Michael Ruttkamp : Bio : 2004

2004 Racing season had its ups and downs for 16 year old Michael. Michael started the year in February at US International Speedway in Lakeland, Florida in the USAR Hooter Pro Cup Southern series. Debuting in his first Hooters Pro Cup race, Michael was running 8th with 10 laps out of 250 to go when his right rear tire blew placing him in 20th. The second race at New Symerna Beach Michael had to use an old back up car and finished a respectable 19th, considering he had no test time at the track, that was a good finish. The third race of the season, at Peach State Speedway in Georgia, Michael finished an awesome 12th! Michael was hit on the first lap of race #4 at Concord Motorsports Park in North Carolina and still managed to finish 19th with a badly damaged race car.

Traveling south from Connecticut every weekend to test and race played a toll on Michael's studies in his sophomore year of high school. With the plans of college in the works, the family decided to race locally at Thompson International Speedway in Connecticut. Unfortunately Michael was unable to make up lost points from the time spent in Hooters Pro Cup, but finished a decent 16th in the Thompson point standings.

February 2004 Stock Car Racing Magazine -- Story of Michael's racing career.