Danny Bouc Ready for a Season of Change in 2021

Danny Bouc has raced at New Egypt for over ten years and finished his 10^th year of modified racing by winning his first NES modified point championship in 2020.  But after 10 years of the same Saturday night home track racing with his family #32 the opportunities have been ever changing this winter and when the 2021 “extra silly season” was all said and done Danny found himself in the seat of Norm Hansell’s 357 entry for the 2021 season with plans on racing every Friday night at Big Diamond and Saturday night at Grandview Speedway while continuing to run the Short Track Super Series in the Craig and Leslie Pondish # 6 for the 4^th season. 

Danny’s family has a history of racing with his father Gary racing at Flemington and Nazareth from 1976 to 1982. Gary stayed in racing as a crew member and engine builder into the late 90’s and Danny was raised at the track.  Danny’s first race was at age 7 as he raced around his yard with his first go kart.  But it didn’t take long for Danny to outgrow the yard and get to Snydersville Speedway and then on to the National go-kart tour.  In 2007 Danny moved from go-karts to sportsman racing and won the 2007 Rookies championship at New Egypt Speedway.

Danny recalled “after college I returned home and ended up back at the race track in 2012 this time in a Big Block modified.  I was able to win two big block modified features in 2012 but we were in old outdated equipment that the big block power frequently broke and with a big block rule changes we essential ran out of money and couldn’t keep up with the big block costs so we took 2013 off.  In 2014 we switched to a spec 358 small block and the slow progression of my racing career started with two feature wins.  Every year from 2014 to 2020 I won two features at New Egypt.  The spec 358 motor was just better for us from day one and we were able to race hard week in and week out and maintain our small team budget with minimal breakage.  Our consistent top 10 finishes turned into consistent to top 5 finishes and we continued with the slow progression of one position every year in the season point standings starting with a 5^th place points finishing in 2016 and moving up one position each year to 4^th, 3^rd and 2^nd in successive years and culminating with the points championship at New Egypt in 2020.”

In 2018 Danny was able expand beyond his weekly New Egypt racing and added a Short Track Super Series ride in the Craig and Leslie Pondish # 6 to his racing schedule.  Danny noted “My weekly racing with the 32 and the Short Track Super Series with the Pondish # 6 open small block has been a perfect fit.  Craig and Leslie are like family and great people to drive for.  We are always around the top 5 but just haven’t been able to get a feature win yet in the ever tough Short Track Super Series.”

Also in 2018; for the first time Danny ventured to Big Diamond for the Coalcracker and won the 72 lap $10,000 to win feature in his family owned #32 entry for the biggest win of his career.  Danny reflected “The Coalcracker win was my most memorable win as it was my biggest win of my career and my first win outside of New Egypt and just added to a great 2018 with a 3^rd place points finish at New Egypt and my first season driving the Pondish # 6.”

The 2020 season at New Egypt saw Bouc win the season point opener and a twin 20 feature in-route to his first NES modified point championship.  In addition Danny also won the All-Star Cup 100 lap and $10,000 to win season finale at New Egypt Speedway.    

The 2021 season has already started for Danny with a trip South to Florida for the Sunshine Swing with the family owned 32 entry.  Danny noted “I decided to take the spec car that I ran at New Egypt all season to Bubba Raceway for the STSS Sunshine Swing and felt like the spec would work well on the bullring at Bubba Raceway.  We were one of a handful of specs competing against the open small blocks and qualified for all 3 features from the heat races but couldn’t get redraws in the top 5 which is what the spec needed to be able to win.”

Danny stated “This off season turned out to be an “extra silly season” for us as our plans changed several times ending with a call from Norm & Jay.  It’s just great to have the slow progression of my entire career & all the hard work we put lead to an opportunity to drive the 357 for Norm Hansell.   This is a huge step to be in Norm’s equipment and with the 357 team for the 2021 season.  My goal for this season is to double down on wins and with the wins everything else will fall into place.  Just win some races; run up front and make some money.”

Danny Bouc ended his first 10 years of modified racing with a modified track championship and a 100 lap $10,000 win and looking forward to a 2021 driving for two of the top modified teams in the southeast Pennsylvania area.  If the end of Danny’s first ten years of modified racing is any indication of what is to come you’ll better get ready for ten more years of progression to the next level.