SALEM, Ind. – Twelve-year-old Katie Hettinger has announced that she will return to compete with the Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Models again next season.

The Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Models debuted in 2019 with a focus on short-track stock car racing for 10-to-15-year-old drivers in full sized stock cars.

“I am going to be coming back and race with the Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Models in 2020,” said Hettinger. “Johnny and Butch VanDoorn are putting a new car together for me to race with in 2020. I’m really excited to be able to race this series again, this series is a great opportunity for young drivers. 2019 went really well for my first season in a late model. I had fun racing with all the boys and I’m ready to do it again in 2020.”

Hettinger was the only female competitor to race in the series inaugural season, a season that saw her holding her own with boys from 11 to 14 years old at each event. Hettinger picked up a heat race win in the series inaugural event at Birch Run Speedway on May 18.

Her best feature finish was a third-place finish in the inaugural series feature. Hettinger was battling in the top three on the last lap in the series feature at Corrigan Oil Speedway on Aug. 16 and looked to be on her way to her best series finish when she was involved in a turn four wreck as the cars came to the checkers.

Hettinger made the Chase for the Championship, competing in the first two series events in the Championship series, but came up short in points to qualify in the final three to race for the series’ inaugural championship at Anderson Speedway on Sept. 28. Hettinger finished fourth in the series points.

“One of my goals for 2020 is to qualify for the Chase for the Championship and be in the final three drivers to race for the Championship,” Hettinger said. “Also, I hope that the 2020 race season will be a better season for me now that I am more familiar with the class and the tracks.”