By Bryan Hulbert
SPENCER, Iowa (September 14, 2021) Picking up win No. 4 of the season, Matt Covington had to hold off Blake Hahn for the win in the debut of the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network at Clay County Fair Speedway in Spencer, Iowa.
“Man, this was an awesome track tonight, and the fans really made it a great show,” stated Covington. “It was perfect for how we like it with a bottom, slick to the top, and technical. Being open on one end and a wall on the other made it interesting, but just glad we could get the win here, especially with these massive trophies. I had to hold on and get one for my buddy, Josh [Hegwood].”
Leading every lap of Tuesday’s “Battle of the Blue Ribbon,” Covington never had much of a cushion to lean on as Hahn stalked him into slower traffic. Taking second on Lap 15, the CSR Garage No. 52 showed a nose to Covington a few times but never could get the pass. Chasing to the white flag, the caution lights came on for the stalled No. 6 of Jeremy McCune as the leaders raced into the first two turns.
Back to the last fully complete lap, the race set up into a green, white, checkered dash to the finish.
Working the top of the three-eighths-mile oval, Covington held Hahn to try and make the bottom work on the restart. Getting bite off the second turn, the pair rode the wall off the fourth turn to the wave of the white flag. Another run off the bottom, Hahn pulled back into Covington’s tire tracks before peeling to the hub of the final two turns.
Matching the A-Rock Material No. 95 in the middle of the third and fourth turns, the top proved to be the place to be as Covington held on by a couple of car lengths.
“I was worried on the restart. I knew I had to time it and get the best restart I could to get the gap and hustle it. Blake’s been fast all year, and he already showed me a nose a few times in traffic, so I knew it was going to be a fight to the finish,” stated Covington of the race to the finish.
Dylan Westbrook held on for third, with J.J. Hickle crossing fourth. Using the restart to his advantage, Skylar Prochaska grabbed fifth, with Terry McCarl likewise picking up positions to finish sixth. Ryan Timms slipped back to seventh, with Ryan Bickett eighth. Kaleb Johnson and Brandon Stevenson completed the top ten.
The field of 22 was divided into three SCE Gaskets Heat Races, with wins going to Ryan Timms, Skylar Prochaska, and Matt Covington. No provisionals were needed. Up next is the $10,000 to win Jesse Hockett/Daniel McMillin Memorial at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo. on September 16, 17, and 18. Tickets are on sale at https://www.lucasoilspeedway.com. The event will be shown live on http://www.racinboys.tv and http://www.mavtvplus.com.
The 2021 season is the 30th year of competition for the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network.
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 ASCS Nation in 2021, log onto http://www.ascsracing.com, follow on Facebook, on Instagram, and Twitter (@LucasOilASCS).
Race Results:
Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour
Clay County Fair Speedway (Spencer, Iowa)
Tuesday, September 14, 2021
Car Count: 22
SCE Gaskets Heat Races (Everyone goes to the A-Feature)
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 5T-Ryan Timms[1]; 2. 22X-Riley Goodno[2]; 3. 52-Blake Hahn[8]; 4. 17B-Ryan Bickett[6]; 5. 13MJ-Brandon Halverson[3]; 6. 32-Dusty Ballenger[7]; 7. 6-Jeremy McCune[5]; 8. 69R-Damon McCune[4]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 35-Skylar Prochaska[1]; 2. 47X-Dylan Westbrook[6]; 3. 14-Jody Rosenboom[5]; 4. 0-Brandon Stevenson[2]; 5. 55-Nate Eakin[4]; 6. 1A-John Anderson[7]; 7. 18-Dalton Domagala[3]
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 95-Matt Covington[2]; 2. 24T-Chris Thram[1]; 3. 63-JJ Hickle[5]; 4. 24-Terry McCarl[3]; 5. 22-Kaleb Johnson[7]; 6. 88-Travis Reber[4]; 7. 11-Mindy McCune[6]
Sawblade.com A-Feature
A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 95-Matt Covington[1]; 2. 52-Blake Hahn[4]; 3. 47X-Dylan Westbrook[2]; 4. 63-JJ Hickle[5]; 5. 35-Skylar Prochaska[8]; 6. 24-Terry McCarl[12]; 7. 5T-Ryan Timms[3]; 8. 17B-Ryan Bickett[10]; 9. 22X-Riley Goodno[7]; 10. 22-Kaleb Johnson[11]; 11. 24T-Chris Thram[9]; 12. 0-Brandon Stevenson[13]; 13. 55-Nate Eakin[14]; 14. 14-Jody Rosenboom[6]; 15. 13MJ-Brandon Halverson[17]; 16. 32-Dusty Ballenger[15]; 17. 6-Jeremy McCune[21]; 18. 69R-Damon McCune[22]; 19. 11-Mindy McCune[20]; 20. 1A-John Anderson[16]; 21. 88-Travis Reber[18]; 22. 18-Dalton Domagala[19]
Lap Leader(s): Matt Covington 1-25
Hard Charger: Terry McCarl +6
High Point Driver: Dylan Westbrook
Provisional(s): N/A
ASCS Online:
American Sprint Car Series: http://www.ascsracing.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lucasoilascs
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lucasoilascs [@lucasoilascs]
Instagram: LucasOilASCS
Broadcast: FloRacing.com and Racinboys.com
Live-Scoring [Where Applicable]: MRP Live
2021 Driver Standings [Top 10]: 1. Blake Hahn 4,313; 2. Matt Covington 4,258; 3. JJ Hickle 4,225; 4. Dylan Westbrook 4,117; 5. Ryan Bickett 3,454; 6. Colby Thornhill 2,954; 7. Travis Reber 2,921; 8. Scott Bogucki 2,755; 9. Alex Hill 2,321; 10. Ryan Timms 2,155;