Swindell Triumphs With ASCS In First Creek County Speedway Visit

Story By: BRYAN HULBERT / ASCS – SAPULPA, OK – It’s not often that a there is a track that Sammy Swindell has not raced at, but Thursday night was indeed the case at Creek County Speedway. That, of course, didn’t slow the wily veteran down as Sammy picked up his second victory of the season with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by Sawblade.com.

“You had to get on the wheel to race this place. We were lucky enough we had a good car that we could run a bunch of different lines, but I was worried there at the end getting on those lapped cars. They were all running together, and it seems like this week I’ve been on the wrong end, but tonight, I was on the right end.

Caution on Lap 1, the red followed on the restart as Alex Hill went flipping wildly down the front straightaway after contact with Sam Hafertepe, Jr. who had a run on the No. 77x exiting the fourth turn. Alex was unharmed, and the race resumed with Swindell in the runner-up spot to Scott Bogucki.

Bounding to the lead on Lap 2 with a high line pass on the Sawblade.com No. 28 off the fourth turn, Sammy shut down any move on the bottom through turns one and two to begin pulling away down the back straightaway.

Able to continue after the earlier contact from Alex Hill, the No. 15h of Sam Hafertepe, Jr. worked to second following a Lap 4 restart to begin hunting Sammy Swindell.

Taking the high line to build momentum, Hafertepe and Swindell began trading slide jobs at both ends of the quarter-mile oval. Across and under through several laps, Swindell was able to edge Hafertepe for the lead. Finally getting the advantage on Lap 11, Hafertepe’s lead was short-lived. Swapping lines, Sammy was able the force Hafertepe on the brakes as the pair worked to the half-way point.

“I knew I was getting too slow off the bottom when he slid me, so I just had to go to the top and hustle the car,” commented Swindell of the race with Hafertepe. “I’m just grateful for all the fans out here and truly blessed to be here. Another new track and I’m undefeated.”

Into traffic shortly after, Sammy steadily pulled away.

Bottled up by slower traffic in the final five laps, it was not enough to allow Hafertepe a chance at the lead. Crossing 2.244 seconds to the good, Sammy Swindell was chased to the line by Sam Hafertepe, Jr. Entering the night 15 points ahead of Seth Bergman in the championship chase, Hafertepe left Creek County Speedway with a 35-point advantage over Blake Hahn, who claimed the show positions on the final lap over Scott Bogucki. Crossing in fifth was Roger Crockett.

Oklahoma’s Alex Sewell moved from 12th to sixth with Chris Martin posting another strong finish in seventh. Dropping to third in tour standings, Seth Bergman had to dig his way from 14th to eighth. Kyle Bellm in ninth was followed by 15th starting, Travis Rilat, in 10th.

Through five rounds of the 2018 ASCS Sizzlin’ Summer Speedweek, the final night of competition is Saturday, June 16 at Salina Speedway in Salina, Kan. Racing gets underway at 8:00 P.M. (CT) with admission only $20. Kids 16 and under are free with a paid adult. Get more information online at http://www.racesalinaspeedway.com.

Race Results:

Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour
Creek County Speedway – Sapulpa, Okla.
Speedweek Round 5
Thursday, June 14, 2018
Car Count: 27

Heat Races (Top 16 in Passing Points transfer to the A-Feature. Top 8 Redraw)

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 11G-Mike Goodman, [2]; 2. 3-Sammy Swindell, [4]; 3. 8-Alex Sewell, [1]; 4. 44-Chris Martin, [6]; 5. 22-Sean McClelland, [7]; 6. 2C-Wayne Johnson, [8]; 7. 17W-Harli White, [5]; 8. 85-Forrest Sutherland, [3]; 9. (DNF) 5J-Jamie Ball, [9]

Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 91T-Tyler Thomas, [3]; 2. 77X-Alex Hill, [2]; 3. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr, [6]; 4. 1-Travis Rilat, [4]; 5. 23-Seth Bergman, [7]; 6. 45X-Johnny Herrera, [8]; 7. 90-Lance Norick, [1]; 8. 94L-Layne Himebaugh, [5]; (DNS) 15D-Andrew Deal,

Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 28-Scott Bogucki, [2]; 2. 14K-Kyle Bellm, [4]; 3. 52-Blake Hahn, [3]; 4. 11-Roger Crockett, [8]; 5. J2-John Carney II, [9]; 6. 99-Skylar Gee, [5]; 7. 2X-Tucker Doughty, [1]; 8. 20G-Jake Greider, [7]; 9. (DNF) 95-Matt Covington, [6]

BMRS B-Feature (Top 6 advance to the A-Feature)

B Feature (12 Laps): 1. 45X-Johnny Herrera, [1]; 2. 17W-Harli White, [3]; 3. 99-Skylar Gee, [2]; 4. 90-Lance Norick, [5]; 5. 95-Matt Covington, [9]; 6. 5J-Jamie Ball, [8]; 7. 20G-Jake Greider, [4]; 8. 85-Forrest Sutherland, [10]; 9. 94L-Layne Himebaugh, [7]; 10. (DNF) 2X-Tucker Doughty, [6]; (DNS) 15D-Andrew Deal,

Protect the Harvest A-Feature:

A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 3-Sammy Swindell, [4]; 2. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr, [3]; 3. 52-Blake Hahn, [11]; 4. 28-Scott Bogucki, [2]; 5. 11-Roger Crockett, [6]; 6. 8-Alex Sewell, [12]; 7. 44-Chris Martin, [10]; 8. 23-Seth Bergman, [14]; 9. 14K-Kyle Bellm, [5]; 10. 1-Travis Rilat, [15]; 11. 45X-Johnny Herrera, [17]; 12. J2-John Carney II, [9]; 13. 2C-Wayne Johnson, [16]; 14. 91T-Tyler Thomas, [8]; 15. 95-Matt Covington, [21]; 16. 11G-Mike Goodman, [7]; 17. 17W-Harli White, [18]; 18. 90-Lance Norick, [20]; 19. 5J-Jamie Ball, [22]; 20. 99-Skylar Gee, [19]; 21. (DNF) 22-Sean McClelland, [13]; 22. (DNF) 77X-Alex Hill, [1]

Lap Leader(s): Scott Bogucki 1; Sam Hafertepe, Jr. 11; Sammy Swindell 2-10, 12-25
CP-Carrillo Hard Charger: Blake Hahn +8
FSR High Point Driver: Tyler Thomas
Provisional(s): N/A