.” – J O S H H AC H DI AT DI DI DI DI DI DI DI DI DI December 2019 DragIllustrated.com | D r a g I l l u s t r a t e d | 115