Inside Line Promotions – SOMERTON, Ariz. (Jan. 13, 2015) – The inaugural Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdown showcased parity throughout the five-race, nine-day event at Cocopah Speedway to open 2015.
While Danny Lasoski won the event championship – and the $4,000 bonus thanks to Cometic Gasket, JE Pistons and K1 Technologies – the winner wasn’t known until minutes after the final checkered flag last Saturday.
Lasoski and Stevie Smith finished tied atop the standings, but Lasoski’s feature victory gave him the tiebreaker. Smith, Joey Saldana, Paul McMahan and Roger Crockett each received a $1,500 bonus for finishing second through fifth, respectively, in the standings.
“We had a mechanical issue that didn’t allow us to run the main event last Tuesday, but this team kept digging,” Lasoski said. “It was a nice surprise to win the first-ever Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdown title because I know this event will grow every year.”
Lasoski was able to overcome his bad luck thanks in large part to the parity that was present throughout the event. There was a first-time winner in every main event and B Main during all five races and there wasn’t a repeat Hard Charger Award recipient.
Eight different drivers of the more than 35 from coast to coast led at least one feature lap, including Aaron Reutzel, whose 46 laps led was the event high. Reutzel also won the Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdown finale on Saturday to earn his first career 410ci victory.
Reutzel and Lasoski were the only feature winners to have not won a B Main. McMahan, Steve Kinser and NASCAR sensation Kyle Larson each recorded a consolation victory.
A total of 13 drivers won at least one heat race with Craig Dollansky recording an event-best three.
NASCAR star Kasey Kahne and Sam Hafertepe Jr. each claimed three qualifiers to lead the 13 drivers who scored at least one.
It was also announced during the finale that the Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdown will return in 2016 with races on Jan. 1-2, Jan. 5 and Jan. 8-9.
Here is a look at some of the numbers following the inaugural Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdown:
Feature Winners: Steve Kinser, Kyle Larson, Danny Lasoski, Paul McMahan and Aaron Reutzel
Feature Laps Led: Aaron Reutzel – 46, Dale Blaney – 29, Paul McMahan – 28, Steve Kinser – 18, Kyle Larson – 15, Danny Lasoski – 7, Stevie Smith – 6 and Craig Dollansky – 1
Hard Charger Awards: Brian Brown, Danny Lasoski, Mason Moore, Logan Schuchart and Ryan Smith
Average Positions Gained by Hard Charger: 10
Heat Race Winners: Craig Dollansky – 3, Christopher Bell – 2, Roger Crockett – 2, Paul McMahan – 2, Aaron Reutzel – 2, Joey Saldana – 2, Dale Blaney, Logan Forler, David Gravel, Kraig Kinser, Steve Kinser, Stevie Smith and Henry Van Dam
Qualifier Winners: Sam Hafertepe Jr. – 3, Kasey Kahne – 3, David Gravel – 2, Steve Kinser – 2, Aaron Reutzel – 2, Dale Blaney, Brian Brown, Roger Crockett, Logan Forler, Mason Moore, Logan Schuchart, Ryan Smith and Henry Van Dam
B Main Winners: David Gravel, Steve Kinser, Kyle Larson, Paul McMahan and Aaron Reutzel
POINTS FINISH –
T1. 33-Danny Lasoski 880; T1. 51s-Stevie Smith 880; 3. 26-Joey Saldana 876; 4. 51-Paul McMahan 873; 5. 11c-Roger Crockett 836; 6. 31b-Christopher Bell 835; T7. 83-David Gravel 815; T7. 11k-Kraig Kinser 815; T9. 33v-Henry Van Dam 805; T9. 9-Kasey Kahne 805; 11. 21-Brian Brown 795; 12. 11-Steve Kinser 793; 13. 7-Craig Dollansky 792; 14. 57-Dale Blaney 768; 15. 1s-Logan Schuchart 767; 16. 82-Dusty Zomer 763; 17. 87-Aaron Reutzel 757; 18. 3c-Willie Croft 755; 19. 15h-Sam Hafertepe Jr. 726; 20. 22-Mason Moore 724; 21. 2l-Logan Forler 711; 22. 94-Ryan Smith 708; 23. 9r-Reece Goetz 694; 24. 1a-Jacob Allen 648; 25. 99n-D.J. Netto 630; 26. 5h-Dakota Hendrickson 626; 27. 99-Skylar Gee 594; 28. 77x-Wayne Johnson 586; 29. 42-Kyle Larson 523; 30. 51r-Freddie Rahmer 450; 31. 98-Matt Jensen 441; 32. 74x-Josh Hodges 337; 33. 24-Rico Abreu 297; 34. 23-Seth Bergman 279; 35. 88-Brandon Rahmer 238; 26. 55-Bud Walberg 107.
2016 WINTER HEAT SPRINT CAR SHOWDOWN –
Dates: Jan. 1-2, Jan. 5 and Jan. 8-9, 2016
Track: Cocopah Speedway in Somerton, Ariz.
Prize: $12,000-to-win, $1,000-to-start each night (Jan. 1-2, 8-9); $5,000-to-win (Jan. 5); approximately $250,000 total prize money
Type: 410ci sprint cars
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.CocopahSpeedway.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CocopahShowdown
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WinterHeatSprintCarShowdown
THE EVENT –
The 2nd annual Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdown will showcase the top sprint car drivers in the world in sunny Southwest Arizona during the first two weeks of January in 2016. The four weekend races pay $12,000 to the winner and at least $1,000 to every driver who advances to the main event with the midweek show paying $5,000 to win.
COCOPAH SPEEDWAY –
Cocopah Speedway is a semi-banked, 3/8-mile dirt track located in Somerton, Ariz. It has a concrete wall perimeter, television-quality lighting and the pits are located outside turns three and four. There is also dry camping free of charge on the property. For more information, visit http://www.CocopahSpeedway.com.
COMETIC GASKET –
Cometic Gasket, Inc., is a leading worldwide supplier of shelf stock, custom and short-run gaskets for the performance aftermarket, original equipment and motor sports industries. The company, which is located in Concord, Ohio, was created in 1989 and ships out more than 5,000 types of gaskets to customers worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.Cometic.com.
JE PISTONS –
JE Pistons is the leader in high performance forged pistons. Based in Irvine, Calif., the company has more than 60 years of experience and has a history of manufacturing the highest quality pistons and components that professional engine builders, race teams and high-performance enthusiasts trust and rely on. For more information, visit http://www.JEPistons.com.
K1 TECHNOLOGIES –
K1 Technologies, which is located in Mentor, Ohio, has many years in the field of designing, engineering and manufacturing connecting rods and crankshafts. For more information, visit http://www.K1Technologies.com.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –
Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations and media management for motor sports drivers, teams, sponsors, tracks, series, events, organizations and manufacturers. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and the return on investment for your sponsors.
To meet the media relations needs of your program and to join Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or InsideLinePromotions@gmail.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.