Inside Line Promotions – SOMERTON, Ariz. (Jan. 13, 2015) – Sam Hafertepe Jr. saved his best for last during the inaugural Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdown.
Hafertepe Jr. capped the five-race, nine-day event at Cocopah Speedway last Saturday by scoring his first top five of 2015.
“We had some mechanical issues and some self-inflicted problems during the event, but that was part of the reason why we wanted to head over to Cocopah,” he said. “We wanted to get the early bugs out of the system. It was great to end everything with a clean night and a great finish.”
Hafertepe Jr., who endured mechanical issues on Friday night that didn’t allow him to start the B Main after placing second in his heat race and seventh in a qualifier, kicked off Saturday’s competition by finishing fifth in a heat race.
He then won a qualifier – his third of the event, which was tied with NASCAR star Kasey Kahne for the most of any driver – to lock into the 30-lap main event. After starting on the outside of the third row, Hafertepe Jr. quickly picked up a couple of positions.
He then maneuvered into third place and maintained a podium position until the last lap, when another driver found grip on the outside to advance from fourth to second place. That relegated Hafertepe Jr. to a fourth-place result.
“We’d rather have finished third, but we’ll take a good night,” he said. “We figured out some things with the car that I think will help us in Florida.”
Hafertepe Jr. will return to sprint car racing next month in Florida. He will be in action this week inside the River Spirit Expo Center in Tulsa, Okla., for the 29th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals, which has drawn a record of more than 325 entries.
His preliminary night is set for Tuesday with the finale on Saturday.
“We are going there to win, but it’s also a fun event to be a part of,” he said. “Luck plays a big part from how you draw in to not being caught up in someone else’s crash. Hopefully we have some luck on our side and we can put together consistent laps.”
QUICK RESULTS –
Jan. 9 – Cocopah Speedway in Somerton, Ariz. – Heat race: 2 (3); Qualifier: 7 (4); B Main: DNS (-).
Jan. 10 – Cocopah Speedway in Somerton, Ariz. – Heat race: 5 (4); Qualifier: 1 (2); Feature: 4 (6).
SEASON STATS –
5 races, 0 wins, 1 top five, 1 top 10, 2 top 15s, 2 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Tuesday through Saturday at the River Spirit Expo Center in Tulsa, Okla., for the 29th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.Sam15.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SamHafertepeJr
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Keizer Aluminum Wheels
Keizer Aluminum Wheels has provided custom aluminum racing wheels for any type of racing application for several decades. For more information, visit http://www.KeizerWheels.com.
“I’ve been using Keizer Aluminum Wheels since 2004,” Hafertepe Jr. said. “They are like family to me and have been with me through the highs and the lows.”
Hafertepe Jr. would also like to thank LoneStar Speedway, Kiebler & Sons Lawn and Landscaping, Wells Racing Engines, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Smiley’s Racing Products, Fisher Racing Engines, J&J Auto Racing, Pro Shocks by OC Shocks, Fire-Down Graphics, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Vortex Wings, Kear’s Speed Shop, Pancho’s Racing Products, GPC, Joe Gibbs Racing Oils, Zemco Headers and Simpson Racing Products for their continued support.