By T.J. Buffenbarger
LAKE ODESSA, Mi. (May 17, 2019) — Sam Hafertepe Jr. made a long wait for redemption worthwhile dominating Friday night’s Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVtv / Great Lakes Super Sprints main event at I-96 Speedway. Hafertepe from Sunnyvale, Texas won his heat race, his qualifier, and led all 25-laps holding off Michigan driver Ryan Ruhl and GLSS regular Phil Gressman for the victory.
After not making the feature during the series last completed event on April 26th Hafertepe endured three rained out programs and won that incomplete to bounce back and gave Hafertepe time to hear some of his detractors.
Our last (ASCS) National race we didn’t even make the show, so its really rewarding to come back like we did tonight and hopefully this is just a little sample of what is going to happen the rest of the year,” Said Hafertepe. “There was a lot of hearsay going around that we’re not as good as we were last year, and blah blah blah…I think tonight that kind of shut that up.”
Hafertepe was never seriously challenged the entire distance through multiple restarts and slower traffic.
“The car was really good. I made a few hiccups there and got a little tight on the curb a few times. The track was really demanding. As a race car driver that’s what you want because hopefully you can feel like you can outdo the other guys. I feel like we did that tonight, we had a really good race car. I drove a good race, but made a few mistakes here and there, but all and all just happy with tonight after what we had.
Ryan Ruhl and Hafertepe started on the front row for the main event. Coming off of turn four on the initial lap chaos ensued with multiple sprint cars stacked up on each other. Jamie Ball, Alex Hill flipped while Randy Hannagan, Roger Crockett Jared Horstman, Jordon Mallett and Gregg Dalman involved as well with Dalman’s car literally sitting on top of another car. All the drivers involved were uninjured. Dalman, Horstman, and Mallett were able to restart.
Hafertepe led the second attempt the start the main while Ruhl and Matt Covington exchanged the second spot with Ruhl getting the upper hand on lap three. Another caution appeared on lap two when Zane DeVault slowed in turn two. Hafertepe drove away again during the restart with Ruhl trying to keep pace.
Shortly after the restart Gressman, who started eighth, started to pressure Covington for the third spot. Gressman eventually built up momentum and drove by Covington on the high side in turn two for third and started to close in on Ruhl.
Covington then found himself under pressure for the fourth and final spot to lock into Saturday’s program from John Carney II. Following a caution for a exploded left rear tire on Shawn Dancer’s car on lap 19 Covington and Carney continued their race for the final transfer spot with Blake Hahn nosing in to make it a three car battle for the position. While racing for position Covington and Carney made contact in turn two sending Carney flying off the race track. Carney’s car remained upright, but slid to a stop to bring out the final caution flag of the event.
Up front it was all Hafertepe pulling away during each restart and cruising to victory. Ruhl from Coldwater, Michigan held down the second position much to the delight of the local fans.
“It’s awesome,” said Ruhl of his runner up finish. “I’ve been racing for a while now and usually when the big series come to Michigan, we historically so great. It feels awesome to represent the local crowd.”
Gressman was satisfied to be locked into Saturday’s program, but felt his team had work to do to be able to compete with Hafertepe.
“I feel like our hot rod is pretty nice,” said Gressman. “(Hafertepe) got out there and we had some lapped cars and he was able to get through them. We’re going to have to dial this thing in a little bit if we’re going to race him tomorrow.”
Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV / Great Lakes Super Sprints
I-96 Speedway
Lake Odessa, MI
Friday, May 17, 2019
SCE Gaskets Heat Race #Races (Top 30 in Passing Points advance to Qualifiers)
Heat Race #1 (8 Laps)
1. 16-Ryan Ruhl, [1]
2. 16C-Zane Devault, [2]
3. 52-Blake Hahn, [8]
4. 22M-Dan McCarron, [4]
5. 27-Brad Lamberson, [9]
6. 84-Kyle Poortenga, [6]
7. 18S-Micheal Summers, [7]
8. 18-Josh Shantz, [3]
9. 40-Jeff Wilson, [5]
Heat Race #2 (8 Laps)
1. J2-John Carney II, [2]
2. 77X-Alex Hill, [3]
3. 17W-Harli White, [5]
4. 17-Jared Horstman, [8]
5. 85-Dustin Daggett, [6]
6. 28M-Conner Morrell, [1]
7. 61-Steve Irwin, [4]
8. 3T-Tank Brakenberry, [7]
Heat Race #3 (8 Laps)
1. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr, [1]
2. 2X-Tucker Doughty, [3]
3. 23-Devon Dobie, [4]
4. 47X-Dylan Westbrook, [5]
5. 22H-Randy Hannagan, [7]
6. 77-Andrew Scheid, [2]
7. 10S-Jay Steinbach, [8]
8. 16W-Garrett Saunders, [6]
Heat Race #4 (8 Laps)
1. 19-Brett Mann, [2]
2. 49-Shawn Dancer, [4]
3. 5J-Jamie Ball, [7]
4. 14-Jordon Mallett, [6]
5. 21P-Robbie Price, [3]
6. 49T-Gregg Dalman, [5]
7. 8-Justin Ward, [1]
8. 2T-Ralph Brakenberry, [8]
Heat Race #5 (8 Laps)
1. 24D-Danny Sams III, [1]
2. 95-Matt Covington, [4]
3. 7C-Phil Gressman, [5]
4. 28-Scott Bogucki, [7]
5. 11R-Chase Ridenour, [8]
6. 46-Ryan Coniam, [2]
7. 11-Roger Crockett, [6]
8. 27X-Jared Lamberson, [3]
Hoosier Tire Qualifiers (Top 16 in combined Passing Points advance to the A-Feature)
Qualifier 1 (8 Laps)
1. 16-Ryan Ruhl, [4]
2. 17W-Harli White, [2]
3. 16C-Zane Devault, [1]
4. 22H-Randy Hannagan, [8]
5. 52-Blake Hahn, [6]
6. 17-Jared Horstman, [3]
7. 21P-Robbie Price, [9]
8. 10S-Jay Steinbach, [10]
9. 19-Brett Mann, [5]
10. 11R-Chase Ridenour, [7]
Qualifier 2 (8 Laps)
1. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr, [4]
2. 7C-Phil Gressman, [2]
3. 49-Shawn Dancer, [5]
4. 77X-Alex Hill, [3]
5. 22M-Dan McCarron, [8]
6. 5J-Jamie Ball, [6]
7. 77-Andrew Scheid, [10]
8. 84-Kyle Poortenga, [9]
9. 23-Devon Dobie, [1]
10. 47X-Dylan Westbrook, [7]
Qualifier 3 (8 Laps)
1. 28-Scott Bogucki, [2]
2. 95-Matt Covington, [5]
3. J2-John Carney II, [6]
4. 85-Dustin Daggett, [8]
5. 49T-Gregg Dalman, [9]
6. 24D-Danny Sams III, [4]
7. 14-Jordon Mallett, [1]
8. 46-Ryan Coniam, [10]
9. 2X-Tucker Doughty, [3]
10. 27-Brad Lamberson, [7]
BMRS B-Features (Top 3 from each advance to the A-Feature)
B-Main (12 Laps)
1. 17-Jared Horstman, [1]
2. 21P-Robbie Price, [3]
3. 47X-Dylan Westbrook, [7]
4. 19-Brett Mann, [2]
5. 18S-Micheal Summers, [9]
6. 46-Ryan Coniam, [6]
7. 28M-Conner Morrell, [8]
8. 8-Justin Ward, [11]
9. 40-Jeff Wilson, [13]
10. 77-Andrew Scheid, [4]
11. 18-Josh Shantz, [12]
B-Main 2 (12 Laps)
1. 14-Jordon Mallett, [2]
2. 49T-Gregg Dalman, [1]
3. 11-Roger Crockett, [8]
4. 84-Kyle Poortenga, [5]
5. 27-Brad Lamberson, [7]
6. 2X-Tucker Doughty, [3]
7. 16W-Garrett Saunders, [11]
8. 61-Steve Irwin, [9]
9. 10S-Jay Steinbach, [4]
10. 27X-Jared Lamberson, [12]
11. 11R-Chase Ridenour, [6]
12. 3T-Tank Brakenberry, [10]
A-Feature
A-Main (25 Laps)
1. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr, [2]
2. 16-Ryan Ruhl, [1]
3. 7C-Phil Gressman, [8]
4. 95-Matt Covington, [3]
5. 52-Blake Hahn, [9]
6. 17-Jared Horstman, [17]
7. 17W-Harli White, [7]
8. 28-Scott Bogucki, [6]
9. 47X-Dylan Westbrook, [21]
10. 85-Dustin Daggett, [12]
11. J2-John Carney II, [4]
12. 21P-Robbie Price, [19]
13. 11-Roger Crockett, [22]
14. 22M-Dan McCarron, [15]
15. 49T-Gregg Dalman, [20]
16. 24D-Danny Sams III, [16]
17. 5J-Jamie Ball, [14]
18. 49-Shawn Dancer, [5]
19. 16C-Zane Devault, [11]
20. 14-Jordon Mallett, [18]
21. 2X-Tucker Doughty, [23]
22. 22H-Randy Hannagan, [10]
23. 77X-Alex Hill, [13]
Lap Leader(s): Sam Hafertepe, Jr. 1-25
Hard Charger: Dylan Westbrook +12
High Point Driver: Ryan Ruhl
Provisional(s): Tucker Doughty (Points)