(Image Credit: Mike Spivey)
TULSA, Okla. (September 6, 2015) The Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track is a sight to behold. A special event facility located just off the back straightaway of it’s bigger asphalt brother, the four-tenths mile oval will spring to life on Friday, September 11 and Saturday, September 12 with the 13th annual Portacool U.S. National Dirt Track Championship, with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network headlining Saturday night’s action.
The fourth year of competition for the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour at the Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track, the reigning champion of the Portacool U.S. National Dirt Track Championship is Washington’s Seth Bergman, who is currently fourth in tour standings.
“It was pretty neat to win at TMS for sure. It’s one of the nicer venues we go to all year and you definitely want to stand on top of the podium when you go somewhere like Texas Motor Speedway,” said the driver of the Corridor Electric No. 23. “We’ve been fortunate to have good finishes, and to come out and win on the final night last year; it was definitely one of the wins in my career that I’m proud of.”
A two day show in 2014, Seth fell short of the Friday night lock-in. Forced to race his way in through his Heat Race, the No. 23 made the redraw to start sixth in Saturday’s Championship event.
“The way the draw played out, we had a realistic shot if I did my job and luckily we were able to make the most of it. I don’t remember where we started, but once the feature got going; TMS just produces such good racing. It’s so wide and I just remember it was a really good race between almost everyone that was in the redraw going three and four wide the whole time,” recounted Seth of the feature event.
“I was finally able to get free of those guys, and Sam [Hafertepe] was out front and sometimes when you’re the leader, and you get stuck doing what you think is good, and we were able to move around and found something that was better.”
Pocketing $4,000 for the win, Seth also walked away with a custom Helmet, Hat, and a Portacool Cyclone 3000.
“I think it’s cool that Portacool helps put this race on, and gives away a fan like that along with all the other prizes and trophies you get. It’s just a good event for us, and for ASCS. It’s one of those you look forward to during the year and want to win.”
Going into the Portacool U.S. National Dirt Track Championship, Seth has 12 victories to his credit in 2015, with a trio of those coming against the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour. On top of a dozen top five runs as well as 15 top ten finishes, the 2015 season has been one of Seth’s most consistent.
While he looks to carry that momentum into Texas Motor Speedway, Seth is never settled with yesterday’s performance, “As much as it’s been a consistent year, and we’ve won races, I’m still not happy with it,” said Seth.
“I know we missed a race and I’m not really in the points to win it anymore, and that’s disappointing, but we want to win every night we go out, and I think in Sprint Car racing, if you’re not continuously getting better, then you just kind of lost, and what’s the point in begin out here? I know me as a competitor every night, every year, I work to get better. That’s why we’re here is to get better.”
While Seth looks to end his season on a high note of wins, everyone continues to chase Texas native, Aaron Reutzel, who holds a 93 point advantage over New Mexico’s Johnny Herrera, and 147 of Oklahoma City’s Wayne Johnson. Seth in fourth leads Matt Covington who completes the top five.
Blake Hahn holds sixth in driver standings with Kyle Bellm seventh as the leading Brodix Rookie of the Year contender ahead of Jordan Weaver and Kris Miller. Tennessee’s Jeff Swindell currently rounds out the top ten.
The Texas Motor Speedway kicks off a series of five prestigious races throughout the month of September with the fourth annual Casey’s General Store Fall Bawl at the I-80 Speedway on September 18 and 19, followed by the Hockett/McMillin Memorial at the Lucas Oil Speedway on September 25 and 26. More information on these events can be found at http://www.ascsracing.com.
For more information on the Portacool U.S. National Dirt Track Championship at the Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track, log onto http://www.texasmotorspeedway.com. Fans can purchase tickets online or save $5 on Saturday's adult tickets when you purchase your ticket at any O'Reilly Auto Parts store.
For continued updates on the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network, log onto http://www.ascsracing.com.
Lucas Oil ASCS History at TMS: First added to the Lucas Oil ASCS lineup in 2012 and was the first time Sprint Cars had visited to the four-tenths mile oval since 2007. The Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track is one of 18 track in the “Lone Star State” to see action with the National Tour since 1993. In three previous events, four night of racing have been logged with three different winners.
***Lucas Oil ASCS Winners at TMS: Jason Johnson (2012 and 2013), Sam Hafertepe, Jr. (2014 prelim), Seth Bergman (2014 finale).
TMS Sprint Car Winners:
Lucas Oil ASCS – Jason Johnson 2; Seth Bergman 1; Sam Hafertepe, Jr. 1;
Sprint Series of Texas – Chad Wilson 1;
World of Outlaws – Danny Lasoski 2; Steve Kinser 2; Jason Johnson 1; Brad Furr 1; Brian Paulus 1; Mark Kinser 1;
Need To Know Information:
Series: Lucas Oil ASCS presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network
What: 13th annual Portacool U.S. National Dirt Track Championship
Where: Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track – Ft. Worth, Texas
Address: 3545 Lone Star Cir, Fort Worth, TX 76177
Speedway Contact Information:
Website: http://www.texasmotorspeedway.com
Phone: (817) 215-8500
Tickets: Online, by phone, or at the gate
Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/texasmotorspeedway
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TXMotorSpeedway
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2015 Lucas Oil ASCS Winners: Aaron Reutzel 6; Seth Bergman 3; Jason Solwold 3; Johnny Herrera 3; Jason Sides 1; Mark Smith 1; Brian Brown 1; Blake Hahn 1; Wayne Johnson 1; Tony Bruce, Jr. 1; Ian Madsen 1; Jack Dover 1; Dusty Zomer 1; Danny Lasoski 1; Terry McCarl 1;
Lucas Oil ASCS Driver Points (Top 10): 1. Aaron Reutzel 3,269; 2. Johnny Herrera 3,176; 3. Wayne Johnson 3,122; 4. Seth Bergman 2,887; 5. Matt Covington 2,778; 6. Blake Hahn 2,647; 7. Kyle Bellm 2,585; 8. Jordan Weaver 2,362; 9. Kris Miller 2,202; 10. Jeff Swindell 1,855;
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The 2015 season will mark the 24th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing for the American Sprint Car Series, which brings the best of Sprint Car racing to dozens of different tracks throughout the nation in both National and Regional competition.
Lucas Oil Products is the title sponsor of the American Sprint Car Series. More information can be found on Lucas Oil Products at www.lucasoil.com. MAVTV is the presenting sponsor of the American Sprint Car Series. Log onto www.mavtv.com for information regarding availability and listings in your area.
ASCS Online:
American Sprint Car Series - http://www.ascsracing.com
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/lucasoilascs
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/lucasoilascs (@lucasoilascs)
Audio Broadcast - http://www.racinboys.com
Live Scoring (Where Applicable) - http://www.ascsracing.com/live and the Race Monitor App
ASCS National Drivers Online:
Kyle Bellm - http://www.kylebellm.com
Seth Bergman - http://www.sethbergmanracing.com
Tony Bruce, Jr. - http://www.tonybrucejr.com
Matt Covington - http://www.mattcovingtonracing.com
Blake Hahn - http://www.blakehahnracing.com
Sam Hafertepe, Jr. - http://www.sam15.com
Johnny Herrera - http://www.johnnyherreraracing.com
Wayne Johnson - https://www.facebook.com/WayneJohnsonRacing?fref=ts
Aaron Reutzel - http://www.aaronreutzelracing.com
Jeff Swindell - http://www.jeffswindell.com
Jordan Weaver - https://www.facebook.com/JordanWeaverRacing92
Associate sponsors for the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV include: Hoosier Racing Tire and Brodix.
Team Lucas Sponsors for the American Sprint Car Series consist of Protect the Harvest, Kawasaki, Geico, E3 Spark Plugs, and General Tire.
Communications for the American Sprint Car Series is provided by Racing Electronics. All events are broadcast online at http://www.racinboys.com.
Product and Contingency Sponsorship provided by: K&N Filters, KSE Racing Products, Fuel Safe, DMI Rear Ends, BMRS, SpeedMart, Competition Suspension, Engler Machine and Tool, FSR Radiator and Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Driverwebsites.com, Weld Wheels, Maxwell Industries, Print Place, Simpson, The Joie of Seating, Wesmar Racing Engines, Hinchman Indy Racewear, Rod End Supply, Smiley's Racing Products, Speedway Motors, and Hilborn Injection.