Racerchaser
05-28-2006, 10:40 AM
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NICK SMITH TAKES ASCS SPRINT VICTORY AT VIRGINIA MOTOR SPEEDWAY Saluda,VA (May 28, 2006) - Current point leader Nick Smith of Broken Arrow, OK took the lead on lap 20 from Jason Johnson of Eunice, LA and set sail to take home the victory in the 2nd Annual mason Dixon Challenge presented by Thurston spring Service at Bill sawyer’s Virginia Motor Speedway.
Smith started eighth and methodically worked his way to the front. The race was a tail of three drivers as on the opening green flag Jan Howard took control and pulled away from the field. On lap 10 Jesse Hockett and Jason Johnson were going at it for second with Howard now only a few car lengths ahead of the duo. Once past Hockett, Johnson set out to catch Howard. On lap 11 Howard jumped the cushion in turn 4 allowing Johnson and Hockett to get by for position. Johnson then set out to a eight car length advantage and looked to be pulling away.
By lap 18 Nick Smith had worked his way to second and was closing in on Johnson. By lap 19 Smith was looking outside Johnson for the lead. Smith finally got the break he needed as he took the lead before the caution came out. On the restart Smith just pulled away and never looked back to take the victory by over three seconds.
“We had this thing perfect, it says a lot when we are faster in a 360 than a 410 sprint car. I could go anywhere on this track, I could diamond the corners off, go in on the bottom come off on the top, I could take it into the cushion, it would go anywhere I wanted to go,” commented Nick Smith in victory lane.
Rounding out the top five were Jason Johnson, Jan Howard, seventeenth starting Justin Collet and Dustin Doggett.
O’REILLY AMERICAN SPRINT CARS ON TOUR 30 LAP A MAIN (29 CARS):
1. Nick Smith; 2. Jason Johnson; 3. Jan Howard; 4. Justin Collet; 5. Dustin Daggett; 6. Josh Weller; 7. Sean McLelland; 8. Trey Robb; 9. Jesse Hockett; 10. Gary Wright; 11. Tony Bruce Jr.; 12. Abe Sherwood; 13. Sam Hafertepe; 14. Coby Adams; 15. Jason Eldreth; 16. Jeff Young; 17. Johnny Bridges; 18. Lance Moss; 19. Dave Ely; 20. Brian Smith; 21. Butch Perdergrass; 22. Darren Stewart; 23. Travis Rilat; 24. Kris Brook; DNS: Clarence Cox, Bill Moore, Matt Greene, Scott McClaren, Tim Perry.
HEAT RACE WINNERS: Jan Howard, Darren Stewart, Dustin Doggett, Jesse Hockett.
DASH WINNER: Jesse Hockett
B MAIN WINNER: Justin Collet
NICK SMITH TAKES ASCS SPRINT VICTORY AT VIRGINIA MOTOR SPEEDWAY Saluda,VA (May 28, 2006) - Current point leader Nick Smith of Broken Arrow, OK took the lead on lap 20 from Jason Johnson of Eunice, LA and set sail to take home the victory in the 2nd Annual mason Dixon Challenge presented by Thurston spring Service at Bill sawyer’s Virginia Motor Speedway.
Smith started eighth and methodically worked his way to the front. The race was a tail of three drivers as on the opening green flag Jan Howard took control and pulled away from the field. On lap 10 Jesse Hockett and Jason Johnson were going at it for second with Howard now only a few car lengths ahead of the duo. Once past Hockett, Johnson set out to catch Howard. On lap 11 Howard jumped the cushion in turn 4 allowing Johnson and Hockett to get by for position. Johnson then set out to a eight car length advantage and looked to be pulling away.
By lap 18 Nick Smith had worked his way to second and was closing in on Johnson. By lap 19 Smith was looking outside Johnson for the lead. Smith finally got the break he needed as he took the lead before the caution came out. On the restart Smith just pulled away and never looked back to take the victory by over three seconds.
“We had this thing perfect, it says a lot when we are faster in a 360 than a 410 sprint car. I could go anywhere on this track, I could diamond the corners off, go in on the bottom come off on the top, I could take it into the cushion, it would go anywhere I wanted to go,” commented Nick Smith in victory lane.
Rounding out the top five were Jason Johnson, Jan Howard, seventeenth starting Justin Collet and Dustin Doggett.
O’REILLY AMERICAN SPRINT CARS ON TOUR 30 LAP A MAIN (29 CARS):
1. Nick Smith; 2. Jason Johnson; 3. Jan Howard; 4. Justin Collet; 5. Dustin Daggett; 6. Josh Weller; 7. Sean McLelland; 8. Trey Robb; 9. Jesse Hockett; 10. Gary Wright; 11. Tony Bruce Jr.; 12. Abe Sherwood; 13. Sam Hafertepe; 14. Coby Adams; 15. Jason Eldreth; 16. Jeff Young; 17. Johnny Bridges; 18. Lance Moss; 19. Dave Ely; 20. Brian Smith; 21. Butch Perdergrass; 22. Darren Stewart; 23. Travis Rilat; 24. Kris Brook; DNS: Clarence Cox, Bill Moore, Matt Greene, Scott McClaren, Tim Perry.
HEAT RACE WINNERS: Jan Howard, Darren Stewart, Dustin Doggett, Jesse Hockett.
DASH WINNER: Jesse Hockett
B MAIN WINNER: Justin Collet