(Photo by Al Steinberg)
Inside Line Promotions – TAMPA, Fla. (Feb. 24, 2015) – Sam Hafertepe Jr. put together a consistent weekend during the season-opening event with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour.
Hafertepe Jr. advanced or finished in the same starting position throughout both preliminary nights at East Bay Raceway Park last Thursday and Friday for the Ronald Laney Memorial.
“Our goal, like it is every race, is to win and we didn’t do that,” he said. “We were just missing that little bit of grip to get forward bite and on a slick track like East Bay that makes all the difference between having a car that is in Victory Lane and one that is in the middle of the pack.”
The event opened last Thursday with Hafertepe Jr. finishing where he started – second – in both a heat race and a B Main. That transferred him into the 25-lap feature, where he maneuvered from 21st to 12th.
He nearly repeated the performance on Friday, when Hafertepe Jr. placed third in a heat race and a B Main. He started last in the main event and rallied for another 12th-place result.
“The track had the most grip all weekend during Friday’s feature,” he said. “Unfortunately, that was because it was caked in rubber so passing was at a premium. You had to have a great car to be able to pass. We took advantage of the opportunities that were in front of us, but most of the racing was single file and on the bottom groove in the rubber.”
The weekend concluded on Saturday with Hafertepe Jr. finishing second in both a qualifier and a B Main to lock himself into the 40-lap feature. However, he pulled off the track early and was credited with a 21st-place finish.
“Track position was key all weekend and being in the right lane on starts was critical,” he said. “We weren’t able to take advantage of a few opportunities when we started near the front and we were caught in a bad lane on starts a few times. We’ll chalk it up as a learning weekend and move on to Bubba Raceway Park, where I expect to win this weekend.”
Hafertepe Jr. will compete on Friday and Saturday at the egg-shaped track in Ocala, Fla., with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour.
QUICK RESULTS –
Feb. 19 – East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, Fla. – Heat race: 2 (2); B Main: 2 (2); Feature: 12 (21).
Feb. 20 – East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, Fla. – Heat race: 3 (4); B Main: 3 (3); Feature: 12 (24).
Feb. 21 – East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, Fla. – Qualifier: 2 (1); B Main: 2 (2); Feature: 21 (15).
SEASON STATS –
14 races, 0 wins, 1 top five, 1 top 10, 5 top 15s, 7 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Friday and Saturday at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla., with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour
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
LIVE COVERAGE –
To keep up to speed with Hafertepe Jr. at every Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour event, visit http://www.RacinBoys.com for free, live audio. Additionally, RacinBoys will provide live Pay-Per-View video at select races.
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 LoneStar 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 by joining Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or Shawn@InsideLinePromotions.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.
- Shawn Miller on Feb 24, 2015
- Article Date: 2/24/2015 by Inside Line Promotions