Dustin Hillenburg Bio
Andrew Miles “Andy” Hillenburg is an American former professional stock car racing driver and a long-time team owner and track owner. The Indiana native built a versatile career spanning open-wheel oval racing, the ARCA Menards Series, and NASCAR’s top national tours. Today, he is best known as the owner of Fast Track Racing and for reviving Rockingham Speedway after it lost its NASCAR dates.
Early Life and Background
Hillenburg was born on April 30, 1963, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Growing up in a city synonymous with the Indianapolis 500, he was introduced to motorsports at an early age. He began his racing career at age eleven when he competed in the Indianapolis soap box derby, a traditional entry point for many young Hoosier motorsport enthusiasts.
From that start, Hillenburg quickly moved into organized quarter midget competition. He won the state quarter midget championships in 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, and 1979, establishing himself as one of the top young oval racers in Indiana. Those formative years on short tracks laid the foundation for a professional career that would eventually take him to Daytona, Indianapolis, and Rockingham.
Path to NASCAR
Hillenburg’s path to NASCAR ran through the ARCA Super Car Series, a traditional proving ground for stock car talent. He paired with three-time ARCA Champion Bob Dotter as crew chief and steadily built his reputation on the ARCA circuit. His development included stints in the Busch North Series, the Winston West Series, and the Indy Racing Northern Light Series, giving him broad oval-track experience before reaching NASCAR’s national divisions.
Dustin Hillenburg Career
Early Career (1992-2006 ARCA Era)
Hillenburg’s professional stock car career centered on the ARCA Menards Series, where he competed from 1992 through 2006. He made 61 ARCA starts, scored three wins, earned one pole, and posted a best championship finish of first in 1995. His two biggest ARCA victories came in the Daytona ARCA 200, the premier event of the series, which he won in 1995 and again in 1997.
Beyond stock cars, Hillenburg served as a test driver for the International Race of Champions and the Team Racing Auto Circuit series. He also competed in the 2000 Indianapolis 500, finishing 28th, an experience that underscored his versatility as a driver across different oval disciplines.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Breakthrough (1992-2001)
Hillenburg debuted in NASCAR’s second-tier Busch Series (now the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series) with the 1992 AC-Delco 200 at Rockingham. He returned for one race in 1993 and ran a part-time schedule of six Busch Series events in 1994, although he qualified for only one of those attempts. He continued to field his own cars in the series through the late 1990s, including a 1997 entry under the Fast Track banner at Dover.
His best documented finish in the Busch Series came with a third-place run at the 1999 NAPA Auto Parts 300, where he drove the No. 18 MBNA Pontiac Grand Prix for Joe Gibbs Racing. He recorded one top-ten finish across nine career Busch Series starts, with his final appearance coming in the 2001 Jani-King 300 at Texas. His best season points result was 76th in 1996.
NASCAR Cup Series (1991-2004)
Hillenburg’s NASCAR Cup Series career opened at the 1991 Goodwrench 500 at Rockingham, a fitting debut given his long association with the North Carolina track. Over the course of thirteen seasons he made sixteen Cup starts, with his last appearance coming at the 2004 Advance Auto Parts 500 at Martinsville. His best championship result was 54th in 1998, and his Joe Gibbs Racing third-place run at the 1999 NAPA Auto Parts 300 remains the on-track highlight of his top-flight NASCAR career.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (1995-2003)
Hillenburg also made four starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, beginning with the 1995 GM Goodwrench/Delco Battery 200 at Phoenix and ending with the 2003 Florida Dodge Dealers 250 at Daytona. He retired from full-time driving after the 2006 season but continued to influence the sport through his team and track operations.
Dustin Hillenburg Career Wins
Hillenburg’s three verified ARCA wins include the 1995 and 1997 Daytona ARCA 200 plus one additional series victory, with the 1995 ARCA Racing Series championship serving as the cornerstone of his driving résumé. He never scored a victory in NASCAR’s Cup, O’Reilly Auto Parts, or Craftsman Truck Series competition.
ARCA Menards Series Highlights
His first ARCA win came in 1995, the same year he captured the series championship under crew chief Bob Dotter. He added a second Daytona ARCA 200 win in 1997, cementing his status as a leading short-track and superspeedway talent of the era. Across 61 starts from 1992 to 2006, he produced a championship, three wins, and one pole, a steady body of work for a driver who balanced his seat time with team and track duties.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside of ARCA, Hillenburg captured five consecutive Indiana state quarter midget championships from 1975 to 1979. He also posted a 28th-place finish in the 2000 Indianapolis 500 and earned a third-place Cup-affiliated result at the 1999 NAPA Auto Parts 300, the strongest individual finishes of his national-tour career.
Dustin Hillenburg Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public records and biographical sources confirm Hillenburg was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, the heart of American open-wheel racing. He grew up around short tracks and the Indianapolis 500, a heritage that shaped his path into professional motorsports.
Personal Life
Hillenburg has been married since 1991 and is the father of four children. He is also credited with acting roles in productions such as 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story on ESPN, Herbie: Fully Loaded, and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, and he served as a technical advisor on the Bollywood film Ta Ra Rum Pum.
2025 Season Outlook
Although Hillenburg no longer competes as a driver, his 2025 focus centers on operating Fast Track Racing across the ARCA Menards Series and supporting activity at Rockingham Speedway. The team continues to field multiple entries with the Nos. 01, 9, 10, 11, and 12 cars in the ARCA Menards Series, building on a long-running owner-driver legacy.
Fast Track’s broader presence in NASCAR’s national series has wound down in recent years, so the 2025 calendar is expected to emphasize ARCA competition and the Fast Track High Performance Driving School. Hillenburg’s ongoing role as a track owner at Rockingham also remains a defining piece of his post-driving career, even after the venue was removed from the Truck Series schedule in 2014.
