Sam Hafertepe Jr. enjoys racing at Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway, and has earned his share of success at the quarter-mile, high-banked clay oval.
But heading into this weekend’s 31st annual Comp Cams Short Track Nationals, he will be in the same predicament as the rest of the top sprint car drivers in attendance.
He’s got to find a way to beat Sammy Swindell.
Swindell, a veteran racer from the Memphis area who turns 63 later this month, is the only five-time winner of the event. He has won it the past two years and four of the past six times it’s been held.
“He’s the one everyone is going to be chasing, that’s for sure,” said Hafertepe, who is from Sunnyvale, Texas. “Hands down, he’s been the guy to beat at this deal for the past five, six, seven years ... whatever it is. But if anybody can do it, I feel like we’re one of the ones that can.”
Swindell claimed the STN top prize in 2017, 2016, 2013, 2011 and 1990. He also finished second in 1991 and in the inaugural event in 1988 during a career that also includes 394 World of Outlaws victories, three Outlaws championships and five Chili Bowl midget titles.
Hafertepe has been a touring regular with the Outlaws for much of the past decade, and this season he is the points leader with the American Sprint Car Series national series with four events remaining.
And while he acknowledges Swindell and his success,
Hafertepe said, in the end he is just another driver on the track he needs to beat.
“There’s no one out here who doesn’t respect Sammy and everything he has done in this sport,” said Hafertepe, whose best STN finishes were two seconds — last year (to Swindell) and in 2010. “But I amoutheretodoajob,and that’s to win.”
Hafertepe has 12 victories this season, including six in 31 ASCS starts. He won the ASCS event at I-30 in May — “We beat Sammy that night,” he said — as well as ASCS main events at Lubbock, Texas; Alger, Wash.; Elma, Wash.; Mason City, Iowa; and a $10,000-to-win event two weeks ago at Wheatland, Mo.
“We’ve had a good year, but not quite as good as we would have hoped,” he said. “We’ve won 12 times, but we had 19 at the same time last year. That said, I really like our speed right now. We’ve got a lot of speed in this car, and I feel like we are hitting our stride.”
At a glance
WHAT 31st Comp Cams Short Track Nationals sprint car event
WHERE I-30 Speedway, Little Rock WHEN Tonight and Saturday night. Gates open at 5 p.m. and racing starts at 7:30 p.m.
FORMAT Each night is a complete card. Tonight includes a preliminary feature that pays $2,527 to win, honoring former track regular Greg Hodnett (N0. 27) of Memphis, who died in a crash two weeks ago at York Haven, Pa. Saturday night’s main event pays $10,041, honoring former STN champion Jason Johnson (No. 41) of Eunice, La., who died following a crash in June at Beaver Dam, Wis. TICKETS Adult grandstand admission is $21 tonight and $29 on Saturday night ($1 discount when paying with cash). Children aged 6-12 get in for $1 tonight and $2 on Saturday night.