(Image Credit: Ben Thrasher)
Bryan Hulbert – CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (March 11, 2023) Leading it all Saturday night at Central Arizona Raceway, Washington’s Jake Helsel captured his first career victory with the ASCS Southwest Region.
The second ASCS Regional Tour that Helsel has won with, the win came in the Bob Ream owned No. 8.
Going fourth to first in his Heat Race, then drawing the pole in the A-Feature, Helsel narrowly held on as California’s Dominic Scelzi, who started the race tenth, brought the difference to 0.207-seconds at the checkered flag. Scelzi in second was followed by Corey Day. Idaho’s Logan Forler crossed fourth with D.J. Netto in fifth.
Nick Parker from 14th made it to sixth, followed by Austin McCarl in seventh. Eighteenth to eighth for Sterling Cling with Brett Becker and Tuesday Calderwood from 22nd to make up the top ten.
A note on Friday’s A-Feature, the race was cut short after the ninth lap due to a local curfew. As the race did not reach the halfway point, it was slated to be contested on Saturday, however, the curfew would make that impossible. After a discussion with track and series officials, as well as the teams, the race was declared complete due to extenuating circumstances.
D.J. Netto was credited with the victory. During the events that led to hitting that curfew, Mark Dobmeier was injured after catching fire. An update on his condition was posted to his Twitter standing he did suffer second-degree burns but is going to be transferred to a regular room to continue recovering.
The ASCS Southwest Region races again on April 15 at Central Arizona Raceway.
The 2023 season will mark the 32nd year of competition for the American Sprint Car Series. Spearheaded by the American Sprint Car Series National Tour, the ASCS Nation includes Regional Tours that encompass both wing and non-wing competition.
For other news, notes, and information on any of the tours under the ASCS banner, log onto http://www.ascsracing.com, follow on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (@ASCSRacing).
Race Results:
ASCS Southwest Region
Central Arizona Raceway (Casa Grande, Ariz.)
Saturday, March 11, 2023
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 8-Jake Helsel[5]; 2. 96S-Brandon Sampson[2]; 3. 2B-Brett Becker[6]; 4. 17-Ryan Walter[1]; 5. 11-Shane Smith[3]; 6. 151-Duke Johnson[4]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 88-Austin McCarl[2]; 2. 14D-Corey Day[5]; 3. 88N-DJ Netto[6]; 4. 42-Caleb Saiz[1]; 5. 116-Vance Wofford[4]; 6. 4-Tuesday Calderwood[3]
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 41X-Dominic Scelzi[1]; 2. 14-Cody Sickles[4]; 3. 2-Alex Pettas[3]; 4. 75-Chris Bonneau[5]; 5. 27-Perry McMillan[2]; 6. (DNS) 5K-Patrick Krob
Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. 75X-JT Imperial[2]; 2. 2L-Logan Forler[5]; 3. 41-Colton Hardy[6]; 4. 115-Nick Parker[3]; 5. 34-Sterling Cling[4]; 6. 10-Jess Beckett[1]
A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 8-Jake Helsel[1]; 2. 41X-Dominic Scelzi[10]; 3. 14D-Corey Day[2]; 4. 2L-Logan Forler[3]; 5. 88N-DJ Netto[6]; 6. 115-Nick Parker[14]; 7. 88-Austin McCarl[4]; 8. 34-Sterling Cling[18]; 9. 2B-Brett Becker[5]; 10. 4-Tuesday Calderwood[22]; 11. 2-Alex Pettas[12]; 12. 11-Shane Smith[19]; 13. 27-Perry McMillan[20]; 14. 75-Chris Bonneau[13]; 15. 151-Duke Johnson[21]; 16. 41-Colton Hardy[9]; 17. 5K-Patrick Krob[24]; 18. 75X-JT Imperial[8]; 19. 17-Ryan Walter[15]; 20. 14-Cody Sickles[7]; 21. 116-Vance Wofford[17]; 22. 42-Caleb Saiz[16]; 23. 10-Jess Beckett[23]; 24. (DNS) 96S-Brandon Sampson
