McKean County Raceway
Brady Smith cruises to $13,000 at McKean Co.
Brady Smith rolls toward his $13,000 victory. (pbase.com/cyberslash)
EAST SMETHPORT, Pa. (Sept. 25) — Dominating the race and lapping more than half the field, polesitter Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wis., made his 16-hour journey worth it at McKean County Raceway with a $13,000 victory in the fifth annual Priority Care RaceFan 50. | Slideshow
Smith led from the pole in racing to victory in his first visit to McKean County and his first-ever event with the Northern Tier United Late Model Series.
Dan Stone of Thompson, Pa., finished second in McKean County's richest race with 17-year-old Larry Wight of Phoenix, N.Y., in third. Dave Hess Jr. of Waterford, Pa., and outside front-row starter Gregg Satterlee of Rochester Mills, Pa., rounded out the top five.
At the outset, Smith and Satterlee led the 25-car field to the green flag, but Brent Rhebergen's disabled car triggered a turn-one pileup that eliminated Matt Lux and Russ King, last year's winner. Billy Decker, Dave Lyon and Bump Hedman were among others involved, but they were able to continue.
Smith took control on the second start with Satterlee, Stone, Hess and Chris Hackett in pursuit. Smith edged away, building a straightaway lead after 10 laps while Satterlee and Stone battled for second.
Smith was lapping slower cars and had a commanding lead at the halfway point while Wight worked his way toward the top five.
Smith continued his lapping safari — putting ULMS points leader Boom Briggs a lap down along with Chad Valone, David Scott and other regional standouts — while Stone wrestled the second spot from Satterlee on lap 35. Wight continued his progress, taking spots from Hess and Satterlee to move into third.
At the double checkered flags, Smith cruised to the finish far ahead of Stone with a cushion of six lapped cars between them.
In McKean County's three-night Fall Classic preliminaries, Hess topped the King of The Hill action among 32 cars on Thursday and Dick Barton of Ashville, N.Y., won Friday's $2,000-to-win ULMS feature.
Notes: Smith's Big Red Motorsports Bloomquist Race Car is powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine and sponsored by Mid-States Equipment, Michaletz Trucking, and Gotta Race. ... Among drivers failing to make the feature: Rich Gardner, Jared Miley, Vic Coffey, Sammy Stile, Bob Close, Jason Dupont, Ricky Elliott, Dick Barton, Dennis Lunger and Doug Horton. ... ULMS competitors wrap up the season Oct. 3 with a $2,500-to-win event at Central Pennsylvania Speedway in Clearfield.
Priority Care RaceFan 50: (1) Brady Smith, (2) Dan Stone, (3) Larry Wight, (4) Dave Hess Jr., (5) Gregg Satterlee, (6) Chris Hackett, (7) Chub Frank, (8) Rob Blair, (9) Mike Knight, (10) Billy Decker, (11) Andy Kania, (12) Tim Fuller, (13) Greg Oakes, (14) Doug Eck, (15) John Lobb, (16) Scott Lebarron, (17) Boom Briggs, (18) Dave Lyon, (19) Bump Hedman, (20) Chad Valone, (21) David Scott, (22) Doug Drown, (23) Brent Rhebergen, (24) Russ King, (25) Matt Lux. Heat race winners (among 48 cars): Hackett, Smith, Satterlee, Hess, Wright. Consolation winners: Blair, Lobb.
