April 21
Tri-County Racetrack,
Brasstown, NC
Sanction: Schaeffer's Spring Nationals - $4,053
Information provided by: Series and track reports (last updated April 23, 8:01 am)
Smith leads flag-to-flag for Tri-County win
- Garrett Smith
- Payton Freeman
- Carson Ferguson
- Jamie Oliver
- Kenny Collins
- Joe Denby
- Cla Knight
- Shawn Chastain
- Josh Putnam
- Danny Ledford
- Heath Hindman
- Galen Robinson
- Will Harris
- Craig Greer
- Kip Cochran
- Levi Hicks
- Cory Hedgecock
- Jensen Ford
- Jonathon Cope
- Jacob Hamby
- David Payne
- Glenn Barnett
Garrett Smith collected $4,053 for his victory at Tr-County.
What won the race: Surviving a string of late cautions, Garrett Smith of Eatonton, Ga., completed a flag-to-flag victory for his first career Schaeffer’s Spring Nationals triumph Thursday at Tri-County Race Track. Smith finished 0.399 seconds ahead of polesitter Payton Freeman to earn $4,053.
Quotable: “I had a really good car all night. I got the jump on the initial start and took the early lead,” Smith said. “(The top) was kinda cleaning off up there. It was starting to dust off and clean up where you could run around the whole corner.”
Key notes: The race was slowed by eight cautions, including five in the final nine laps. … Eight of 22 starters finished. … Josh Putnam of Florence, Ala., grabbed second on lap 10 and held it until he suffered a right rear flat tire on lap 37, drawing the final caution. … With six laps remaining, runner-up Payton Freeman made a charge on the outside and appeared poised to grab the lead, but a caution came out and the field was reset to the previous lap. … Third-running Kenny Collins of Colbert, Ga., spun to avoid Putnam on lap 32. He came back to finish fifth while debuting a new car. … Local drivers David Payne and Glenn Barnett both experienced trouble before the initial green and never completed a lap. … Series leader Cla Knight of North Augusta, S.C., finished seventh after pitting a couple times. … Fast qualifier Payton Freeman set a new track record on his first lap and then hit the turn three wall on the second lap. ... Tri-County hosted the fifth round of the Schaeffer's Spring Nationals Series, the first of a weekend tripleheader.
On the move: Joe Denby of Tullahoma, Tenn., started 13th and finished sixth.
Winner's sponsors: The winning Garrett Smith Performance Rocket is sponsored by Atlanta Paving & Concrete, Terminal Maintenance & Construction, Davis Tire, Senior Life Insurance, World Famous Cadillac Ranch and Fox Racing Shox.
Points chase: After Tri-County: 1. Carson Ferguson (902); 2. Cla Knight (900: 3. Payton Freeman (890: 4. Jensen Ford (868); 5. Brandon Overton (570).
Current weather: Clear, 66°F
Car count: 22
Fast qualifier: Payton Freeman
Time: 12.096 seconds
Polesitter: Payton Freeman
Next series race: April 23, Clarksville Speedway (Clarksville, TN) $10,053
Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.