TULSA, Okla. (May 19, 2014) - Regional competition was plenty this past weekend as the five ASCS Regions took to the track in Arizona, Montana, New Mexico, and Texas in both 360cid and 305cid events.
This past weekend brings the count of ASCS sanctioned events to 43, accounting for 38 race nights with 288 drivers having taken part in at least one ASCS sanctioned event so far in 2014. Races have been held in 25 cities across nine states (AR, AZ, KS, MO, MT, NE, NM, OK, and TX).
The Winners
Friday, May 16, 2014
• Jeff Swindell - A last lap pass at the Boyd Raceway with the Smiley's Racing Products Lone Star Region was followed by doughnuts better than Krispy Kreme, and a wing dace some 28 races in the making for Jeff Swindell. A $2,000 score for the Tennessee veteran, the win was the first for Swindell in 2014 in ASCS competition.
• Joe Ramaker - The driver from Boise, Idaho was on hand for the ASCS Frontier Region's 2014 opener, kicking off his season with a victory at the Electric City Speedway in Great Falls, Mont. Taming a hammer down racing surface, Ramaker's win is the ninth with the region since its inception in 2013.
• Lorne Wofford - The West Texas ASCS 305cid Region was in competition at the El Paso Speedway Park on Friday with Lorne Wofford grabbing the victory on a night dedicated to fallen racer Jim Funk, who was better known to many in the southwest as "The Godfather".
Saturday, May 17, 2014
• Lance Norick - Taking the lead in the closing laps, Lance Norick scored his first ASCS Southwest victory of the season at the Arizona Speedway in Queen Creek, Ariz. More-or-less a win in front of a hometown crowd, the Cave Creek, Ariz. driver now has two wins to his credit with the Southwest arm of the ASCS Nation.
• Sam Hafertepe, Jr. - The Sunnyvale, Texas driver went nearly unchallenged at the Devil's Bowl Speedway on Saturday. Having to hold off one advance the entire 25 laps A-Feature, Hafertepe's win was his first of the 2014 season in ASCS competition. Being a Lone Star / Sooner Showdown, the fans showed their approval of a Lone Star winner.
• T.J. Hartman - Passing for the lead on the final lap at the Electric City Speedway, the second night of the Frontier Region's season opener went to Washington's T.J. Hartman. The win is not only Hartman's first with the Montana based region, but his first in ASCS competition. The 23 year-old driver won from the ninth starting spot.
• Kyle Sager - The West Texas ASCS 305cid Region was at the Southern New Mexico Speedway in Las Cruces, N.M. on Saturday with Kyle Sager leading start-to-finish at the five-sixteenths mile clay oval for his eighth with the region since 2007.
The rest of the Weekend:
• Hard Hits, and Harder Hits - This past weekend saw its share of hard hitting crashes. Morgan Montgomery tested the wall in turn one at the Boyd Raceway, ending her night and forcing the spare car on Saturday. Josh Baughman also left with a torn up racecar after flipping at the flagstand on the white flag lap. Report from the Electric City Speedway wasn't specific as to whom, but it was that at least five drivers got upside-down on Friday night. Saturday night, Mike Rux, Jr. exited the fourth turn of the Arizona Speedway with a not so soft landing, while at the Devil's Bowl. Saturday night at the Devil's Bowl three drivers upside down in Heat Races.
• Speaking of the Devil's Bowl - The track was slick. Very slick on Saturday night for Heat Races. Modified and Sprint Car drivers alike had a tough time negotiating the half-mile, but none hit harder than Mike Goodman. Racing for the lead with Kolt Walker in the closing laps of the second Heat, the pair go close, but never touched as Goodman slammed the wall exiting turn-four. That contact sent the 11am into Walker, bouncing Goodman back to the wall where sparks gave way to violent snap rolls. Mike emerged bruised, but no beaten.
• Aaron Reutzel - Also getting upside down in the second Heat Race at the Devil's Bowl, Reutzel found the left front of Mark Huddleston's No. 33 exiting the second turn. Going end-over-end, Aaron was lucky to escape injury as the hit was hard enough to bend the seat. Reutzel returned for the B-Feature where he won with ease but pulled off early in the A-Feature.
• Finding the Rubber - Sometimes running second has its advantages. For Lance Norick, that meant finding the rubber before the leader. Able to keep Joshua Williams committed to the cushion; Norick was able work by for his first win of the season. On Friday, there was a very thin line at the Boyd Raceway, and it only took a second for Jeff Swindell to grab the lead. Making slight contact with the back bumper of Reutzel after the No. 87 entered low on the restart and slid to the rubber. Track conditions, and lack of tire, relegated Aaron to fourth. T.J Hartman was another driver who found that narrow line, using the rubber to get past Ramaker coming to the checkered flag.
• Lead Changes - Saturday night at the Electric City Speedway saw a 25 lap A-Feature with five lead changes between Jeremy McCune, Joe Ramaker, and T.J. Hartman according to the report submitted by Andrew Kunas.
• Weekend of First Time Winner - Sort of. For T.J. Hartman, the Saturday win at the Electric City Speedway was his first ever in ASCS competition, but for everyone else, it was their first of the year. In fact, there have only been 5 repeat winners so far this year. Combining ASCS 360cid and 305cid winners, in 38 race nights there have been 31 winners.
• We Have a Leak - Sam Hafertepe, Jr. finished runner up Friday night, but was luck the night didn't cost him an engine. In his post-race interview, the driver of the No. 15h revealed that he was nursing the car to the finish as oil pressure began to drop. It was found that the oil pan on Hafertepe's Wells Racing Engine had a hole.
• Strange Parts Failure - It's not often you see a front axle just break, but that is what happened to Tony Bruce, Jr. on Friday night. Rolling off the second turn of the Boyd Raceway, the left-front king pin and hub assembly simply snapped off the axle. Removing all ability to steer, Bruce ended up nose first into the wall atop turn three. Having not made contact with anything, or anyone, the parts failure had Bruce scratching his head.
• Best for Alex Sewell - In the Oklahoma driver's first visit to the Devil's Bowl Speedway, Alex Sewell posted his best regional finish, crossing second to Sam Hafertepe, Jr. Saturday marked the first time the Broken Arrow driver has finished on the podium of an ASCS event.
On Deck:
Memorial Day Weekend is always busy for the world of dirt track racing, and ASCS is no exception with nine races in four ASCS Regions:
Gulf South: The Griffith Truck and Equipment Gulf South Region kicks off Memorial Day Weekend on Friday, May 23 with the series second ever visit to the Cotton Bowl Speedway in Paige, Texas. On to Saturday, May 24 and action heads to the Shady Oaks Speedway in Goliad, Texas for a second attempt at a first time showing, after the 2013 stop was called due to weather. Things round out on Sunday with the series third visit of the season to the Golden Triangle Raceway Park in Beaumont, Texas.
Midwest: The Speedway Motors ASCS Midwest Region has a single stop this weekend on Friday, May 23 at the Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Neb.
Northwest: The ASCS Northwest Region has the busiest weekend planned, with four nights to kick off the region's 2014 season. The Southern Oregon Speedway in Medford hosts the season opener on Thursday, May 22, followed by the Willamette Speedway in Lebanon on Friday, May 23. The Cottage Grove Speedway ends out the weekend with a Saturday / Sunday double-header.
Warrior: A single stop weekend for the Speedway Motors ASCS Warrior Region, the Missouri based series will head for the Double X Speedway in California, Mo. on Sunday, May 25.
The 2014 season marks the twenty-third year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing for the American Sprint Car Series, which brings the best of Sprint Car racing to dozens of different tracks throughout the nation. Anchored by the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series, ASCS also consists of ten different Regions throughout the nation.
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 is the presenting sponsor of the American Sprint Car Series. Log onto www.mavtv.com for information regarding availability and listings in your area.
Associate sponsors for the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV include: Hoosier Racing Tire and Brodix.
Team Lucas Sponsors for the American Sprint Car Series consist of Protect the Harvest, iON Camera, Smokey Mountain Moonshine, C&R Radiator, Hawk Performance Products, Geico, E3 Spark Plugs, and General Tire.
Product and Contingency Sponsorship provided by: K&N Filters, KSE Racing Products, SpeedMart, Competition Suspension, Engler Machine and Tool, FSR Radiator and Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Driverwebsites.com, Weld Wheels, Saldana Racing Products, Maxwell Industries, Print Place, Simpson, The Joie of Seating, Wesmar Racing Engines, Hinchman Indy Racewear, Rod End Supply, Smiley's Racing Products, Speedway Motors, and Hilborn Injection Systems.
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com as well as Twitter (@LucasOilASCS) and Facebook. News and information can also be sent to you with the ASCS E-News by texting ASCS to 22828 with any mobile device.
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Bryan Hulbert
ASCS / Chili Bowl P.R.
