From Bryan Hulbert
ALGER, Wash. (June 23, 2018) – From a young boy watching the Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup, to Victory Lane, Washington’s Seth Bergman realized a lifelong dream Saturday night by winning the 47th edition of the Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup presented by the Skagit Casino Resort with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by Sawblade.com.
“I don’t know if you could tell from my pre-race interview, I was a little emotional. These are big moments and we put our heart and soul into this. My whole team does. I’ve dedicated my life to driving a Racecar and it’s nice when you can come to big events like this with the big money and the prestige and get it done. It’s such a satisfying feeling,” said Bergman of the win.
“I remember coming up here as a kid and playing in the grass where those kids are right now. Just having a ball and looking at those Dirt Cup Champions like they were Superheroes and I always dreamed of being one. Never really thought I could turn into reality, but I’m so proud of all these guys.”
Earning the right of the front row with Scott Bogucki on the pole, the first two starts were a no go as contact slowed Matt Covington and Johnny Herrera on each attempt. A charm the third time around, Scott Bogucki jumped to the race lead.
Peddling with momentum on the second revolution, the race for the point went to the Corridor Electric No. 23.
Steadily pulling away, Seth found his way into slower traffic by Lap 6. Carefully picking his way around the backmarkers, Bergman worked to a comfortable advantage as Scott Bogucki and Travis Rilat squared off for second. Holding off the BDS Motorsports No. 1, traffic play to the advantage of Bogucki.
Still under green, as the half-way point came and went, Bergman was more than three seconds ahead with over a half-dozen lapped cars between himself and the Sawblade.com No. 28. With a half straightaway over third place, Rilat’s position was about to come under fire as 18th starting, Sam Hafertepe, Jr., roared through the field.
Green to checkered after the first two attempts, Seth Bergman who would go unchallenged to the win by 2.841 seconds over Scott Bogucki. Earning the CP-Carrillo Hard Charger of the Night, Sam Hafertepe, Jr. was chased to the checkered flag by Travis Rilat with Logan Forler making up the top-five.
Brock Lemley in sixth was followed by Buddy Kofoid, who bounced back from a violent flip on Friday night. Trey Starks was eighth with J.J. Hickle and Blake Hahn charging out of a B-Feature to round out the top-ten.
Up next for the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by Sawblade.com is the Fred Brownfield Classic at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash. on Friday, June 29 and Saturday, June 30. For more information, ticket prices, and directions log onto http://www.graysharborraceway.com.
For other news, notes, and information on the American Sprint Car Series, from the National Tour to any of the Regional Tours that make up the over 150 across the ASCS Nation in 2018, log onto http://www.ascsracing.com, follow on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter (@LucasOilASCS).
Race Results:
Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour
Skagit Speedway – Alger, Wash.
47th Dirt Cup – Night 3
Saturday, June 23, 2018
Event Count: 53
BMRS B-Feature (Top 3 in each advance to the A-Feature)
B Feature 1 (15 Laps): 1. 91-Chase Goetz, [2]; 2. 52-Blake Hahn, [3]; 3. 2C-Wayne Johnson, [4]; 4. 33-Colton Heath, [6]; 5. 5J-Jamie Ball, [8]; 6. 8P-Jared Peterson, [1]; 7. 17W-Harli White, [9]; 8. 11-Roger Crockett, [5]; 9. 26-Joey Saldana, [7]; 10. 16-David Miller, [10]; 11. 44H-Jake Helsel, [12]; 12. 25-Michael Hodel, [17]; 13. 14-Bailey Sucich, [13]; 14. 54-Chris Ochs, [16]; 15. (DNF) 44NZ-Daniel Anderson, [15]; 16. (DNF) 5R-Steve Reeves, [14]; 17. (DNF) 97R-Jason Reed, [11]; 18. (DNF) 88-Travis Reber, [18]
B Feature 2 (15 Laps): 1. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr, [3]; 2. 22-Garen Linder, [6]; 3. 17-Cameron (Cam) Smith, [7]; 4. 18-Jason Solwold, [4]; 5. 57C-Chris Schmelzle, [12]; 6. 22X-Trevor Cook, [2]; 7. 77X-Alex Hill, [1]; 8. 44-Chris Martin, [5]; 9. 9A-Luke Didiuk, [14]; 10. 57-Bud Ashe, [8]; 11. 29W-Steven James, [10]; 12. 2-James Setters, [13]; 13. 33S-Lance Sargent, [9]; 14. 75-Brian Boswell, [11]; 15. (DNF) 15-Jeff Dunlap, [16]; 16. (DNF) 23S-Steve Parker, [15]
Protect the Harvest A-Feature:
A Feature (40 Laps): 1. 23-Seth Bergman, [2]; 2. 28-Scott Bogucki, [1]; 3. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr, [18]; 4. 1-Travis Rilat, [3]; 5. 2L-Logan Forler, [6]; 6. 10L-Brock Lemley, [8]; 7. 8R-Michael Kofoid, [14]; 8. 55-Trey Starks, [10]; 9. 3-J.J. Hickle, [5]; 10. 52-Blake Hahn, [19]; 11. 17-Cameron (Cam) Smith, [22]; 12. 22-Garen Linder, [20]; 13. 45-Austen Wheatley, [16]; 14. 1R-Ryan Robinson, [11]; 15. 91-Chase Goetz, [17]; 16. 18-Jason Solwold, [24]; 17. 11-Roger Crockett, [23]; 18. 21P-Robbie Price, [4]; 19. 2C-Wayne Johnson, [21]; 20. 33-Colton Heath, [26]; 21. 5J-Jamie Ball, [25]; 22. 45X-Johnny Herrera, [7]; 23. 95-Matt Covington, [13]; 24. 56-Justin Youngquist, [12]; 25. 59-Eric Fisher, [15]; 26. 99-Skylar Gee, [9]
Lap Leader(s): Scott Bogucki 1; Seth Bergman 2-40
CP-Carrillo Hard Charger: Sam Hafertepe, Jr. +15
FSR High Point Driver: N/A
Provisional(s): N/A
2018 ASCS National Driver Points (Top 15): 1. Seth Bergman 2,183; 2. Sam Hafertepe, Jr. 2,141; 3. Blake Hahn 2,137; 4. Wayne Johnson 2,056; 5. Johnny Herrera 1,967; 6. Scott Bogucki 1,972; 7. Matt Covington 1,905; 8. Skylar Gee 1,833; 9. Roger Crockett 1,816; 10. Jamie Ball 1,669; 11. Travis Rilat 1,655; 12. Harli White 1,641; 13. Chris Martin 1,631; 14. Alex Hill 1,433; 15. Sammy Swindell 1,410;