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Race To Win: Colton Hardy Brings Veteran Attitude Into Lucas Oil ASCS Cocopah Nationals

(Image Credit: Ron Gilson)

SOMERTON, Ariz. (November 5, 2017) The Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series National Tour presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network rolls into Cocopah Speedway in Somerton, Ariz. this Thursday, November 9 through Saturday, November 11.

Co-Sanctioned with the Southwest Region of the American Sprint Car Series, drivers from across Arizona, New Mexico, and west Texas will be on hand to hold their own against some of the worlds best Winged Sprint Car drivers.

Leading the local charge is 20 year old Colton Hardy of Phoenix, Ariz.

Starting in 600cc Micros in 2011, Hardy started transitioning to Sprint Cars in 2014 with his first full season behind the wheel in 2016 ending with a pair of wins, runner-up in points with the ASCS Southwest Region, and Rookie of the Year honors in the Diamond Mechanical/Bandit Racing No. 74.

On the move to the Winged Sprint Car ranks, Colton commented, “The transition was a little difficult at first. Just the difference in the horsepower and G-Forces and the driving style is different, but the group of guys that are behind me are able to get the car close each night to where I am comfortable and can just focus on driving it.”

Teamed with the Bandit Racing team once again in 2017, Hardy has been relentless this season with three wins and eight of his nine top-five finishes on the podium, but the points are not the driving factor. It’s the win.

“I show up to race, and race to win. I don’t pay attention to the point. That’s what everyone else is for,” commented Hardy on the subject, which is a pretty big one considering that New Mexico’s Rick Ziehl has earned the champion's check for the past nine years.

With nearly 30 years of experience and over a dozen championships in both winged and non-wing competition, Ziehl is all about the long game. Trailing by 62 markers going into the weekend, the driver of the Mesilla Valley Transportation No. 20z will be looking at every opportunity to take over the top spot.

For Hardy, that still is just all a part of it. Even with the three nights of competition on hand, Colton explained that he’ll enter the weekend just like any other, “We just got done with Trophy Cup which is three nights, and we just got up and worked like any other race. We just try to put ourselves in the best position possible.”

Events at the Cocopah Speedway on November 9, 10, and 11 will get underway each night at 7:30 P.M. Leading up to the three-race swing, a Fan Fest will take place on November 8 at the Wild River Family Entertainment Center, located directly across from the Cocopah Speedway, from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. with teams practicing at 7:30 P.M. (MT).

Cocopah Speedway is located at 3450 W County 15th St. in Somerton, Ariz. Tickets are sold the day of the race at the track with each day opening at 5:30 P.M. More information can be found at http://www.cocopahspeedway.com.

For continued updates on the American Sprint Car Series, from the National Tour to any of the seven regional tours that make up the over 150 races across the ASCS Nation in 2017, log onto http://www.ascsracing.com. Make sure to like the American Sprint Car Series on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/LucasOilASCS, follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/LucasOilASCS, and check out our Instagram @LucasOilASCS.

Wednesday, November 8 - Fan Fest and Practice

Fan Fest: 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. at the Wild River Family Entertainment Center: 15136 S Avenue B, Somerton, AZ 85350 (Directly across the street from the track).

Start Time: 7:30pm
Grandstands: Free
Pits: $20

Thursday, November 9 - Racing

General Admission: $20
Kids 11-15: $5
Kids 10 and under: Free

Pit Pass: $30

Classes: ASCS

Friday, November 10 - Racing

General Admission: $20
Kids 11-15: $5
Kids 10 and under: Free

Pit Pass: $30

Classes: ASCS, Jr. Sprints, Dwarf Cars

Saturday, November 11 - Racing

General Admission: $25
Kids 11-15: $10
Kids 10 and under: Free

Pit Pass: $35

Classes: ASCS and Hobby Stocks

Quick Check

Who: Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour with ASCS Southwest Region
What: 2017 National Tour Finale
Where: Cocopah Speedway (Somerton, Ariz.)
When: November 9-11, 2017
Also Featured: Fan Fest Party – Wild River Family Entertainment Center: 15136 S Avenue B, Somerton, AZ 85350

Track Contact: Cocopah Speedway:

Address: 3450 W County 15th St, Somerton, AZ 85350
Phone: (928) 344-1563
Website: http://www.cocopahspeedway.com
Email: info@cocopahspeedway.com
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/cocopahspeedwayaz

The Format:

All drivers will compete on both qualifying nights as combined points from Heat Races, Qualifiers, B-Mains, and A-Mains will set the lineup for Top 8 on Saturday night. Any tie in points will be broken by Friday’s passing point totals. ASCS Format will be utilized with draw in for Heat Race starting position and passing points to determine drivers who advance to Qualifiers and B-Mains.

54 cars or less: Top 30 in Passing Points from Heat Races will move into 3 Qualifiers. Remainder will fall to the tail of the night’s “B” Features. Top 18 will be inverted with the highest point earner from Heat Races starting sixth in the first Qualifier. Qualifiers will be 8 laps each. Passing Points will be utilized with the driver’s total points combined with their Heat Race total. The top 16 in combined Passing Points will advance to the A-Feature. Drivers will not redraw for their starting position. Lineup is straight up by the combined Passing Point total. The remainder will fall into B-Features. Number of B-Features is dependent upon the number of cars. 40-50 cars means remaining drivers will drop into two “B” Features. 51-60 will drop into three “B” Features. Lineup will be done by passing point totals with 17th going to the pole of the first “B” Feature, 18th to the pole of the second “B” Feature, etc.

55 cars or more: Top 40 in Passing Points from Heat Races will move into 4 Qualifiers. Remainder will fall to the tail of the night’s “B” Features. Top 24 will be inverted with the highest point earner from Heat Races starting sixth in the first Qualifier. Qualifiers will be 8 laps each. Passing Points will be utilized with the driver’s total points combined with their Heat Race total. The top 16 in combined Passing Points will advance to the A-Feature. Drivers will not redraw for their starting position. Lineup is straight up by the combined Passing Point total. The remainder will fall into B-Features. Number of B-Features is dependent upon the number of cars. 40-50 cars means remaining drivers will drop into two “B” Features. 51-60 will drop into three “B” Features. Lineup will be done by passing point totals with 17th going to the pole of the first “B” Feature, 18th to the pole of the second “B” Feature, etc.

If one B is needed, the top 6 drivers will advance to the A-Feature. If two B's, then the top three, if three B's, then the top two.

Following the completion of Friday’s program, event points will be totaled with the Top 8 locked in, straight up, into Saturday’s A-Feature. All other drivers will be lined up into 4 Last Chance Qualifiers on Saturday. Lineup will be staggered by points (9th to the pole of LCQ 1, 10 to the pole of LCQ 2, etc). Top 2 finishes in each LCQ will advance to the A-Feature. Winners of LCQ 1 starts 9th, winner of LCQ 2 will start 10th, and so on.

Remainder of the field will fall into twin B-Main, straight up by their finish. Top three from each B-Main will advance to the A-Feature.

Thursday and Friday Race Points will follow the following scale:

Heat Race:

1. 25
2. 22
3. 19
4. 16
5. 15
6. 14
7. 13
8. 12
9. 11
10. 10

Qualifiers:

1. 25
2. 22
3. 19
4. 16
5. 15
6. 14
7. 13
8. 12
9. 11
10. 10

B-Feature: Based on number of B-Features. Starting with the first non-transfer:

1. 87
2. 86
3. 85
4. 84
5. 83
6. 82
7. 81
8. 80
9. 79
10. 78

A-Feature: Based on ASCS points structure for standard A-Mains:

1. 150
2. 142
3. 135
4. 130
5. 125
6. 122
7. 119
8. 116
9. 113
10. 110
11. 108
12. 106
13. 104
14. 102
15. 100
16. 98
17. 96
18. 94
19. 92
20. 90
21. 89
22. 88

**ASCS National Driver Point, Regional Attendance, and Promoter’s Provisionals will be allowed, but will not award event points for the A-Feature. Points will be calculated from the position earned prior to the Provisional.

Nightly ASCS A-Feature Payout:

Thursday and Friday:

A-Feature: 1. $3.000; 2. $1,500; 3. $1,100; 4. $1,000; 5. $800 6. $700; 7. $600; 8. $500; 9. $475; 10. $450; 11. $425; 12. $400 13. $400; 14. $400; 15. $400; 16. $400; 17. $400; 18. $400; 19. $400; 20. $400; 21. $400; 22. $400;

Any non-transferring driver will be paid $150.

Saturday:

A-Feature: 1. $5,000; 2. $2,500; 3. $1,500; 4. $1,250; 5. $1,150; 6. $1,100; 7. $1,000; 8. $900; 9. $800; 10. $700; 11. $600; 12. $550; 13. $525; 14. $500; 15. $475; 16. $450; 17. $425; 18. $400; 19. $400; 20. $400; 21. $400; 22. $400;

Any non-transferring driver will be paid $150.

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