Competition is high on the track for drivers at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Cook Out Summer Shootout, but for one driver, the true fight is being fought at home.

When Hunter Jordan was just five years old, he and his family traveled to Florida for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Disney World. The dream vacation ended abruptly as Jordan became sick and needed immediate attention. 

"I traveled back home the next day, and my family brought me to Urgent Care," said Jordan. “The doctors went through a process of interviews and tests, and then I got transferred to a hospital where they told me I had Type-1 diabetes.”

Type-1 diabetes is a lifelong condition in which the pancreas makes little to no insulin. This leads to low blood sugar levels, causing heart palpitations, dizziness and blurred vision. 

Recognizing his condition and adapting to the daily challenges is part of Jordan’s reality at home and especially on the track, where he has spent the last four years honing his craft and working his way through the Cook Out Summer Shootout ranks. Checking his blood sugar level before starting a race and monitoring how much sugar is coming from his liver is essential for him to compete in the summer's heat and maintain his overall health. 

No matter the challenges he faces, Jordan is determined to push through and live a normal life, which he says he learned from his grandfather. 

“I’ve learned everything about life from him,” said Jordan. “I really took after him. He was my inspiration to push through, work hard and never give up.”

Jordan fell in love with racing when his grandfather first gifted him a Bandolero for Christmas at eight years old. In Jordan’s first year at the Summer Shootout, his family wanted him to learn more about racing before getting behind the wheel, so Jordan’s first experiences in motorsports came from the sidelines. Taking what he learned, he returned in 2021 to make his Summer Shootout racing debut in the Beginner Bandolero Division.

Despite the adversity that Jordan faces, he has never let it stop him and was a quick study on the track. He earned the 2022 Southeast Bandolero Tour Championship after picking up six wins on the season. Transitioning into Legend Cars, Jordan took on the challenge of the Night Owl Companies Young Lions Division in 2023 where he was ranked as a top 20 driver in the nation. This season, the Davidson, N.C. native has taken the leap into VP Fuels Semi-Pros as he looks to keep improving each round and continue his winning ways. 

"We started on the pole six times last year and got wrecked about five of them," Jordan recalled. “Then, in Round 6, we took the checkered flag and won my first Cook Out Summer Shootout race.”

Jordan said his family has instilled in him the nature of giving back to others. A year after his diagnosis, the Hunter’s Power Rangers team was formed, walking to raise over $20,000 for a diabetes cure. Continuing to give back is a significant part of who he is, and his social presence is where he has found another passion for encouraging others in their battles with diabetes. 

"Some people with Type-1 diabetes put themselves down," said Jordan. "They don't feel like they're a real person anymore. I encourage them that you can do anything that you put your mind to. You can still chase your dreams and live your daily life. You have to do one step more than other people."

Jordan has taken life head-on, and despite his health challenges, he rises above the hurdles set in his way to perform in the highest divisions at Cook Out Summer Shootout.

ABOUT COOK OUT SUMMER SHOOTOUT:

Cook Out Summer Shootout is a 10-race showcase of speed among eight different divisions of Legend Cars and Bandoleros. Races are held each Tuesday night, with drivers accumulating points throughout the summer towards a season-ending championship. 

TICKETS:

Action continues next week with “Awful Night.” Karen and Richards get in FREE, thanks to their iconic internet infamy. Tickets are $10; kids 12 and under get in FREE. For tickets, schedules and more details about all the happenings at Charlotte Motor Speedway, visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com. 

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