Claude Scruggs

**Claude Scruggs** was The Leak Less racer from 1983-2012. He was replaced by Brian Spark in the 2013 season. He is a Husker Morocco race car

## Before Piston Cup

Before the Piston Cup Claude Scruggs was just graduating from high school when he heard that Leak Less needed a racer. Claude tried out for the spot instead of going to college which his parents would have liked a lot more. He got the spot in 1983 and raced until 2012.

## Piston Cup Career

In 1983 Claude Scruggs became the Leak Less racer replacing Andrew Gasket. During his rookie year Scruggs was consistant enough with 4 top 10s and 1 top 5 to get 14th in the standings.

During the 1984 season, Claude was leading the Nightdona 500 but then got turned upside down. He was injured in the wreck and didn't come back until a few races later. Rob Hollister his reserve driver replaced him during this time period. When Claude came back he got no top 5s or 10s and placed 27th in the standings.

In the 1985 season, Scruggs was able to get his first career win and one of the only to do so in the Nightdona 500. Scruggs went on to get 4 more top 5s and 11 more top 10s to finish 9th in the standings.

In 1986 Scruggs didn't win a race but did end up getting a fifth place finish in the standings after being very consitant.

1987 saw Scruggs get 2 more wins to his name at the Nightdona 400 the second Nightdona race and at the Cartinsville 500. He placed a solid 10th in the standings.

In 1988 Claude suffered his second bad crash which put him out for the whole season in the Nightdona 500. Rob Hollister replaced him and we are not gonna get into too much detail but somehow Rob won the Mood Springs Sputter Stop 350 At Georgia. Rob did place 14th in the standings.

In 1989 Claude came back to get the most wins in a single season he would have with 4 wins at once again the Nightdona 500, Mood Springs Sputter Stop 400, Copper Canyon 400, and the Glen Ellen 350. He got 4th in the standings.

From 1990 to 1994 Claude had some of his worst years ever with 14th in 1990, 17th in 1991, 12th in 1992, 23rd in 1993, and 20th in 1994.

In 1995 Claude made a decent comeback from some of his last 4 worse years and got 12th in the standings.

In 1996 Claude was able to get 9th in the standings.

In 1997 Claude won his first race since 1989 at the Mood Springs Sputter Stop 350. He placed 13th in the standings.

In 1998 Claude got many top 10s and 5s finishes and was able to get 2nd in the standings right behind Murray Clutchburn.

In 1999 Claude was able to win the Heartland 450. He got 10th in the standings.

In 2000 Claude DNFED in the first 8 races of the season but got top 10s in all of the rest of the races and got 15th in the standings.

In 2001 Claude was catepolted by Chick Hicks into the air in the 2001 Alabama 400 on the final lap racing for the win. But Claude landed himself in front of Chick and took the victory.

In 2002 Claude was gonna win the Piston Cup with no wins but many consistant runs. But Haul Inngas in his Bowling Ally Crash recovered enough to win a bunch of races and put Claude second for the 2nd time in the standings.

In 2003 Claude was able to win the Buy N Large 500 (Later BnL 500 in 2008). He finished 14th in the standings.

In 2004 Claude had a summer streak with top 10s in all the races being his only top 10s in the whole season. He placed 11th in the standings.

In 2005 Claude ended up upside down in the Dinoco 400 the final race of the season and was bounced on by Lightning McQueen. He got 17th in the standings that year.

In 2006 Claude leaked oil on the track in the Nightdona 500 which caused everyone behind to crash as he was leading the race on the final lap. Claude was able to win his third Nightdona 500 as he won it in 1985 and 1989.

From 2007-2010 Claude got no wins and his points finishes in order were this: 11th, 9th, 14th, and 16th.

In 2011 Claude won the Grandol Oil Co. 400 at Grandol Oil Co. Speedway which was his final career win. He got 2nd in the standings that year to Lightning McQueen followed by Misti Motorkrass who had her best season ever.

In 2012 Claude raced in his final season and didn't win and had a 12th points place finish in the standings. He was replaced by Brian Spark in 2013.

## Bio

*Some would say that Leakless Adult Dripping Pans is not a prestigious sponsor, but Claude Scruggs would disagree, he's been the #52 yellow, black and white for more than two decades and he wears the Leakless logo with pride. His fan base might be a bit older but thanks to the automotive boom of the late 1940s there are a lot of them and their enthusiasm for the sport and for Scruggs is so intense they can barely contain themselves.*

## List Of Wins

1. 1985 Nightdona 500
2. 1987 Nightdona 400
3. 1987 Cartinsville 500
4. 1989 Nightdona 500
5. 1989 Mood Springs Sputter Stop 350
6. 1989 Copper Canyon 400
7. 1989 Glen Ellen 350
8. 1997 Mood Springs Sputter Stop 350
9. 1999 Heartland 450
10. 2001 Alabama 400
11. 2003 Buy N Large 500
12. 2006 Nightdona 500
13. 2012 Grandol Oil Co. 400