Ultimate Motorsports Park
Smith leads 50 laps for Clash victory at Friendship
ELKIN, N.C. (Sept. 5) — Trying to unseat the five-time series champion, Jeff Smith of Dallas, N.C., kept his edge in the Carolina Clash's Countdown to the Cup with a flag-to-flag $5,000 victory Saturday at Friendship Motor Speedway.
Smith, who started on the pole in the 50-lapper, maintains a narrow points lead on long-time reigning series champ Ricky Weeks of Rutherfordton, N.C., after the second of six Countdown to the Cup events. Weeks finished second to Smith at Friendship, his second straight runner-up finish.
Chris Ferguson of Mount Holly, N.C., was third followed by Dan Breuer of Mooresville, N.C., and Dennis Franklin of Gaffney, S.C. Scott Shirey of Swansea, Ga., got hard charger honors with his 22nd-to-14th run.
The series heads to Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat, Va., on Sept. 19 for the next event on the Countdown to the Cup, a playoff-style finish to the season among the 10 drivers.
Carolina Clash @ Friendship: (1) Jeff Smith, (2) Ricky Weeks, (3) Chris Ferguson, (4) Dan Breuer, (5) Dennis Franklin, (6) G.R. Smith, (7) Doug Sanders, (8) Ray Tucker, (9) Ronnie Hoover, (10) Noel Tucker, (11) Tim Allen, (12) Justin Labonte, (13) Luke Roffers, (14) Scott Shirey, (15) Travis Hair, (16) Scott Neighbors, (17) Buddy Isles Jr., (18) Craig Shuffield, (19) Thomas Poole, (20) Dane Burns, (21) Benji Cole, (22) Randle Chupp, (23) Furman Parton, (24) Chris Meadows. Fast qualifier (among 25 cars): Smith, 16.018 seconds.
