MESQUITE, Texas – Roger Crockett held off a fierce challenge from Sam Hafertepe Jr. to win the 46th annual Devil’s Bowl Winter Nationals at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Saturday night.
It was Crockett’s second Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series win of the season and the second of his career at the Devil’s Bowl half-mile.
Running down slower traffic in the closing laps, the pair rolled to the back bumper of Alex Hill’s car with two laps to go. Giving Hafertepe a shot off the bottom of the second turn, the pair went side-by-side into the third turn, with Hafertepe’s run to the bottom blocked.
“I just knew I had to make it happen in three and four or I wasn’t going to win the race,” said Crockett of the late-race scrap between he and Hafertepe.
“The track was super-fast all night and we were just wide open the entire time so getting to lapped cars, it made your car a little unpredictable, especially having to be so aggressive to get around them. You have to do a lot to keep that guy [Hafertepe] behind you. He’s phenomenal everywhere we go, so we’re pretty happy to get away with a win.”
Crockett took over the lead on lap four after Fred Mattox was forced to retire with a blown u-joint on the Young Tool Co. No. 26m.
Getting into traffic on lap nine, Crockett was held up a lap later, allowing Hafertepe to close. With the run stalled by a caution on lap 12, Crockett kept the No. 15h at bay on the restart.
Ultimately Hafertepe’s second podium of the night, after a win for Paul Cook Racing in IMCA RaceSaver sprint car action, the driver of the Heidbreder Foundation No. 15h trailed by .729 seconds at the line.
“Roger did the right thing. He cleared the lapped car and I didn’t and that’s how it goes sometimes,” said Hafertepe of the podium run. “He’s had a hell of a car lately and has been one of the guys to beat every night, so whatever they’ve got figured out, they’re doing a hell of a job, which just makes us have to work a little bit harder.”
Making his return to the Devil’s Bowl for the first time since 2014, Jack Dover picked up his 23rd career podium finish with the ASCS National Tour. With his hands full a few times in dirty air, Dover was still pleased with the performance.
“We had her a little too tight, so that really killed us coming off the corner, but hats off to Sam and Roger. They’re some of the best out there right now in 360 competition, so to come out here and run third against these guys is a huge confidence booster,” Dover said.
Rolling up from seventh, John Carney II placed fourth for his 13th top-five of the season. Tony Bruce Jr. made up the top five ahead of Jake Bubak, Scott Bogucki, Tucker Doughty, and Danny Jennings, who came forward from 16th to round out the top 10.
The finish:
A Feature (30 Laps): 1. 11-Roger Crockett, [1]; 2. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr, [6]; 3. 53-Jack Dover, [3]; 4. J2-John Carney II, [7]; 5. 12H-Tony Bruce Jr, [4]; 6. 74B-Jake Bubak, [5]; 7. 28-Scott Bogucki, [11]; 8. 2X-Tucker Doughty, [9]; 9. 14-Jordon Mallett, [8]; 10. 1J-Danny Jennings, [16]; 11. 47X-Dylan Westbrook, [17]; 12. 24D-Danny Sams III, [21]; 13. 44-Chris Martin, [20]; 14. 17W-Harli White, [14]; 15. 21P-Robbie Price, [18]; 16. 52-Blake Hahn, [15]; 17. 71-Colby Estes, [22]; 18. 77X-Alex Hill, [19]; 19. 33C-Casey Carter, [23]; 20. 03-Joe Wood Jr, [13]; 21. 26M-Fred Mattox, [2]; 22. 95-Matt Covington, [10]; 23. 1S-Joey Schmidt, [12].
Lap Leader(s): Fred Mattox 1-3; Roger Crockett 4-30
Hard Charger: Danny Sams (+9)