(Photo by DB3 Imaging)
Inside Line Promotions – BRANDON, S.D. (July 22, 2014) – Sam Hafertepe Jr. was on pace to capture another victory last weekend when it was pulled out from under him.
After charging from sixth to third place in his Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour heat race on Friday at Black Hills Speedway in Rapid City, S.D., Hafertepe Jr. led the opening seven laps of the main event before a caution jumbled everything.
“They took all the cones off and allowed the cars to run on the apron,” he said. “We were all racing out there and couldn’t see what we were doing because the dust was so bad. When the track changes like that all of a sudden you don’t expect it. It became quite dangerous. If a guy had spun out in turns three and four, we couldn’t see him and would have driven through him. It was a bad call on whoever’s part.”
Hafertepe Jr. fell to fourth place after the restart and despite low visibility, he maintained that position for the remainder of the race to earn his 11th top five of the season.
Frustration didn’t end that night. Hafertepe Jr. tackled Jackson Speedway in Jackson, Minn., on Saturday for a JSTS event.
“It was a bunch of confusion to be honest,” he said. “The track had called me two days before asking me to go down there. They said, ‘We’ll take care of you. It’s ASCS rules and all that.’ We drove through the night and got down there.”
Hafertepe Jr. charged from sixth to second place in his heat race.
“The car was really awesome,” he said. “I went to the scales and the guy says you can’t run that tire, just get it off there. We get in the pits and change it out. They take me to redraw and all of a sudden right before the B Main is going out the guy said, ‘I can’t let that go.’ He didn’t mention anything about it in the driver’s meeting.”
Hafertepe Jr., who had pulled the No. 3 in the redraw and thought he was starting on the inside of the second row for the main event, was told he was disqualified from his heat race and would be forced to start at the back of the B Main.
“The track was taking rubber,” he said. “Financially I wasn’t prepared to burn up four rear tires for running eighth or ninth in the feature.”
Hafertepe Jr. ended his weekend with a return to the Blazing Racing sprint car on Sunday at Huset’s Speedway for the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions event.
“They didn’t really have a driver for Sunday and we were getting my car ready,” he said. “I told them I’d drive it for the one night.”
After qualifying 15th quickest, finished fourth in his heat race and he was credited with a 12th-place finish in the main event.
Hafertepe Jr. is scheduled to compete this Saturday at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, in the 410ci class.
QUICK RESULTS –
July 18 – Black Hills Speedway in Rapid City, S.D. – Heat race: 3 (6); Feature: 4 (2).
July 19 – Jackson Speedway in Jackson, Minn. – Heat race: DQ (6); B Main: DNS (-).
July 20 – Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, S.D. – Qualifying: 15; Heat race: 4 (5); Feature: 12 (15).
SEASON STATS –
44 races, 3 wins, 11 top fives, 18 top 10s, 26 top 15s, 32 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Saturday at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa
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
VIDEO –
Here is a link to highlights of Hafertepe Jr. winning the ASCS Gulf South Region race at Heart O’Texas Speedway on June 6: http://youtu.be/QWG0RyKXyX8
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Wells Racing Engines
Wells Racing Engines Founder Dennis Wells has been building performance engines for circle track, drag race, boats and street since 1968. For more information, visit http://www.WellsRacing.com.
“Dennis Wells has been in business for a long time and is a leading engine builder in the 360 ranks,” Hafertepe Jr. said. “He helps our team out quite a bit.”
Hafertepe Jr. would also like to thank Keizer Aluminum Wheels, Lonestar Speedway, Kiebler & Sons Lawn and Landscaping, 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 Jul 22, 2014
- Article Date: 7/22/2014 by Inside Line Promotions