photo by Steve Hixson
Eighteen-year-old Garrett Smith of Eatonton, Ga. picked up his first Spring Nationals series victory Thursday night at Ray Cook's Tricounty Racetrack to kick off a big race weekend around the Tennessee Valley area.
Smith, in his #10 "Atlanta Paving and Concrete, Terminal Maintenance and Construction, Davis Tire" Performance Rocket racecar, held off a plethora of challengers the entire 40-lap distance at the ultra fast 1/4 mile bullring.
Second place finisher Peyton Freeman of Commerce, Ga. set a new Super Late Model track record in qualifying, clocking a 12.096 against 21 competitors. North Carolina's Carson Ferguson was third overall, with locals Jamie Oliver and Kenny Collins rounding out the top five finishers. Heath Hindman of Signal Mtn. was 11th and Cory Hedgecock of Loudon was 17th overall. Local favorite David Payne of Murphy, NC had mechanical issues on the parade lap and didn't get to start the feature from his row two position, regulating him to a 21st finish.
Crossville Speedway on the Cumberland Plateau welcomes the Spring Nationals series for night #2 of the weekend Friday. Races begin on CST an hour behind Tennessee Valley's EST. Saturday night North of Nashville the Clarksville Speedway will wrap up the Spring Nationals three race trek this weekend.
Meanwhile closer to Southeast Tennessee the United Championship Racing Alliance 604/Crate Late Model series visits I-75 Raceway in Sweetwater for the fifth annual Spring-Loaded 40 event. Also on-tap is the Red Clay 602/Sportsman series, for a 30-lap jaunt.
Nearby in the Smoky Mountain's of Maryville the XR Southern All-Stars Super Late Models vie for $5,000 Saturday night along with the Steel Block Bandit series. Mountain View Raceway in Dayton/Spring City outside of Chattanooga host a full regular program with Late Models and six other divisions. And down I-59 in Northeast Alabama the Fort Payne Motor Speedway opens up its 2022 season with its local Super Late Models heading up its nine classes of competition. Boyd's Speedway in East Ridge/Ringgold has Monster Trucks Friday and Saturday night beginning at 4:30 (for kids) and with a 7 p.m. show time.