CONCORD, N.C. — Most drivers coming into a brand new season after clinching their first championship wouldn’t dare half with the comforts of the tools and processes that introduced their success.
However Seth Bergman isn’t like most drivers.
Over the winter, the 37-year-old Washington native, now residing in Owasso, Okla., started utterly overhauling his group’s tools. Solely weeks faraway from lastly reaching his longtime purpose of clinching an American Dash Automotive Sequence Nationwide Tour factors championship, Bergman started the method of buying a number of new belongings together with a brand new truck and trailer, instruments and different numerous working tools, two brand-new Triple X Chassis and a brand new Rider Racing Engine.
In brief, no expense was spared within the funds to make sure his greatest probability for a repeat as champion of the Nationwide Tour in 2025. So, why did he trade his tried-and-true supplies — that which propelled the No. 23 group to seven Function wins on the Tour final season — for tools a lot newer, but much less acquainted?
“We received the championship final yr, however we have been on no account as — I really feel like — nearly as good as we may’ve been,” Bergman mentioned. “There was a number of issues that we are able to appropriate and make so much higher, and I believe I’m within the pursuit of that — simply getting higher.
“For us, we’re simply kinda getting to some extent the place… we’re wanting ahead into the long run too and simply making an attempt to ensure no matter it’s we need to do, we’re constructed for it. We have now the group in a spot to the place we are able to do no matter we need to do, whether or not it’s race at a really excessive stage with ASCS or no matter else.”
As the brand new belongings started to reach on the store, Bergman and the group set to work, getting ready the brand new vehicles and transporter for the 40-plus Tour races on their 2025 calendar. Nonetheless, the amount of remaining work exceeded the out there time earlier than the season opener at Volusia Speedway Park, and the group determined to skip the occasion altogether.
“For us, it’s been a very, actually busy offseason; we’ve undoubtedly wanted the time that we’ve had off to get every part the place it must be,” Bergman mentioned. “Only in the near past, we’ve gotten to some extent the place we really feel like we’re prepared.”
Regardless of lacking the opening three races at Volusia, Bergman will nonetheless defend his championship as a member of the full-time ASCS roster in 2025. As introduced in January, all drivers could have their worst factors end between Jan. 30 and July 30 dropped from their championship factors tally. Because the occasions at Volusia have been counted as one race within the factors standings, Bergman (and a number of different full-time drivers) used Volusia as his “drop” race.
Even on the peak of his profession, Bergman nonetheless displays on his earliest seasons on the street, when his funds was tighter, and a nationwide dash automobile championship appeared like a pipe dream. However these closest to him know that his present-day racing luxuries have been by no means an concept that spawned in a single day.
“I believe individuals have a look at it now and suppose one factor or one other, however I’ve had these targets for an extended, very long time,” Bergman mentioned. “For myself, it’s simply been a gradual, constant effort over an extended time frame. We’ve acquired issues slowly over time. I’ve all the time made positive I’ve been placing within the work so I can do my half, so we are able to go to the monitor and get outcomes.”
Nonetheless, new tools received’t be the one factor carrying the group into the long run. A great group has skilled, educated crew members, and Bergman is making room for that as nicely.
“Actually, we’re making an attempt to construct a really high-level dash automobile group that may be a good dwelling for anyone,” he mentioned. “Let’s say you could have a really high-level mechanic, and he desires to be part of an ideal race group. We’re making an attempt to have a great race group to the place we’re a great group to work for. We’re aggressive, we’ve good tools, and we are able to go and get outcomes as nicely.”
Final weekend, Bergman acquired his first style of excellent ends in the ASCS Sooner Area opener at Creek County Speedway on Friday and Enid Speedway on Saturday, posting runner-up finishes in each races with the brand new tools.
“All-in-all, it was nonetheless — for me not being proud of the place we have been — we nonetheless raced for 2 wins, each nights,” Bergman mentioned. “In the end, simply ended up second. However it was a stable begin to a number of work that’s gone in over the off season. All the things carried out nicely. It was good simply to get every part to the monitor and run by way of the motions.”
In lower than two weeks’ time, Bergman and the remainder of the ASCS Nationwide Tour roster will get again into motion — Saturday, April 12 at Salina Highbanks Speedway in Oklahoma — in what might be Bergman’s first Nationwide Tour occasion since he clinched the championship at Creek County Speedway in November.
With new tools in-hand and a renewed dedication to chasing a championship, Bergman has by no means been extra prepared for the beginning of a brand new season.
“It’s a novel race monitor, given its excessive banks, and it creates some completely different racing that you simply wouldn’t all the time see on our common, run-of-the-mill race monitor,” he mentioned of Salina Highbanks. “I believe it’ll be an ideal race monitor to get the season began.”
