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Podium Finish Highlights Knoxville Raceway Weekend For Hafertepe

(Image Credit: Chuck Stowe)

Bryan Hulbert – KNOXVILLE, Iowa (July 25, 2018) Making an appearance at Knoxville Raceway for the second week in a row, Sam Hafertepe, Jr. capped the Saturday night affair off with a third-place finish in 360cid competition.

Intending on running double-duty, ignition issues sidelined the Kiebler & Sons Lawn and Landscaping No. 15h on the 410cid side of things.

“I didn’t want to be work on one car and take away from the other one,” explained Sam who is planning on bringing the 410cid program back to Knoxville Raceway this Saturday, July 28 to take on the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions.

Putting his full focus on the 360cid program, Hafertepe rolled off a 16.781-second lap, which put the Hills Racing Team entry fifth fastest overall. Moving fifth to third in the opening Heat Race, the format of cumulative points positioned Sam to the right of Joey Saldana on the front row of the A-Feature.

Needing a good start to gap Joey Saldana into the first turn, Sam got caught in the slick and lost ground to the No. 26 on the start, while also allowing Cory Eliason to move by for second.

“On the start, you really needed to be in the moister, and starting on the outside I was just kind of a sitting duck so, by the time we got to turn one, I was already running third,” explained Hafertepe.

Trying a couple times to move back to the front, the moves came up short as the result was a third-place finish.

“I tried a divebomb moves in three and four, but there was just nothing down there. I was just a deal where you ran the top all 18 laps.”

With Saturday’s plate filled with the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions, Sunday will see action moving north to Mason City Motor Speedway in Mason City, Iowa with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by Sawblade.com. Sam currently leads the series with the top three separated by 96 markers.

For continued updates on Sam Hafertepe, Jr. log onto http://www.sam15.com and make sure to find him on Twitter (@samhafertepejr). For news on Hill’s Racing Team, log onto https://www.facebook.com/hillsracing/ and on Twitter (@HillsRacingTeam).

2018 Season to Date:

Events: 40; Wins -8 ; Top 5 - 24; Top 10 - 28; Top 15 –30; Top 20 –33;

Coming Up: All Iowa

7/28/2018-Knoxville Raceway - Knoxville, IA (410)

7/29/2018-Mason City Motor Speedway - Mason City, IA (Lucas Oil ASCS)

8/2/2018-Knoxville Raceway - Knoxville, IA (Lucas Oil ASCS)

8/3/2018-Knoxville Raceway - Knoxville, IA (Lucas Oil ASCS)

8/4/2018-Knoxville Raceway - Knoxville, IA (Lucas Oil ASCS)

8/5/2018-Knoxville Raceway - Knoxville, IA (410)

8/7/2018-Southern Iowa Speedway - Oskaloosa, IA (Lucas Oil ASCS)

8/8/2018-Knoxville Raceway - Knoxville, IA (410)

8/9/2018-Knoxville Raceway - Knoxville, IA (410)

8/10/2018-Knoxville Raceway - Knoxville, IA (410)

8/11/2018-Knoxville Raceway - Knoxville, IA (410)

Sam Hafertepe, Jr. T-Shirts:

http://www.kevinquirkracewear.com/buy-driver-tees.htm

Sam Hafertepe, Jr. Online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011628097506
Website: http://www.sam15.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/samhafertepejr

The Sponsors:

Hill’s Racing Team, Townline Variety, Heidbreder Foundation Service, Kiebler & Sons Lawn and Landscaping, Fisher Racing Engines, Super Shox, J&J Chassis, Smiley’s Racing Products, Hoosier Tire, Huggins Cams, Champion Oil, The Sparks Family, Lonestar Speedway, Keizer Wheels, XYZ Machining, Simpson Racing Products, CP-Carrillo, KSE Power Steering, FK Rod Ends, BMRS, Allstar Performance, Saldana Racing Products, Vortex Wings, DMI, Wilwood Brakes, Kinsler Fuel Injection, Hwy. 79 Collision.

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