(Image Credit: Terry Ford)
Bryan Hulbert – OSBORN, Mo. (July 17, 2020) Working the Highline at U.S. 36 Raceway, Sam Hafertepe, Jr. held off numerous challenges and, at times, heavy lapped traffic Friday night U.S. 36 Raceway for his 51st career victory with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network.
Sam's fourth win with the Tour in 2020, the Hills Racing No. 15h, gave chase from the fourth starting spot as third starting Harli White took off with the race lead after going three-wide into the first turn. Moving to second on the opening lap, traffic came into the picture by Lap 5 with Sam taking over the lead on Lap 7, only to have a caution negate the pass.
Going slide for slide on the ensuing restart with six laps officially complete, Hafertepe grabbed the point the following lap. Driving back around the No. 15 to lead Lap 8, White was again challenged for the lead with Hafertepe able to fend off the Dustin Dream No. 17w, all while Blake Hahn nearly drove by both drivers with a high line run off the fourth turn as they started back into traffic.
On the battle with White, Sam stated, "I knew lapped traffic was going to be tough and that let Blake [Hahn] almost get by both of us when we were battling for the lead with Harli. That's how it usually goes here, but I have to say, the track was awesome. This is probably the best surface I've ever seen here. To have it on the wall in one and two, and on the top in three and four. If I'm a fan, I couldn't ask from more than that."
Keeping the No. 52 at bay, Hahn settled into second.
Holding pace with Hafertepe, the pair worked traffic as the caution shown working Lap 16. Reverting to the last fully completed lap on the restart, the green was short-lived as Shayle Bade flipped in the turn one while running ninth. She was okay.
Going after Hafertepe on the restart, Hahn settled back into Sam's tire tracks with the pair pulling away from the field. Taking one more shot on the bottom of turns three and four as the pair raced to the white flag, it was not enough as Hafertepe opened his advantage to 0.405-seconds on the closing lap.
"I was actually struggling on one and two when we got into traffic," commented Sam. "They were running the bottom and kicking up so much dust off the infield, I couldn't see where the cushion was, or how close I was to the wall, and I didn't want to jeopardize anything, so I cheated it down there a few times, but at the end on open track, I felt like we had plenty."
Blake Hahn held on for second with Ayrton Gennetten posting his first podium finish with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network in the Ozark Barge and Dock No. 3 after a torrid battle with Harli White, who ended up fourth. Moving up from 10th, Matt Covington completed the top five.
The night's Hard Charger from 17th, Roger Crockett ended up sixth with Danny Sams III in seventh after starting 13th. Brodix Rookie of the Year contender, Ryan Bickett, landed his first top ten of the season with an eighth-place finish while Alex Hill earned her second top ten of the year, going from 15h to ninth. Jay Russell completed the top ten.
A field of 30 drivers was on hand at U.S. 36 Raceway from 10 States and three Countries.
SCE Gaskets Heat Race wins went to Riley Goodno, Shayle Bade, Jay Russell, and Sam Hafertepe, Jr. Roger Crockett topped the BMRS B-Feature. Provisionals were used by Jordon Mallett and Travis Reber based on ASCS Owner Points.
The next event for the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network is the 30th Annual My Place Hotels 360 Knoxville Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank, happening August 6, 7, and 8 at Knoxville Raceway. Tickets are on sale at http://www.knoxvilleraceway.com.
For other news, notes, and information on the American Sprint Car Series, from the National Tour to any of the Regional Tours that make up the ASCS Nation in 2020, log onto http://www.ascsracing.com, follow on Facebook, on Instagram, and Twitter (@LucasOilASCS).
Race Results:
Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV and ASCS Warrior Region
U.S. 36 Raceway (Osborn, Mo.)
Friday, July 17, 2020
Car Count: 30
SCE Gaskets Heat Races (Top 16 in Passing Points advance to the A-Feature)
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 22-Riley Goodno[2]; 2. 24-Garet Williamson[3]; 3. 11A-Austin O'Neal [1]; 4. 95-Matt Covington[6]; 5. 55B-Brandon Anderson[4]; 6. 22S-Slater Helt[5]; 7. 21-Miles Paulus[7]; 8. 88-Travis Reber[8]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 03-Shayle Bade[4]; 2. 17B-Ryan Bickett[1]; 3. 3-Ayrton Gennetten[3]; 4. 77X-Alex Hill[6]; 5. 11-Roger Crockett[8]; 6. 14-Jordon Mallett[5]; 7. 73-Vince Franks[2]; 8. 9M-Glen Saville[7]
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 76-Jay Russell[1]; 2. 17W-Harli White[4]; 3. 51-Mitchell Moore[2]; 4. 45F-Monty Ferriera[3]; 5. 92J-JR Topper[6]; 6. 45-David Luckie[7]; 7. 82-Jason Martin[5]
Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[4]; 2. 52-Blake Hahn[3]; 3. 24D-Danny Sams III[2]; 4. 89-Todd McVay[7]; 5. 21R-Gunner Ramey[6]; 6. 28-Scott Bogucki[1]; 7. 9-Chase Randall[5]
BMRS B-Feature (Top 6 advance to the A-Feature)
B Feature (12 Laps): 1. 11-Roger Crockett[1]; 2. 92J-JR Topper[2]; 3. 82-Jason Martin[8]; 4. 21R-Gunner Ramey[3]; 5. 55B-Brandon Anderson[4]; 6. 21-Miles Paulus[7]; 7. 22S-Slater Helt[6]; 8. 45-David Luckie[5]; 9. 88-Travis Reber[10]; 10. (DNF) 9-Chase Randall[9]; 11. (DNF) 9M-Glen Saville[11]; 12. (DNF) 14-Jordon Mallett[13]; 13. (DNS) 73-Vince Franks; 14. (DNS) 28-Scott Bogucki
Sawblade.com A-Feature
A Feature (30 Laps): 1. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[4]; 2. 52-Blake Hahn[5]; 3. 3-Ayrton Gennetten[11]; 4. 17W-Harli White[3]; 5. 95-Matt Covington[10]; 6. 11-Roger Crockett[17]; 7. 24D-Danny Sams III[13]; 8. 17B-Ryan Bickett[9]; 9. 77X-Alex Hill[15]; 10. 76-Jay Russell[6]; 11. 21-Miles Paulus[22]; 12. 21R-Gunner Ramey[20]; 13. 14-Jordon Mallett[23]; 14. 22-Riley Goodno[2]; 15. 88-Travis Reber[24]; 16. 11A-Austin O'Neal[14]; 17. 55B-Brandon Anderson[21]; 18. 24-Garet Williamson[7]; 19. 03-Shayle Bade[1]; 20. 51-Mitchell Moore[12]; 21. 45F-Monty Ferriera[16]; 22. 82-Jason Martin[19]; 23. 89-Todd McVay[8]; 24. 92J-JR Topper[18]
Lap Leader(s): Harli White 1-6, 8; Sam Hafertepe, Jr. 7, 9-30
Hard Charger: Roger Crockett +11
High Point Driver: Sam Hafertepe, Jr.
Provisional(s): Jordon Mallett (Points); Travis Reber (Points)
Driver Point Standings (Top 15): 1. Sam Hafertepe, Jr. 1,008; 2. Roger Crockett 936; 3. Harli White 900; 4. Blake Hahn 871; 5. Jordon Mallett 828; 6. Matt Covington 823; 7. Scott Bogucki 766; 8. Danny Sams III 681; 9. Alex Hill 671; 10. Garet Williamson 667; 11. Chase Randall 662; 12. Dylan Westbrook 661; 13. Justin Sanders 578; 14. Travis Reber 576; 15. Ryan Bickett 576;
2020 A-Feature Winner(s): Sam Hafertepe, Jr. – 4 (2/29 – Canyon Speedway Park; 6/25 – Caney Valley Speedway; 6/27 – I-30 Speedway; 7/17 – U.S. 36 Raceway); Matt Covington - 1 (2/28 - Canyon Speedway Park); Brad Sweet – 1 (3/6 – Merced Speedway); Andy Forsberg – 1 (3/8 – Petaluma Speedway); Harli White – 1 (7/11 – Riverside International Speedway);
ASCS Online:
American Sprint Car Series: http://www.ascsracing.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lucasoilascs
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lucasoilascs (@lucasoilascs)
Instagram: LucasOilASCS
Video Broadcast: http://www.racinboys.com
Live-Scoring (Where Applicable): MRP Live
ASCS National Tour Drivers Online:
Seth Bergman (Snohomish, WA.): http://www.sethbergmanracing.com
Ryan Bickett (Ramona, SD): https://www.facebook.com/rynotrucking
Scott Bogucki (McLaren Vale, S. Aust.): https://www.facebook.com/ScottBogucki89
John Carney II (El Paso, TX): https://www.facebook.com/JohnCarneyRacing
Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK): http://www.mattcovingtonracing.com
Roger Crockett (Broken Arrow, OK): http://www.rocketdesignsllc.com
Blake Hahn (Sapulpa, OK): http://www.blakehahnracing.com
Alex Hill (Six Nations, Ontario, Can.): https://twitter.com/alexhill77x
Thomas Kennedy (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Can.): https://twitter.com/tjkennedy21k
Jordon Mallett (Greenbrier, AR): https://www.jordonmallett.com
Robbie Price (Cobble Hill, BC, Can.): http://www.bdsmotorsportsllc.com
Chase Randall (Waco, TX): https://twitter.com/chaserandall09
Danny Sams III (North Port, Fla.): https://www.samslamtnracing.com
Harli White (Lindsay, OK): http://www.harliwhiteracing.net
Dylan Westbrook (Scotland, Ont. Can.): https://twitter.com/westbrook47x
Garet Williamson (Columbia, MO.): https://twitter.com/garetw3
ASCS Sponsors:
Lucas Oil Products is the title sponsor of the American Sprint Car Series. More information can be found on Lucas Oil Products at www.lucasoil.com. MAVTV Motorsports Network is the presenting sponsor of the American Sprint Car Series. Log onto http://www.mavtv.com for more information.
Sawblade.com is the official SawBlade of the American Sprint Car Series and title sponsor of every National Tour A-Feature as well as Victory Lane. For more information, log onto https://www.sawblade.com and follow along on Social Media at @SawBladecom on Twitter, on Instagram at Sawblade.com_, and Facebook.
Associate sponsors for the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented the MAVTV Motorsports Network include Hoosier Racing Tire and Brodix. All Heat Races are brought to you by SCE Gaskets. All B-Features are presented by BMRS.
Team Lucas Sponsors for the American Sprint Car Series consist of Protect the Harvest, Geico, SRI, General Tire, MAVTV Motorsports Network, LucasOilRacing.tv, and General Tire.
All events are broadcast online at http://www.racinboys.com.
Product and Contingency Sponsorship provided by SCE Gaskets, K&N Filters, BMRS, SpeedMart, Engler Machine and Tool, FSR Radiator and Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, MyRacePass.com, Weld Wheels, Maxwell Industries, Simpson, Wesmar Racing Engines, Hinchman Indy Racewear, Rod End Supply, Smiley's Racing Products, and Triple X Race, Co.