JEFFERSON, S.D. – Mastering a very technical racing surface Saturday night, Blake Hahn was untouchable at Park Jefferson Int’l Speedway with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network.
Hahn is undefeated with the National Tour at the South Dakota oval, as he topped the tour’s only other visit in 2016 before adding Saturday night’s trophy to his collection.
“Dalton and my Dad had this car rolling tonight. We’ve been trying some different things at these Regional shows, and it’s got us to where we can start fine-tuning the car,” said Hahn. “The track was really technical. I thought it was going to be around the top all the way, and that’s where Matt got me on the start. Once I moved down in one and two, it just took off.”
Hahn won his 10th career ASCS national feature in his 229th start.
Chasing Matt Covington through two attempts at the start, the Sage Fruit Co. No. 52 worked low off the second turn for the lead on the second revolution.
Pulling away from the field, cautions on lap nine for John Klabunde and lap 12 for Roger Crocket did little to provide a shot for Covington, who was fighting his T&L Foundry No. 95 in every corner after the power steering failed just before the race’s mid-point.
In traffic the final five laps, Covington made up some time, but not enough as Hahn made it to the checkered flag with 3.766 seconds to spare.
Covington was able to hold on for second, with J.J. Hickle on the podium for the third race in a row. Washington’s Seth Bergman moved from seventh to fourth and Scott Bogucki crossed fifth.
Making moves on the lap-12 restart after falling back early, Dylan Westbrook made it back to sixth, with Ryan Bickett following in seventh. Devon Borden, Ryan Timms, and Alex Hill completed the top 10.
A field of 21 drivers was on hand at Park Jefferson. A trio of SCE Gaskets Heat Race wins went to Hickle, Covington, and Hahn.
The next event for the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network is Friday, April 23 at U.S. 36 Raceway in Osborn, Mo.
The finish:
A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 52-Blake Hahn [2]; 2. 95-Matt Covington [1]; 3. 63-J.J. Hickle [4]; 4. 23-Seth Bergman [7]; 5. 28-Scott Bogucki [6]; 6. 47X-Dylan Westbrook [3]; 7. 17B-Ryan Bickett [8]; 8. 8-Devon Borden [5]; 9. 5T-Ryan Timms [10]; 10. 77X-Alex Hill [11]; 11. 45-Monty Ferriera [9]; 12. 19-Colby Thornhill [12]; 13. 86-Elliot Amdahl [16]; 14. 88-Travis Reber [18]; 15. 7K-Mike Kay [15]; 16. 2-Dylan Opdahl [19]; 17. 11-Roger Crockett [17]; 18. 77-John Klabunde [14]; 19. 24-Garet Williamson [13]; 20. 35L-Cody Ledger (DNS); 21. 48-Taylor Forbes (DNS).