MASON CITY, Iowa. (July 30, 2017) Gregg Bakker has been close over the years, but Sunday night at Mason City Motor Speedway, the South Dakota driver finally rolled to the checkered flag first with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series National Tour presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network.
“Getting to start in front like that with the track the way it was helps. This is Stock Car country and that kind of track is what they like,” said Bakker who became the 138th driver to win a Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour event, Gregg Bakker is also the second first time winner on the 2017 season; joining Jake Bubak who topped the series at West Texas Raceway on June 9.
Testing the top of the track before the drop of the green, Bakker never ventured up the banking again once the race began.
“I was watching the track earlier and the Street Stocks and Modifieds started moving to the top and I thought that might come in so on my warm up lap, I went to the top and thought this isn’t the place to be, but when you get into traffic, you don’t know how much the guys behind you are moving around and if the rubber is getting wider to where they can sneak by.”
Leading start to finish, the win was not an easy one for the Bakker Crossing No. 11x as Matt Covington was all but glued to his back bumper as the pair rolled the bottom of the half-mile oval. Working to traffic at the race’s mid-point, Gregg dare not miss a mark as Covington was joined by Sam Hafertepe, Jr. and Wayne Johnson with all three looking for a chance to roll by.
Finally clearing the slower car of Chris Masters with less than five laps to run, Bakker quickly put distance over the No. 95. With victory coming into view, the race’s lone caution flew as the field raced to the white flag for Carson McCarl who spun in the fourth turn.
Back to the last fully completed lap for the restart, Bakker was able to keep Matt Covington at bay as the field raced to the final lap. Racing off the final turn for the win, things behind the State Bank of Fairmont No. 11x got dicey as Matt Covington’s engine let go rolling into the third turn.
With Sam Hafertepe, Jr. and Wayne Johnson bearing down on the T&L Foundry No. 95, both drivers were on the binders to keep from ending up in a smoldering pile. Able to shoot under Matt off the final turn, Hafertepe rolled across the line second with Johnson third.
Taking his struggling mount all the way to the checkered flag, Matt Covington was edged out at the line for fourth by Johnny Herrera by a few feet. Josh Baughman sixth was chased by Thomas Kennedy with Blake Hahn in tow. Iowa’s Chris Martin was ninth with Aaron Reutzel moving up six spots to tenth.
A field of 26 drivers was in attendance at the Mason City Motor Speedway for the series’ first trip. Heat wins went to Gregg Bakker, Matt Covington, and Ryan Bickett. A B-Main was on the docket, but with a driver scratching from competition following Hot Laps, Mason City Motor Speedway officials opted to advance all remaining teams into the A-Feature.
Up next for the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network is the 27th annual 360 Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa. Events kick off on Thursday, August 3 and run through Saturday, August 5.
For continued updates on the American Sprint Car Series, from the National Tour to any of the seven regional tours that make up the over 150 races across the ASCS Nation in 2017, log onto http://www.ascsracing.com.
Race Results:
Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour
Mason City Motor Speedway – Mason City, Iowa
Sunday, July 30, 2017
Car Count: 26
Heat Races (All Drivers advance to the A-Feature)
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 11X-Gregg Bakker, [1]; 2. 2C-Wayne Johnson, [4]; 3. 44-Chris Martin, [3]; 4. 41-Dominic Scelzi, [2]; 5. 52-Blake Hahn, [7]; 6. 99-Skylar Gee, [5]; 7. 24-Terry McCarl, [9]; 8. 23-Seth Bergman, [8]; 9. 17W-Harli White, [6]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 95-Matt Covington, [2]; 2. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr, [3]; 3. 1-Thomas Kennedy, [1]; 4. 45-Chuck Hebing, [4]; 5. 7-Kaley Gharst, [7]; 6. 18-Ian Madsen, [8]; 7. 5H-Carson McCarl, [6]; 8. 40-Howard Moore, [5]; 9. 98-Chris Masters, [9]
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 17B-Ryan Bickett, [2]; 2. 17-Josh Baughman, [3]; 3. 45X-Johnny Herrera, [6]; 4. 35-Jamie Veal, [4]; 5. 77X-Alex Hill, [1]; 6. 87-Aaron Reutzel, [8]; 7. 41A-Andee Beierle, [5]; (DNS) 3-Tim Kaeding,
Protect the Harvest A-Feature:
A Feature (20 Laps): 1. 11X-Gregg Bakker, [1]; 2. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr, [3]; 3. 2C-Wayne Johnson, [5]; 4. 45X-Johnny Herrera, [8]; 5. 95-Matt Covington, [2]; 6. 17-Josh Baughman, [4]; 7. 1-Thomas Kennedy, [9]; 8. 52-Blake Hahn, [10]; 9. 44-Chris Martin, [6]; 10. 87-Aaron Reutzel, [16]; 11. 45-Chuck Hebing, [12]; 12. 24-Terry McCarl, [17]; 13. 23-Seth Bergman, [22]; 14. 7-Kaley Gharst, [11]; 15. 99-Skylar Gee, [19]; 16. 17W-Harli White, [23]; 17. 40-Howard Moore, [21]; 18. 5H-Carson McCarl, [20]; 19. 17B-Ryan Bickett, [7]; 20. 98-Chris Masters, [24]; 21. 77X-Alex Hill, [18]; 22. (DNF) 18-Ian Madsen, [15]; 23. (DNF) 41A-Andee Beierle, [25]; 24. (DNF) 41-Dominic Scelzi, [14]; 25. (DNF) 35-Jamie Veal, [13]
Lap Leader(s): Gregg Bakker 1-20
CP-Carrillo Hard Charger: Seth Bergman +9
FSR High Point Driver: Matt Covington
Provisional(s): N/A
2017 Lucas Oil ASCS A-Main Winner(s): Sam Hafertepe, Jr. – 10 (3/17 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway; 3/18 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway; 4/7 – Texas Motor Speedway; 4/8 – Texas Motor Speedway; 4/15 – Missouri State Fair Speedway; 6/13 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway; 6/14 – Lawton Speedway; 6/23 – Skagit Speedway; 6/24 – Skagit Speedway; 7/14 – Black Hills Speedway); Aaron Reutzel – 5 (5/11 – Lakeside Speedway; 6/15 – Creek County Speedway; 6/17 – Lucas Oil Speedway; 6/22 – Skagit Speedway; 7/15 – Black Hills Speedway); Wayne Johnson – 2 (7/7 – Gallatin Speedway; 7/8 – Gallatin Speedway); Jake Bubak – 1 (6/9 – West Texas Raceway); Kyle Bellm – 1(6/10 – Route 66 Motor Speedway); Brian Brown – 1 (6/16 – Randolph County Raceway); Matt Covington – 1 (6/30 – Grays Harbor Raceway); Roger Crockett – 1 (7/1 – Grays Harbor Raceway); Terry McCarl – 1 (7/29 – Knoxville Raceway); Gregg Bakker – 1 (7/30 – Mason City Motor Speedway);
2017 Lucas Oil ASCS Driver Standings (Top 10): 1. Sam Hafertepe, Jr. 3,128; 2. Aaron Reutzel 3,001; 3. Wayne Johnson 2,868; 4. Matt Covington 2,895 5. Johnny Herrera 2.836; 6. Seth Bergman 2,816; 7. Blake Hahn 2,642; 8. Skylar Gee 2,463; 9. Harli White 2,189, 10. Josh Baughman 1,527;
ASCS Online:
American Sprint Car Series: http://www.ascsracing.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lucasoilascs
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lucasoilascs (@lucasoilascs)
Instagram: ASCSRACING
Audio Broadcast: http://www.racinboys.com
Live Scoring (Where Applicable): http://www.ascsracing.com/live and the Race Monitor App
ASCS National Tour Drivers Online:
Kyle Bellm (Nixa, Mo.): http://www.kylebellm.com
Seth Bergman (Snohomish, Wash.): http://www.sethbergmanracing.com
Matt Covington (Glenpool, Okla.): http://www.mattcovingtonracing.com
Skylar Gee (Leduc, Ont. Can.): https://twitter.com/SkylarGee99
Jake Greider (Haysville, Kan.): https://twitter.com/JakeGreider2013
Sam Hafertepe, Jr. (Sunnyvale, Texas): http://www.sam15.com
Justin Henderson (Sioux Falls, S.D.): http://www.bdsmotorsportsllc.com
Alex Hill (Six Nations, Ont. Can.): https://twitter.com/alexhill77x
Blake Hahn (Sapulpa, Okla.): http://www.blakehahnracing.com
Johnny Herrera (Albuquerque, N.M.): http://www.johnnyherreraracing.com
Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, Okla.): https://www.facebook.com/WayneJohnsonRacing?fref=ts
Dustin Morgan (Owasso, Okla.): https://www.facebook.com/dustin.p.morgan?hc_ref=SEARCH
Aaron Reutzel (Clute, Texas): http://www.aaronreutzelracing.com
Harli White (Lindsay, Okla.): http://www.harliwhiteracing.net
ASCS Sponsors:
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 Motorsports Network is the presenting sponsor of the American Sprint Car Series. Log onto www.mavtv.com for information regarding availability and listings in your area.
Associate sponsors for the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network include: Hoosier Racing Tire, CP Carrillo Pistons, EMI, and Brodix. All Heat Races are brought to you by ButlerBuilt Professional Seating Systems. All B-Features are presented by BMRS.
Team Lucas Sponsors for the American Sprint Car Series consist of Protect the Harvest, Geico, Zotto Mattress, Spray Nine, LucasOilRacing.tv, Carlyle Tools, 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, BMRS, SpeedMart, Engler Machine and Tool, FSR Radiator and Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, MyRacePass.com, Weld Wheels, Maxwell Industries, Simpson, Wesmar Racing Engines, Hinchman Indy Racewear, Rod End Supply, Smiley’s Racing Products, Speedway Motors, and Hilborn Injection.
