Hunter Cornell’s rapid rise as a young crew chief and his partnership with driver Drake Troutman have become a focal point of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. Cornell, 22, of Berlin, Pennsylvania, is in his second season as crew chief of the G.R. Smith Motorsports No. 22 in the World of Outlaws and in his fifth year working full time in racing as of April. Coverage has cast Cornell and Troutman as best friends moving up together, and Cornell has built a reputation as one of the tour’s better-known young crew chiefs.

Cornell and Troutman grew up around Pennsylvania short tracks and began working together before Cornell finished high school, after Cornell spent two months in Troutman’s family-owned No. 7 shop. The pair continued their long-running working relationship through the end of 2024. When Troutman, 20, earned a rookie World of Outlaws ride with G.R. Smith in 2025, the team hired Troutman and Cornell as a package deal and moved both to the national tour for Troutman’s rookie campaign.

On track, Cornell helped guide Troutman to his first World of Outlaws win at Pevely in 2025 and assisted on decisive late-race moves that produced victories at Port Royal and Lernerville. The 2026 World of Outlaws Late Model Series is scheduled to resume April 24–25 at Talladega Short Track with the Alabama Gang 100, where the pair will look to build on their early successes.

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