From Bryan Hulbert
Tulsa, OK — (August 24, 2014) — National and Regional competition across Arkansas, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Texas highlight this week’s look back at the action of the American Sprint Car Series which included a first time visit to a newly opened facility as well as a return to a series favorite.
Regional races included two battles between the American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner and Smiley’s Racing Products Lone Star Regions as well as West Texas 305cid while the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour trekked through the Mid-South.
The Winners:
Thursday, August 21, 2014
• Sam Hafertepe, Jr. (National) – For the third time in 2014, the No. 15h of Sam Hafertepe, Jr. topped the podium with the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real, this time at the Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark. For Hafertepe, the win is a first at the famed quarter-mile.
Friday, August 22, 2014
• Jeff Swindell (National) – The second annual Racer’s Memorial at the Lexington 104 Speedway found Tennessee’s own Jeff Swindell crossing the finish line first on Friday night. The win is Swindell’s third on the season in National Tour competition, and fourth overall with the American Sprint Car Series.
• Kevin Ramey (Lone Star / Sooner) – The Red River Speedway in Iowa Park, Texas greeted the ASCS Lone Star and Sooner Regions on Friday night. The first time the American Sprint Car Series has graced the clay of the newly opened facility, it was Kevin Ramey who led start-to-finish to score one for the Lone Star Region.
Saturday, August 23, 2014
• Jake Martens (Lone Star / Sooner) – A quick drive north of the Red River to the Lawton Speedway found Jake Martens in Victory Lane. Trading the lead several times over the course of the 25 lap feature with Kevin Ramey and Jordan Weaver, the victory by Martens brought the score even between the regions.
• Kyle Sager (West Texas 305) – For the fifth time in 2014, Kyle Sager found Victory Lane with the West Texas ASCS 305cid Region. Taking the win at the Southern New Mexico Speedway, Sager has won at least one race per month with the Region since May.
News and Notes:
• 40 For Shorty – Thursday’s TBJ Promotions event at the Riverside International Speedway was dubbed the “Mid-South Showdown”, but following Monday, August 18 and the news of Shorty Chambliss passing the race quickly became the “40 For Shorty”. While the event name was not officially changed, the tribute to the legendary Mid-South driver was well received with the night’s A-Feature going 40 laps as well as Jason Johnson changing his number for the weekend to the No. 40r in tribute to Shorty and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. whose career began at the age of 14 thanks to Shorty.
• Points Shake-up – The points chase is getting interesting with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour as a good night followed by a rough night and vice versa has kept the things from getting away for any one person as the top-five in the National Tour are separated by 112 makers, but the moves are coming among the top three. A crash into the wall for Brad Loyet on Thursday night was met with a sixth place finish by Jason Johnson where the following night, a blown engine by Johnson was met with a sixth place showing by Loyet. On top of that, a runner-up showing and a win by Jeff Swindell has moved the No. 94 to second in points.
• Rolling – Since the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour ventured to Montana, Sam Hafertepe, Jr. has been on a roll with nine consecutive top-ten finishes in ASCS competition. Of those, seven have been in the top-five and has brought Sam from sixth to fourth in driver standings, only 107 points back from Loyet.
• Engine Woes – It’s the time of year when engines are starting to wear out, and Aaron Reutzel is feeling the pain. After his crew chief, Ryan Beechler, did a marathon trip to El Paso, Texas to retrieve another power plant for the BC Funds No. 87 prior to the Mid-South Showdown, that engine tuned it’s last round on Friday at Lexington, forcing Reutzel to leave early to get a jump on finding more power before the series heads to Minnesota this weekend.
• Full of Fuel – When the engine in Jason Johnson’s No. 41 let go on Friday night, Jason was quick to get out of the car, and for good reason. With an Intake Valve slammed shut fuel began backing up into the engine; filling the Intake and Air Filter completely full of Methanol by the time Johnson was able to get the car stopped. Thankfully, none of the raw fuel ignited.
• From the back – The ASCS Lone Star / Sooner showdown at the Lawton Speedway on Saturday night saw good battles for the lead with Jake Martens having to hold off Kevin Ramey and Jordan Weaver. On top of battles for the lead, the fight from the tail saw Johnny Herrera coming from twenty-fifth to fifth. Driving nearly 12 hours from Lexington, Tenn. to Lawton, Okla. overnight, Herrera was joined by Seth Bergman on the trek. Bergman was also impressive from seventeenth to sixth.
• Speaking of Jake Martens- The Fairview, Okla. driver recorded his fourth ASCS Lone Star victory at the Lawton Speedway, and in doing so, landed his first ASCS Sooner Region win. To date, Martens has six wins across three ASCS Regions. Martens’ first ASCS win came on September 8, 2012 at the Texarkana 67 Speedway with the ASCS Lone Star Region.
• Variety of Winners – Talking about the Lone Star and Sooner Regions, it should be mentioned as the region’s get into their final races of the year, the variety of winners so far this season. Starting with the Lone Star region, 14 nights of racing has yielded 11 different winners. In the Sooner Region, 16 nights of action has seen a dozen winners so far. In the whole of ASCS, 63 drivers have earned at least one A-Feature win this season out of 118 nights contested.
Coming Up:
Labor Day Weekend is next and races number 10 for the drivers of the ASCS Nation across Arizona, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, and Missouri. Details on each event will be posted to http://www.ascsracing.com throughout the week.
Labor Day Weekend 2014 – Schedule of Events:
8/29/2014 – Electric City Speedway – Great Falls, MT (Frontier)
8/29/2014 – Jackson Speedway – Jackson, MN (National/Midwest)
8/30/2014 – Electric City Speedway – Great Falls, MT (Frontier)
8/30/2014 – Jackson Speedway – Jackson, MN (National/Midwest)
8/30/2014 – Leesville 171 Speedway – Leesville, LA (Gulf South)
8/30/2014 – Randolph County Raceway – Moberly, MO (Warrior)
8/30/2014 – Tucson International Raceway – Tucson, AZ (Southwest)
8/31/2014 – Electric City Speedway – Great Falls, MT (Frontier)
8/31/2014 – Randolph County Raceway – Moberly, MO (Warrior)
8/31/2014 – Tucson International Raceway – Tucson, AZ (Southwest)
For a complete listing of ASCS events in 2014, log onto http://www.ascsracing.com.
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.