North Alabama Speedway
Smith, 61, nabs first Lucas victory in Alabama
By James Essex
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Freddy Smith emerges after his victory. (DirtonDirt.com)
TUSCUMBIA, Ala. (July 11) — In one of the most stirring victories in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series history, Hall of Fame Freddy Smith of Seymour, Tenn., captured the Heart of Dixie 40 at North Alabama Speedway in racking up his 784th career feature victory. The 61-year-old Smith, whose last major victory came in April 2003, withstood last-lap challenges from series points leader Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla., and Bart Hartman of Zanesville, Ohio, for his first career series victory. | Slideshow
"I thought I was done-for early when I got spun around and got into that tire on the inside of the track," said the five-time Dirt Track World Champion in victory lane, who is in his 42nd year of racing. "I've tried so hard every time to win a Lucas race, we just don't have the funds that some of the other guys have, but we're thankful for this win. I couldn't do this without my wife (Naomi) and of course Jack and Paula. They drive down from Illinois every time we race and they help me out and do a great job."
Pearson and Hartman chased Smith across the finish line followed by top series rookie Terry Casey of New London, Wis., and last year's race winner, Billy Drake of Bloomington, Ill.
The polesitting Smith's race started ominously when he got sideways in turn two and was turned around by another car, forcing him to spin in front of the field as he and another car stopped in turn two. Both drivers resumed their starting spots in the lineup on the restart, with Pearson taking the lead on the second restart of the race.
A yellow appeared quickly when Dan Schlieper pushed into the frontstretch wall; suspension damage forced him to retired. On the restart, the race would go two green flag laps until the caution came out for a two-car incident in turn two.
After a slow start, the race would pick up momentum as Pearson continued to show the way with Smith running in second followed closely by Jimmy Owens. Casey, making his first start at North Alabama, stayed in the fourth spot followed by Steve Casebolt with five laps complete. Pearson set a torrid pace in building a six-length lead after 10 laps, and the top five stayed constant until the lap-25 mark when Hartman surged past Casebolt to take over fifth.
Pearson led by 10 lengths with 15 laps remaining and appeared to be in command. But amid lapped traffic, Pearson's margin shrunk and while encountering slower cars on lap 29, he slipped over the turn-two embankment.
When Pearson got all four wheels back on the racing surface, he ran up on the rear of Justin Rattliff's car. The cars got hooked together as the caution came out when both drivers stopped in turn four. Pearson's hopes for victory appeared dashed. "It wasn't Justin's fault," Pearson said later. "I just ran in there and got into him."
On the lap-30 restart, Owens inherited the point as he had second from Smith five laps before Pearson's incident. Owens quickly opened a comfortable lead over Smith and Hartman. Owens, however, broke a right-rear hub exiting turn two on lap 36, ending his night just four laps from the finish.
Smith inherited the lead and with four laps to go and set out to hold off Hartman and Pearson, who had used the outside groove to get himself back in the picture.
When the green waved for the final time, Pearson cleared Hartman with ease and set his sights on Smith. Smith was just able to hold off Pearson as the top three cars raced to the finish in front of a cheering crowd at the quarter-mile oval.
Notes: Smith's Warrior Race Car has a Dale Meers Racing Engine and sponsorship from White Oaks Motorsports, Cliburn Tank Lines, Bradley's Wrecker Service, King of the Road Customs Coaches and Haulers, Goddard Performance Parts, Hoosier Tires, Ohlins by Gary Wenger and Big Daddy's Mobile Wraps. ... The race was sponsored by Long-Lewis Ford. ... Smith is the 17th different series winner of 2008. ... The victory was Smith's richest since winning $11,000 at the 2003 James King Memorial in Columbus, Miss. ... Nine cautions slowed the feature. ... John Mason, back after suffering a concussion in the previous weekend's event at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn., was the PBM/Erson Cams Hard Charger with his 22nd-to-10th run. ... Earl Pearson Jr. has 4,110 series points to lead Steve Casebolt (3,840) and Bart Hartman (3,755). ... Dan Schlieper lowered the track record in qualifying with a 12.420-second lap. ... The series heads to Columbus (Miss.) Speedway for Saturday's 10th annual James Nickoles Memorial, a $10,000-to-win event.
Lucas Oil @ North Alabama: (1) Freddy Smith, (2) Earl Pearson Jr., (3) Bart Hartman, (4) Terry Casey, (5) Billy Drake, (6) Steve Casebolt, (7) Eddie Rickman, (8) Justin Rattliff, (9) Chris Ragan, (10) John Mason, (11) Anthony Burroughs, (12) Jimmy Owens, (13) Bub McCool, (14) Billy Moyer, (15) Michael Walker, (16) Mark Tice, (17) Josh Putnam, (18) Jerry Jackson, (19) Jason Fitzgerald, (20) Scott Bloomquist, (21) Wayne Chinn, (22) Dan Schlieper, (23) Jamie Elam, (24) Scott James. Fast qualifier (among 30 cars): Schlieper, 12.420 seconds. Heat race winners: James, Casey, Smith. Consolation winners: Burroughs. Provisional starters: Schlieper, Moyer.
