From Bryan Hulbert
Tulsa, OK — (February 3, 2016) — When some drivers sustain injuries behind the wheel, it can take weeks, if not full seasons of racing to bounce back. For Sam Hafertepe, Jr. it took mere laps for the Sunnyvale, Texas driver to feel right at home in the Hwy. 79 Collision No. 15h.
Coming back for the first time with the American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Red River Region presented by Smiley’s Racing Products at the Outlaw Motorsports Park on July 24, after breaking his arm on May 1, 2015 at the Salina Highbanks Speedway, it was as if Sam never left as the Texas ace smoked the field on a track that rough and on the top, only to follow that up the next night at the Longdale Speedway.
“We won six times in the 13 races I ran for Keith after I got back in the car. You never know what to expect coming off an injury like that and to come back like we did, it was unexpected but we felt like we could win. We just didn’t expect to come out that good, that fast,” commented Sam.
Looking to the 2016 season however, Sam is fully healed and looking to carry that momentum to a season ending $60,000 prize, but is still keeping an honest look at having to continue building a relatively new team.
“I feel like we are definitely going to be one of the cars to beat, but I really don’t know where to set the feeling at for this year. What we did at the end of last year was pretty impressive to me, coming in a knocking off several wins in a row. That’s though to do no matter who you’re racing and I just feel like right now we’re not going to set any goals because I don’t know how high we can go right now. It’s hard to say if we’re going to just pick up right where we left off last year, or go through a lull before we get clicking, but it’s always hard to tell at the beginning of the year.”
Driving for Keith Dobbs, out of Franklin, Texas, the Lucas Oil ASCS title hunt begins March 11 and 12 at the Creek County Speedway in Sapulpa, Okla. Looking at the overall schedule however, the Devil’s Bowl is still the one track that Sam looks forward to the most.
“Here in this part of Texas is where I started racing so going to Devil’s Bowl, I’m always pumped up for that. We’re just about always one of the best cars when we go there so I feel like it’s our race to lose.”
Looking at close to 50 nights on the road, Sam has plenty of experience to lean on, and although still a young man, gives him a well-deserved veteran status in the sport.
“The dirt is different everywhere you go. To me, I feel it plays well into my hands going to some these places that a few of these guys haven’t really seen that many times. When we go to Washington, I’ve been to almost all those tracks. I won my first Outlaw show at Skagit Speedway so even we don’t have notes on a few of the places we’re going to I feel like we’re already prepared.”
Going into the 2016 season, Sam would like to thank car owner Keith Dobbs as well as Hwy. 79 Collision, Wells Racing Engines, J&J Chassis, and Keizer Wheels for their support. Fans looking to keep up with Sam Hafertepe, Jr. can find him online at http://www.sam15.com and on Twitter (@samhafertepejr). You can also read Sam’s words at http://www.thedriversproject.com/2016/01/coming-back.
The 2016 season is the 25th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing across the United States for the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network. For continued updates, and to see the full lineup of events for American Sprint Car Series, from the National Tour to the Regional Tours, log onto http://www.ascsracing.com.