(Photo by Phil Pace Photo)
Inside Line Promotions – TULSA, Okla. (Jan. 7, 2014) – Blake Hahn recently moved into a new house and he finally has the perfect decoration – a Golden Driller.
Hahn captured his fifth Golden Driller last weekend during the 28th annual Speedway Motors Tulsa Shootout at Tulsa Expo Raceway when he powered to the ECOtec midget feature victory. It marked the third time in the last four years Hahn has earned a Golden Driller trophy.
“My parents have my first four and I told my dad that I was taking this one for my new home,” he said.
Hahn got off to an inauspicious start to the competition by dropping from the pole position to a third-place result during his ECOtec heat race last Thursday.
“I hadn’t driven an ECOtec since the last Shootout,” he said. “I drove through the top and everybody got underneath me. We changed quite a bit of stuff for the qualifier. Then, we didn’t change anything from the qualifier to the feature.”
And for good reason. Hahn charged from fifth to win his qualifier on Friday, which started him on the outside of the front row for Saturday’s 20-lap main event.
“Driving into turn one on the first lap I went to the top,” said Hahn, who lost several positions on the opening circuit. “I kept working it and kept working it.”
Hahn rebounded to earn the runner-up position by the midpoint of the feature and he then took the lead following a restart.
“We had a restart and I just kept railing the top and (the leader) got a little loose coming out of turn four,” Hahn said. “Going into turn one I threw a slider and then going into turn three he slid me back, but I kept it in the gas and drove around him.”
Despite losing his brakes with approximately five laps remaining, Hahn led the remainder of the race to garner the win and the prestigious trophy.
He also competed in three micro sprint classes, making the main event in two of them.
In nonwing outlaw competition, Hahn drove from fourth to win his heat race on Wednesday and then advanced from third place to the runner-up position in his qualifier on Thursday. That started him on the outside of the fifth row for Saturday’s main event.
“It was pretty exciting to make the feature with a stock motor,” he said. “We weren’t really expecting much. The car was great.”
Hahn placed seventh in the feature.
After a slow start to “A” class winged action, Hahn battled to capture a transfer in a B Main with a runner-up finish. However, mired in the back for most of the main event, Hahn pulled in early and was credited with a 19th-place result.
“I started dead last and the track was pretty dry,” he said. “Somebody ran over my left rear tire and knocked off my injectors.”
The “A” class nonwing didn’t go as planned and after winning his heat race, Hahn was caught up in a collision during his qualifier. He capped that class with a 13th-place result in a B Main.
Focus now shifts to the 28th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire at Tulsa Expo Raceway next week, Jan. 14-18, when Hahn will drive for Hard Eight Racing for the third consecutive season.
“I just want to make the A Feature on the preliminary night,” he said. “I think we have a pretty good chance.”
QUICK RESULTS –
Jan. 1 – Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Okla. (Nonwing outlaw) – Heat race: 1 (4).
Jan. 1 – Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Okla. (“A” class winged) – Heat race: 3 (5).
Jan. 2 – Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Okla. (Nonwing outlaw) – Qualifier: 2 (3).
Jan. 2 – Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Okla. (ECOtec midgets) – Heat race: 3 (1).
Jan. 2 – Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Okla. (“A” class winged) – Qualifier: 5 (8).
Jan. 2 – Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Okla. (“A” class nonwing) – Heat race: 1 (3).
Jan. 3 – Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Okla. (“A” class nonwing) – Qualifier: 12 (5); B Main: 13 (6).
Jan. 3 – Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Okla. (ECOtec midgets) – Qualifier: 1 (5).
Jan. 4 – Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Okla. (Nonwing outlaw) – Feature: 7 (10).
Jan. 4 – Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Okla. (ECOtec midgets) – Feature: 1 (2).
Jan. 4 – Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Okla. (“A” class winged) – B Main: 2 (2); Feature: 19 (5).
UP NEXT –
Tuesday through Saturday, Jan. 14-18, at Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Okla., for the 28th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.BlakeHahnRacing.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlakeH52
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Blake-Hahn-Racing/139549836107030
APPAREL –
Hahn has t-shirts available for purchase at his race trailer at every event he competes in during the season.
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Shriners Hospitals for Children
The generosity of donors is what enables Shriners Hospitals for Children® to deliver life-changing medical care without placing burden on the families of our patients. There are many ways to give, from participating in one of our many fundraising events throughout the year, to creating a plan for giving. No matter how large or small, every gift to Shriners Hospitals for Children makes a difference in the life of a child. For more information, visit http://www.ShrinersHospitalsForChildren.org.
“Shriners Hospitals for Children help out children who are in need,” Hahn said. “It’s a great thing and sets a good example of helping people.”
Hahn would also like to thank Griffith Truck & Equipment, MDS Boring & Drilling, Intra Services, Inc., Griffith Sheet Metal, S&H Diesel Truck Repair, Atlas Truck Sales, Houston Truck Parts, Dependable Diesel, AFCO Shocks and Wesmar Racing Engines for their continued support.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –
Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations and media management for motor sports teams. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and the return on investment for your sponsors.
To meet the media relations needs of your program and to join Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or InsideLinePromotions@gmail.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.
- Shawn Miller on Jan 07, 2014
- Article Date: 1/7/2014 by Inside Line Promotions