Seth Bergman thrills with Lucas Oil ASCS victory at Salina

Bryan Hulbert – SALINA, Kan. (May 31, 2013) Seth Bergman earned the pacer’s position in the night’s Protect the Harvest A-Feature at the Salina Speedway and never relinquished the point for his second career Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV American Real feature win.

Becoming the ninth winner in 12 Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real 2013 feature events; Bergman stuck the Corridor Electric No. 23 to the bottom grove for the full 30 laps in his brand new Eagle Motorsports mount.

“I just came to the conclusion that the bottom was the best place to be. I didn’t see any lapped traffic moving around on the track and if they were going to get me, they were going to go around me up top” said Bergman amid fist pumps and high fives on the front straight-a-way.

Taking the runner up spot with a two for one pass on Jeff Swindell and Jason Johnson on the seventh circuit, Forler ran a mixture of lines on the Salina Speedway. Johnson’s night ended on Lap 22 with fuel problems.

Keeping to the bottom line of the Speedway in turns one, and two before dashing high in turns three and four, in the later stages of the feature, Forler tried several times for the lead. “We got into lapped traffic there and it did me good” said Forler. “We just didn’t stay in lapped traffic long enough. I really think if we could have stayed in lapped traffic a couple more laps we probably would have got him.”

Talking about Forler’s presence, Bergman commented, “I knew Logan [Forler] was there, I could hear him and I just needed to be patient and hit the bottom and work with those lapped cars.”

Having to redo the start after the No. 17 of Blake Hahn tipped on his side, the second start was also for not with Jason Johnson getting called for jumping.

Third time was a charm with Bergman taking off into the race lead.

The PPM Motorsports No. 23 worked into slower traffic on Lap 9 with the caution displayed on Lap 13 for a pair of cars tangled in turn four.

Underway, the Eagle Motorsports No. 23 worked to just over a half straight-a-way before working back into slower traffic on Lap 24.

In the midst of back markers, Bergman’s lead waned as the field worked to the final lap. With Forler in tow, the pair raced into turn three for the final time, finding a slower car that caused Bergman to nearly bring his No. 23 to a halt.

Regaining a clear path, Bergman narrowly held on for the win. Logan Forler crossed second with Danny Lasoski in the Parker and Mark Burch Motorsports No. 1m coming from eighth to third. Johnny Herrera charged from fourteenth to fourth to earn the PitStopUSA.com Hard Charger of the Race with Brian Brown completing the top five.

Brad Loyet advanced four spots to finish sixth with Tony Bruce, Jr., Jeff Swindell, Cole Wood, and Jon Agan making up the top ten.

Seth Bergman started his night winning Rod End Supply Heat One followed by Brian Brown topping Ti22 Heat Race Two. Jack Dover was the victor in BMRS Heat Three but saw his feature end early with a broken U-Joint on Lap 12.

The Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real returns to competition on June 14 at the Kennedale Speedway Park for the start of the ASCS 2013 Sizzlin’ Summer Speedweek.

Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real
Salina Speedway – Salina, Kan. 
Friday, May 31, 2013

Car Count: 22

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 23-Seth Bergman[3]; 2. 17W-Cole Wood[5]; 3. 2L-Logan Forler[2]; 4. 45X-Johnny Herrera[1]; 5. 51-Mike Peters[6]; 6. 81-Jon Freeman[7]; 7. 29-Brandon Hahn[4]; 8. 20-Luke Cranston[8]

Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 21-Brian Brown[2]; 2. 1M-Danny Lasoski[6]; 3. 05-Brad Loyet[1]; 4. 18-Tony Bruce Jr[5]; 5. 36-Jason Martin[4]; 6. 2A-Randy Hibbs[3]; 7. 17-Blake Hahn[7]

Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 53-Jack Dover[4]; 2. 94-Jeff Swindell[3]; 3. 41-Jason Johnson[5]; 4. 4-Jon Agan[2]; 5. 93-Dustin Morgan[7]; 6. 91-Jeff Stasa[1]; 7. 98-J.D. Johnson[6]

A Feature (30 Laps): 1. 23-Seth Bergman[1]; 2. 2L-Logan Forler[5]; 3. 1M-Danny Lasoski[8]; 4. 45X-Johnny Herrera[14]; 5. 21-Brian Brown[7]; 6. 05-Brad Loyet[10]; 7. 18-Tony Bruce Jr[9]; 8. 94-Jeff Swindell[3]; 9. 17W-Cole Wood[6]; 10. 4-Jon Agan[13]; 11. 51-Mike Peters[12]; 12. 20-Luke Cranston[22]; 13. 36-Jason Martin[15]; 14. 81-Jon Freeman[16]; 15. 2A-Randy Hibbs[17]; 16. 17-Blake Hahn[18]; 17. 93-Dustin Morgan[11]; 18. 29-Brandon Hahn[21]; DNF 91-Jeff Stasa[19]; DNF 41-Jason Johnson[2]; DNF 53-Jack Dover[4]; DNF 98-J.D. Johnson[20]

Lap Leaders: Seth Bergman 1-30
PitstopUSA.com Hard Charger: Johnny Herrera +10
FSR High Points of the Night: Jack Dover
Hawk Performance Products Fastest Lap of the Night: N/A
Provisionals: N/A

2013 “A” Feature Winners: Jason Johnson-3, Johnny Herrera-2, Brian Brown-1, Roger Crockett-1, Kyle Bellm-1, Brad Loyet-1, Danny Lasoski-1, Jack Dover-1, Seth Bergman-1

Lucas Oil ASCS Driver Points (Top 10): 1. Johnny Herrera 1,562; 2. Jason Johnson 1,453; 3. Brad Loyet 1,422; 4. Seth Bergan 1,364; 5. Logan Forler 1,360; 6. Tony Bruce, Jr. 1,354; 7. Jeff Swindell 1,300; 8. Dustin Morgan 1,238; 9. Cole Wood 1,172; 10. Brandon Hahn 968;

The 2013 season marks the twenty-second year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing for the American Sprint Car Series, which brings the best of Sprint Car racing to dozens of different tracks throughout the nation and into Canada. Anchored by the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series, ASCS also consists of nine different Regions throughout the nation.

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 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 MAVTV include: Hoosier Racing Tire and Brodix

Team Lucas Sponsors for the American Sprint Car Series consist of Protect the Harvest, Hawk Performance Products, Geico, E3 Spark Plugs, and General Tire.

Product and Contingency Sponsorship provided by: K&N Filters, PitstopUSA.com, Engler Machine and Tool, Roush Yates Racing Engines, FSR Radiator and Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Driverwebsites.com, Weld Wheels, Fuel Safe, Saldana Racing Products, SBI Fuel Bladders, Maxwell Industries, Print Place, Xtreme Accu-Tach, Simpson, LeJoie Seating, Ti 22 Performance, Wesmar Racing Engines, Hinchman Indy Racewear, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, DMI Rear Ends, Rod End Supply, Smiley’s Racing Products, Speedway Motors, and Hilborn Injection Systems.

Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com as well as Twitter (@LucasOilASCS) and Facebook. News and information can also be sent to you with the ASCS E-News by texting ASCS to 22828 with any mobile device.

Photo Credit: Tim Aylwin