The American Sprint Car Series is back in the Great Plains for a two-state weekend against two ASCS regional campaigns.
The ASCS National Tour will visit Creek County Speedway for the first time in 2026 for the Don Swope Classic with the ASCS Sooner Region on Friday, June 5.
On Saturday, both tours will travel 190 miles northwest to Park City, KS, to join the ASCS Gunsmoke Region for the Salute to Service Sprint Car Showdown at 81 Speedway.
Drivers will chase a $4,000-to-win payday both nights. Tickets for both events will be sold at the track on race day.
Here are the top storylines to look for:
Repeat Sweep? – Sam Hafertepe Jr. enjoyed his visits to both tracks on the weekend’s slate in 2025, winning the Don Swope Classic and a September visit to 81 Speedway.
The National Tour points leader has the most wins of any driver at the “Sooner State” facility with six and is tied with Jason Martin for the most at 81 with back-to-back Feature triumphs in 2024 and 2025.
Success at Creek County has helped the Sunnyvale, TX, racer reach the Series championship multiple times. His Feature wins at the bullring in 2016, 2018-19, and 2025 helped lead him to hoist the Emmett Hahn Trophy at year’s end.
Podium Standoff – Matt Covington and Seth Bergman have seen similar avenues towards earning a podium spot in the Series standings. Still, both drivers are chasing a second Feature win in the year to reach Hafertepe for the top spot.
Covington has finished in the top-10 in every Feature since the opening night of the Sonoran Clash, including three podiums and his first win of the year on the second night at Central Arizona Raceway. The Glenpool, OK, racer’s night at Benton Speedway saw him rally from an early incident to finish third.
Bergman had to go back to the drawing board after a sluggish start at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals. The refresh paid dividends for the No. 23 Oklahoma Chillers Sprint Car with four straight top-10 finishes at Central Arizona, two straight podium finishes, and his first win of the year at Benton.
Growing Pains – Kyler Johnson’s fourth-place standing is the highest he has ever been with the National Tour. Entering Creek County and 81, he’ll be seeking redemption from his 24th-place finish during the last Series race at Benton.
A broken O-ring in the engine’s barrel valve at Benton ended Johnson’s night before he could even compete in the event. In his first race after visiting Missouri, Johnson dominated the night at Phillips County Raceway to score his first win of 2026 with the ASCS Western Plains and Gunsmoke Regions.
While the Quinter, KS driver is hunting his first top-10 at Creek County since 2023, 81 stores the memories of his first United Rebel Sprint Series win and first National Tour podium. He’ll look to make the weekend the sight of his first career Series win.
Honoring Don – The Friday showcase at Creek County Speedway honors Don Swope – a close friend of Emmett Hahn and one of the most respected construction workers who transformed the SageNet Center into the home of the Chili Bowl Nationals and Tulsa Shootout.
Swope passed away from cancer in 2020, and the event was formed in 2021 to honor his contributions to the Tulsa, OK, racing scene. In the inaugural Feature, 14-year-old Ryan Timms held off Michael Faccinto for his third-career Series win.
Sam Hafertepe Jr. has controlled the Don Swope Classic the last two seasons with wins in 2024 and 2025. The last time the Series visited “Creekadega,” Blake Hahn and Zach Daum closed the season with triumphs in the Fuzzy’s Fall Fling.
Regional Clashes – The National Tour will be accompanied by the ASCS Sooner Region at Creek County and 81, while the ASCS Gunsmoke Region will join both tours for the Saturday in Park City, KS.
The Sooner Region opened its 2026 season with the Series in April at Salina Highbanks Speedway and saw Chris Martin claim the win. Gunsmoke began their championship hunt in May with Ryder McCutcheon driving to the win at Dodge City Raceway Park.
When Gunsmoke and the ASCS Western Plains Region raced together at Phillips County Speedway on Memorial Day weekend, National Tour regular Kyler Johnson captured the win.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
WHEN AND WHERE
Friday, June 5, at Creek County Speedway in Sapulpa, OK
Saturday, June 6, at 81 Speedway in Park City, KS
AROUND THE CORNER
Saturday, June 13, at Batesville Motor Speedway in Batesville, AR
CURRENT TOP-10 STANDINGS
- Sam Hafertepe Jr. (919pts)
- Matt Covington (-44)
- Seth Bergman (-65)
- Kyler Johnson (-126)
- Whit Gastineau (-167)
- Brogan Carder (-240)
- Ryder Laplante(-249)
- Austyn Gossel(-252)
- Terry Easum (-279)
- Cole Schroeder (-296)
FEATURE WINNERS (7 Drivers)
2 wins – Justin Peck, Tyler Courtney
1 win – Seth Bergman, Chris Martin, Brady Bacon, Levi Hillier, Matt Covington
FEATURE LAPS LED (14 Drivers)
52 laps – Justin Peck
30 laps – Levi Hillier
23 laps – Sam Hafertepe Jr.
22 laps – Chris Martin
21 laps – Austin McCarl
19 laps – Matt Covington
18 laps – Brady Bacon
16 laps – Cameron Martin
13 laps – Brian Brown
10 laps – Kyler Johnson
7 laps – Cole Macedo
6 laps – Tyler Courtney
5 laps – Seth Bergman
3 laps – Sean McClelland
QUICK TIME AWARDS (5 Drivers)
4 awards – Sam Hafertepe Jr
1 award – Howard Moore, Chris Martin, Levi Hillier, Kyler Johnson
HEAT RACE WINNERS (23 Drivers)
4 wins – Matt Covington
2 wins – Seth Bergman, Whit Gastineau, Chris Martin, Sam Hafertepe Jr, Justin Peck
1 win – Jordan Mallett, Sean McClelland, Garrett Benson, Cam Martin, Brady Bacon, Tyler Clem, Emerson Axsom, Brian Brown, Cole Macedo, Garen Linder, Colby Copeland, Nick Parker, Hank Davis, Ryder Laplante, JJ Hickle, Kyler Johnson, Alex Hill
DASH STARTS (29 Drivers)
7 starts – Sam Hafertepe Jr
5 starts – Kyler Johnson, Matt Covington
4 starts – Whit Gastineau, Levi Hillier
3 starts – Chris Martin, Tyler Courtney, Brian Brown, Justin Peck
2 starts – Camerson Martin, Seth Bergman, Emerson Axsom, Austin McCarl, Brady Bacon, Davie Franek
1 start – Jordan Mallett, Howard Moore, Paul Solomon, Garrett Benson, Brock Zearfoss, Cole Macedo, Tyler Clem, Hank Davis, Ryder Laplante, Nick Parker, Colby Copeland, Garen Linder, JJ Hickle, Alex Hill
SMITH TITANIUM LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINNERS (7 Drivers)
2 wins – Braxton Weger
1 win – DJ Christie, Matt Covington, Tyler Clem, Whit Gastineau, Sterling Cling, Gage Montgomery
HARD CHARGER AWARDS (9 Drivers)
1 award – Seth Bergman, Ryder Laplante, Brady Bacon, Cole Macedo, Sam Hafertepe Jr., DJ Netto, Whit Gastineau, Brogan Carder, Joe B. Miller
PODIUM FINISHES (15 Drivers)
4 podiums – Sam Hafertepe Jr.
3 podiums – Justin Peck, Matt Covington
2 podiums – Seth Bergman, Tyler Courtney, Brady Bacon, Austin McCarl, Levi Hillier
1 podium – Jordan Mallett, Chris Martin, Cole Macedo, Emerson Axsom, Brock Zearfoss, Kyler Johnson, JJ Hickle
2026 AMERICAN SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE + WINNERS
Date / Track / City, State / Winner (Total Wins)
- Thu, Jan. 29 / Volusia Speedway Park /Barberville, FL / Tyler Courtney
- Fri, Jan. 30 / Volusia Speedway Park /Barberville, FL / Tyler Courtney (2)
- Mon, Feb. 2 / Volusia Speedway Park /Barberville, FL / Brady Bacon
- Sat, Feb. 21 / Central Arizona Raceway / Casa Grande, AZ / Justin Peck
- Sun, Feb. 21 / Central Arizona Raceway / Casa Grande, AZ / Matt Covington
- Sat, Feb. 28 / Central Arizona Raceway / Casa Grande, AZ / Justin Peck (2)
- Sun, Mar. 1 / Central Arizona Raceway / Casa Grande, AZ / Levi Hillier
- Sat, Apr. 11 / Salina Highbanks Speedway / Salina, OK / Chris Martin
- Fri, May 8 / Benton Speedway / Benton, MO / Seth Bergman
This article was republished with the permission of the American Sprint Car Series. The original article can be found here: https://ascsracing.com/what-to-watch-for/top-five-storylines-doubleheader-across-ok-ks-awaits-multiple-ascs-divisions/
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