Terry Easum checked off a bucket list item during his rookie campaign with the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) National Tour last year — win a Series race. This year, he’s determined to further make his name known nationally during his sophomore year with the Series.
“We raced a lot locally for several years here, and we just enjoy getting to go to a lot of new racetracks and see new places,” Easum said. “Really, we just want to be better, and the only way you’re going to get better is racing guys like that.”
The 32-year-old from Broken Arrow, OK, is set for his sophomore season of competition with ASCS behind the wheel of the Premier Self-Storage, Don Ott Racing Engines-powered Triple X Chassis No. 88.
His rookie season started with quick success, winning the second race of the season at Red Dirt Raceway in Meeker, OK — less than 90 minutes from his house. From seventh on the starting grid, Easum raced his way to the lead in 13 laps, using the bottom lane around the 1/4-mile track to hold off all challengers for the win.
“Really, it was a dream come true,” he said. “It was something I had always dreamed of doing, and I was able to do it there with so many people there that we knew. It was kind of unreal for a few days the number of people that called.
“But that was one race. We’ve got to move on and get better.”
Despite the early success, struggles in various areas slowed Easum’s progress, garnering only two more top-10 finishes through the remainder of the season to rank him 10th in the final points standings. The winter break bought him time to fix those issues, and he’s ready to return to the track.
“We’ve made a lot of big changes in our team, switching our engines over to Don Ott,” Easum said. “We had some issues with Qualifying and it just kinda hindered the middle to the end part of the year; we never could get them running where we needed to. We’ve corrected that, and hopefully, that’ll help to start off the night better and put ourselves in position to win races.”
In addition to the equipment upgrades, Easum has recruited the help of veteran crew chief Jimmy Jones to lead his operation at the track and in the shop going forward. Jones, an experienced wrench who won three World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series championships as a mechanic for Steve Kinser, has also worked with open-wheel standouts Mark Kinser, Aaron Berryhill, Robert Ballou, and most recently Ryan Timms.
“Having Jimmy Jones there in the shop during the week is going to be a huge help with him going over everything and taking some weight off of Kacee [Frazier] and I’s shoulders,” Easum said. “We raced together years ago, and it was a lot of fun. We’re kinda like a family; he’s kinda like a second dad to me.”
Easum and Jones have their goals set for 2025 — ones that aim to land the team a higher championship points standing at season’s end.
“Mainly get more aggressive; we need to get in the top 10 and top five every night,” Easum said. “Last year, we were just all over the map, really. But we just need to get more consistent.”
Easum begins his second season on the ASCS National Tour full-time roster at the next event — Saturday, April 12 at Salina Highbanks Speedway in Salina, OK.
Tickets for this event will be sold at the track on race day. If you can’t be there to watch, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.
