From Bryan Hulbert
CANEY, Kan. (September 10, 2022) Despite the lack of Victory Lane celebrations due to rain on Saturday night, there was no doubt who the driver to beat was at Caney Valley Speedway, as Washington’s Seth Bergman put his Evergreen Coffee Co. No. 23 to the point, and never looked back in the rain-shortened, $4,000 to win Sooner/Shocker Showdown with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network.
Seth’s second National Tour win of the season, the victory is his first at Caney Valley Speedway and elevates him to 16 overall wins with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network. He is now tied with Mike Ward and Matt Covington for 15th in overall wins.
Getting the lead over Matt Covington at the mid-point of the backstretch on Lap 1, the No. 23 operated the top of the quarter-mile oval through the first 10 revolutions before adjusting to the middle through the third and fourth turns while maintaining his run on the cushion in turns one and two.
Keeping up over a few very light sprinkles, caution on Lap 8 was followed by another slowdown on Lap 12 as drivers tussled with the cushion in turn two. The mid-point of the feature needed for an official race, in this case, Lap 13, the field made it just past that before the red lights came on for Tim Crawley, who tipped to his side.
Back to green, the race ultimately found its conclusion working Lap 16 when Brandon Anderson came to a stop facing the wrong way off the fourth turn after contact with Jason Martin.
At that point, the rate of rainfall became too much, and officials were forced to call the race. As only half the field made it to the line before the final caution flew, the race was official, with 15 laps completed.
Holding to the hub of the quarter-mile, Matt Covington held off several attempts by Blake Hahn for the runner-up spot. Operating a new car after a flip in regional competition at Creek County Speedway a couple of weeks ago, Tulsa’s Jeffrey Newell held on for fourth with Landon Crawley fifth.
Jeremy Campbell crossed sixth, with Sean McClelland working to seventh. Wayne Johnson was eighth, followed by Jake Bubak from 18th. Having to race his way in through the B-Feature, Jason Martin advanced ten positions to complete the top ten.
The 28-car field broke into a trio of SCE Gaskets Heat Races, with wins going to Jeffrey Newell, Jeremy Campbell, and Landon Crawley. The BMRS B-Feature was topped by Kyler Johnson. The Driver’s Project quick qualifier was Seth Bergman, with a time of 12.027-seconds.
Next on the docket is the $3,000 to win, $400 to start, Battle of the Blue Ribbon at Clay County Fair Speedway in Spencer, Iowa, on Tuesday, September 13, then the $10,000 to win, Hockett/McMillin Memorial at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo. on September 15, 16, and 17.
Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour presented by MAVtv
Caney Valley Speedway
Caney, Kansas
Saturday, September 10, 2022
The Driver’s Project Group Qualifying
The Drivers Project Qualifying (3 Laps)
1. 23-Seth Bergman, 12.027[1]
2. 27B-Jake Bubak, 12.120[8]
3. 2C-Wayne Johnson, 12.206[3]
4. 12-Jeffrey Newell, 12.412[9]
5. 10P-Dylan Postier, 12.489[5]
6. 31-Casey Wills, 12.584[7]
7. 90-Lance Norick, 12.635[10]
8. 88-Terry Easum, 12.776[6]
9. 17B-Ryan Bickett, 12.919[2]
DNS: 97-Kevin Cummings, NT
The Drivers Project Qualifying 2 (3 Laps)
1. 87-Sean McClelland, 12.165[5]
2. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr, 12.302[8]
3. 1X-Tim Crawley, 12.413[3]
4. 10C-Jeremy Campbell, 12.476[2]
5. 45X-Kyler Johnson, 12.484[4]
6. 36-Jason Martin, 12.616[7]
7. 55B-Brandon Anderson, 12.739[1]
8. 17F-Chad Frewaldt, 13.307[6]
9. 42-Grady Mercer, 13.307[9]
The Drivers Project Qualifying 3 (3 Laps)
1. 52-Blake Hahn, 12.706[6]
2. 95-Matt Covington, 12.735[5]
3. 26M-Fred Mattox, 12.743[3]
4. 187-Landon Crawley, 12.784[2]
5. 10-Landon Britt, 12.839[7]
6. 24-Ty Hulsey, 13.332[8]
7. 17-Waylon Weaver, 13.405[4]
8. 15D-Andrew Deal, 13.465[9]
9. 91-Justin Fine, 14.223[1]
SCE Gaskets Heat Race #Races (Top 16 in Qualifying/Passing Points advance to the A-Feature)
SCE Gaskets Heat Race #1 (8 Laps)
1. 12-Jeffrey Newell[1]
2. 2C-Wayne Johnson[2]
3. 23-Seth Bergman[4]
4. 10P-Dylan Postier[5]
5. 88-Terry Easum[8]
6. 90-Lance Norick[7]
7. 27B-Jake Bubak[3]
8. 31-Casey Wills[6]
9. 17B-Ryan Bickett[9]
DNS: 97-Kevin Cummings
SCE Gaskets Heat Race #2 (8 Laps)
1. 10C-Jeremy Campbell[1]
2. 1X-Tim Crawley[2]
3. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[3]
4. 87-Sean McClelland[4]
5. 55B-Brandon Anderson[7]
6. 45X-Kyler Johnson[5]
7. 17F-Chad Frewaldt[8]
8. 36-Jason Martin[6]
9. 42-Grady Mercer[9]
SCE Gaskets Heat Race #3 (8 Laps)
1. 187-Landon Crawley[1]
2. 95-Matt Covington[3]
3. 52-Blak
BMRS B-Feature (Top 6 advance)
BMRS B-Main (12 Laps)
1. 45X-Kyler Johnson[2]
2. 27B-Jake Bubak[5]
3. 15D-Andrew Deal[4]
4. 36-Jason Martin[8]
5. 17F-Chad Frewaldt[3]
6. 17B-Ryan Bickett[9]
7. 17-Waylon Weaver[6]
8. 42-Grady Mercer[10]
9. 91-Justin Fine[11]
10. 24-Ty Hulsey[1]
11. 31-Casey Wills[7]
12. 97-Kevin Cummings[12]
A-Feature
Lucas Oil A-Main (15 of 25 officially completed due to rain)
1. 23-Seth Bergman[2]
2. 95-Matt Covington[1]
3. 52-Blake Hahn[3]
4. 12-Jeffrey Newell[4]
5. 187-Landon Crawley[6]
6. 10C-Jeremy Campbell[5]
7. 87-Sean McClelland[10]
8. 2C-Wayne Johnson[7]
9. 27B-Jake Bubak[18]
10. 36-Jason Martin[20]
11. 88-Terry Easum[12]
12. 17F-Chad Frewaldt[21]
13. 45X-Kyler Johnson[17]
14. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[9]
15. 10-Landon Britt[15]
16. 26M-Fred Mattox[14]
17. 17B-Ryan Bickett[22]
18. 90-Lance Norick[16]
19. 55B-Brandon Anderson[13]
20. 1X-Tim Crawley[8]
21. 15D-Andrew Deal[19]
22. 10P-Dylan Postier[11]
Lap Leader(s): Seth Bergman 1-15
Hard Charger: Jason Martin +10
Quick Time: Seth Bergman 12.027-seconds
High Point Driver: Matt Covington
Provisional(s): N/A