Knoxville, IA, January 14, 2021 – Sam Hafertepe, Jr., of Sunnyvale, Texas, was voted the 2020 “Driver of the Year” by the North American 360 Sprint Car Poll voting panel of media members, promoters, sanctioning officials and manufacturers assembled by the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum for the fifth year in a row. Hafertepe is now a five-time American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) national tour champion, won the Jesse Hockett/Daniel McMillin Memorial in Wheatland, Missouri, the Short Track Nationals in Little Rock, Arkansas, and earned eight of the thirteen first-place ballots cast in the year-end poll. Hill’s Racing, owner for Hafertepe’s #15H earned the “Team of the Year” award for the third consecutive year. Sunbury, Pennsylvania’s Mark Smith received four first place votes, and Troy DeCaire of Wesley Chapel, Florida received one as well.
Those drivers ranked second through fifth, respectively, are Mark Smith, who won 20 features in 2020, Devil’s Bowl Winternationals winner Roger Crockett of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, six-time winner Shane Golobic of Fremont, California, and five-time winner Blake Hahn of Sapulpa, Oklahoma.
Rounding out the ‘top ten’ for the season are Lake Ozark Speedway Nationals champ Derek Hagar, USCS titlist Terry Gray, six-time USCS winner Dale Howard, South Australia’s Scott Bogucki and three-time Florida winner Troy DeCaire.
Garet Williamson of Columbia, Missouri earned the North American 360 Sprint Car Poll “Rookie of the Year” title in his first full season of winged 360-cubic-inch sprint car competition. Mark Smith of Mach-1 Chassis (for the second time) earned “Builder/Manufacturer of the Year” honors.
In addition, Todd Buffenbarger (TJSlideways.com) (for the fourth time) and Michael Rigsby (FloRacing.com) will receive the “Media Member of the Year” Award. Doug Johnson, (Jackson Motorplex/Huset’s Speedway) received “Promoter of the Year” honors for the first time, and Mark Smith will receive the “Wild Card Award” in 2020 for his exciting performances on the way to 20 wins in 360 sprint car racing.
The North American 360 Sprint Car Poll is an annual awards program of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum Foundation, Inc., of Knoxville, Iowa. All awards will be distributed in 2021 at tracks throughout North America. The awards are announced the week of the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
360 Sprint Car Poll Top 20
Position. Name, Hometown, Points (First Place Votes)
1. Sam Hafertepe Jr., Sunnyvale, TX, 1010 (8)
2. Mark Smith, Sunbury, PA, 760 (4)
3. Roger Crockett, Broken Arrow, OK, 256
4. Shane Golobic, Fremont, CA, 225
5. Blake Hahn, Sapulpa, OK, 133
6. Derek Hagar, Marion, AR, 132
7. Terry Gray, Bartlett, TN, 121
8. Dale Howard, Byhalia, MS, 114
9. Scott Bogucki, McLaren Vale, SA, 107
10. Troy DeCaire, Wesley Chapel, FL, 100 (1)
(tie) Jack Dover, Springfield, NE, 100
12. Andy Forsberg, Auburn, CA, 85
13. Justin Sanders, Aromas, CA, 81
14. JJ Hickle, Quilcene, WA, 78
15. Justin Henderson, Tea, SD, 75
16. Connor Leoffler, Myrtle Beach, SC, 67
17. Carson McCarl, Altoona, IA, 65
18. Harli White, Lindsay, OK, 62
19. Michael Day, Farmersville, TX, 60
20. Seth Bergman, Snohomish, WA, 52
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