By NICK SCHWIEN

nschwien@dailynews.net

After two years of racing a go-kart, Zach Blurton was ready for a new challenge.

And the teenager knew exactly what he wanted to try his hand at.

"I just wanted to race a sprint car and get some experience," he said.

Now, halfway through his rookie season in a 305 sprint car of the United Rebel Sprint Series, Blurton is starting to turn some heads as a 15-year-old who's soon to be a sophomore at Jetmore High School.

"It's a lot more exciting than I thought it would be," Blurton said. "I don't want to do anything else."

Blurton might be a rookie in the URSS, but he's no stranger to a sprint car. That's because his father, John, raced a sprint car for nearly 10 years and even won the NCRA 360 national title in 1990.

"You kind of figure that might happen,"  John said about his son following in his racing footsteps. "At first, I wasn't thrilled about it. I've seen a lot of people want their kids to grow up and drive a car and the kids don't want to and get burned out. But that's all he wants to do. ... That's all he wants to do right now."

As a child, Blurton was in his father's pit while he was in his racing heyday. And his father had masterful moves on the track piloting the famed No. 2J sprinter.

"He knows everybody and the cars inside and out," said John, 48. "He knows about as much about the motors as I do."

Blurton said his father's knowledge has made his first season in a sprint car a smooth experience.

"I wouldn't know what to do if it wasn't for him," the son said. "If it was just me out there, I wouldn't know what to do with the car. Dad can set it up, and I just drive it."

While the two might talk things over in the pits about what set-up is right and what adjustments are needed, it didn't take much discussion about what number the teenager was going with. The 2J his father ran for many years was a natural fit.

"I always wanted to be that number -- no matter what. I knew that would be my number," Blurton said.

"It's pretty neat," his father said. "Everybody would say, 'What number is he going to be?' I told them 2J, but everyone already kind of figured that."

The number choice also has caused some confusion for fans when they enter the pits after races, but they soon understand who's now driving.

"People come up and ask if this is John's car," Blurton said. "I say that it's mine, and they just say, 'OK.' "

Blurton is following his father's success in the 2J and is one of the top contenders for the URSS national rookie of the year award, which is a goal he set before the season.

He's still in search of his first feature victory this year, with his best outing a second-place night June 27 at Lexington, Neb.

Blurton plans to run all three nights this weekend, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday at WaKeeney Speedway. Then it's on to the third annual Wheatshocker Rebel Nationals at 7 p.m. Saturday and 6 p.m. Sunday at RPM Speedway in Hays.

The winner of Sunday night's feature pockets a hefty $2,000.

"That would be amazing or crazy if I could win it, or be in the top five," Blurton said.