(Photo by DB3 Imaging)
Inside Line Promotions – MESQUITE, Texas (April 22, 2014) – Sam Hafertepe Jr. is an optimist and it shows following the Texas Outlaw Nationals at his home track.
Hafertepe Jr. had one of the fastest cars – if not the fastest – during the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series doubleheader last weekend at Devil’s Bowl Speedway, which is only a few minutes from Hafertepe Jr.’s shop. Unfortunately, an incident on the opening lap of the feature both nights hampered his results.
“We’ve always been good there because we’ve ran a lot of laps around that place,” he said. “It was successful to go out there having not raced with those guys in a while to be the fastest. At the same rate when you have a chance to contend for the win both nights and we never even made a lap, that is disappointing. I try to look at the bright side on that. You always have to keep your head up in this sport.”
Hafertepe Jr. opened the event last Friday by qualifying 10th quickest. He then powered to the heat race victory from the pole position to lock himself into the dash, which he started third.
“We had the car really good,” he said. “We walked off from them in the heat race and never really got challenged. I felt really, really good. In the dash we were good as well. I just thought we were getting better and better.”
After finishing second in the dash, Hafertepe Jr. started the 25-lap feature on the outside of the front row.
“On the start of the feature we had a bleeder going down in the right rear tire,” he said. “The bleeder has a plastic insert and that broke. It’s just a parts failure.”
After getting a good jump on the opening start, the yellow flag was waved because a driver spun out. On the complete restart, Hafertepe Jr.’s tire began to deflate and he slowed in turns three and four to bring out the caution. His team replaced the tire and Hafertepe Jr. returned to tag the field.
“We had the car set up pretty tight for being out front,” he said. “Back in traffic we were really bad. If we were set up to run back there we could have passed more cars.”
Hafertepe Jr. rallied from last to place 16th.
He continued to showcase speed during the finale on Saturday, which culminated with the $20,000-to-win Ted Johnson Memorial.
Hafertepe Jr. qualified third quickest and then charged from fourth place to win his heat race. After advancing from fourth to third place in the dash, Hafertepe Jr. started the main event on the inside of the second row.
“When we got out for the feature I made my warm-up lap and I felt like my car was really, really nice,” he said. “When I went through turns one and two to test the top, I figured the top would be the place to be. I felt like ‘Man, we’re going to have a shot to win this.’ Coming off turn two the motor went sour on us. It dropped a valve on it. A little bit of bad luck, but that’s part of it.”
Hafertepe Jr. pulled to the pits on the opening lap with the engine issue and he was credited with a 24th-place finish.
He will return to action with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series this Friday at Salina Highbanks Speedway in Salina, Okla. Hafertepe Jr. qualified second quickest and finished seventh in the main event there last year.
“We’ve got something that works pretty well there,” he said. “We’ll just go in there with the same mindset we went in with this weekend. I feel like we’re going to be pretty competitive.”
QUICK RESULTS –
April 18 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas – Qualifying: 10; Heat race: 1 (1); Dash: 2 (3); Feature: 16 (2).
April 19 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas – Qualifying: 3; Heat race: 1 (4); Dash: 3 (4); Feature: DNF (3).
SEASON STATS –
19 races, 0 wins, 4 top fives, 5 top 10s, 8 top 15s, 10 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Friday at Salina Highbanks Speedway in Salina, Okla., with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.Sam15.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SamHafertepeJr
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sam-Hafertepe-Jr-and-The-Plumbfast-Racing-Team/116304711773031?ref=br_tf
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Keizer Aluminum Wheels
Keizer Aluminum Wheels has provided custom aluminum racing wheels for any type of racing application for several decades. For more information, visit http://www.KeizerWheels.com.
“I’ve been using Keizer Aluminum Wheels since 2004,” Hafertepe Jr. said. “They are like family to me and have been with me through the highs and the lows.”
Hafertepe Jr. would also like to thank Lone Star Speedway, Kiebler & Sons Lawn and Landscaping, Wells Racing Engines, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Smiley’s Racing Products, Fisher Racing Engines, J&J Auto Racing, Pro Shocks by OC Shocks, Fire-Down Graphics, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Vortex Wings, Kear’s Speed Shop, Pancho’s Racing Products, GPC, Joe Gibbs Racing Oils, Zemco Headers and Simpson Racing Products for their continued support.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –
Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations and media management for motor sports drivers, teams, sponsors, tracks, series, events, organizations and manufacturers. 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 Apr 22, 2014
- Article Date: 4/22/2014 by Inside Line Promotions