FAIRLAWN, Va. - Zane Smith used a late restart to capture his first CARS Racing Tour Super Late Model victory in the Food Country USA 250 Saturday night at Motor Mile Speedway in Fairlawn, Va.
Meanwhile, Josh Berry scored his first Late Model Stock feature.
In the Super Late Model feature, Trevor Noles jumped to the early lead from the pole position. Lap 30 brought the first slowdown of the race after Steve Wallace and Texan Chris Davidson made contact in turn three. Wallace’s night was over, while Davidson was able to continue.
William Byron, methodically working his way forward after starting eighth, took second away from Kyle Grissom on lap 54, and then made quick work of Noles for the lead five laps later.
Following a late race yellow, the No. 31 of Grissom was sent to the tail end of the pack following a false restart call by race control. On the same restart, Noles and Harrison Burton tangled and ended their respective nights with hard contact with the retaining wall.
Byron lined up next to Zane Smith for the final restart on lap 117. Smith timed the restart perfect and beat Byron into turn one take the lead. Smith held on for the final eight laps to score his first career CARS Racing Tour Super Late Model win. Byron crossed the line in second, Lucas Ransone third, Clay Jones fourth and Joey Mucciacciaro in fifth.
“It was absolutely unreal,” Smith said of the final restart with Byron. “I mean, once we got held up on the outside there three-wide earlier, I honestly thought it was over, and I was just getting what I was getting. Once the caution came out once those two got together, I knew I still had a chance. I never gave up.
“Once I got to the outside I knew I definitely had a chance because my car was actually better on the outside because I was so tight.”
In the Late Model Stock feature, Deac McCaskill scored his fourth pole of the season and led the opening laps of the race. On lap 11, a tangle involving Craig Stallard, Roddey Sterling, Stefan Parsons and Jeff Oakley brought out the first caution of the night.
The race for the lead continued between McCaskill and Lemons, as the pair battled side-by-side for almost 20 laps. Contact between the two on lap 47 ended the night of both drivers when McCaskill slammed the inside wall and Lemons needed several laps for suspension repairs.
Josh Berry inherited the lead after the accident, while Brayton Haws moved to second. On the ensuing restart, Haws took the lead from Berry.
Haws’ night came to a stop on lap 92 when a flat tire caused his car to shoot up the track and bring out a caution and Haws was forced to pit road.
Berry cleared Todd Gilliland on the final restart with nine laps to go and went on to capture his first career CARS Tour Late Model Stock win. Gilliland finished second ahead of Myatt Snider, Jamey Caudill and Doug Barnes, Jr.
“If you would have asked me Thursday (about winning), I would have said no way,” said Berry in victory lane. “We came up here and missed it a little bit. My guys, man, we worked so hard to get this thing right. We had a good car.
“We thought we were in the right spot there after a couple others had trouble. I still feel like we had a good car and that’s a credit to all these guys. They give me a great piece every week. I’m tickled to win this, I mean it’s so cool.”
The CARS Racing Tour returns to action on August 1 at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, NC. For more information, visit CARSRacingtour.com.
CARS Racing Tour
Motor Mile Speedway – Fairlawn, VA
Food Country USA 250 (Unofficial) – July 11, 2015
Super Late Models
1. Zane Smith
2. William Byron
3. Lucas Ransone
4. Clay Jones
5. Joey Mucciacciaro
6. Lucas Jones
7. Stephen Leicht
8. Kyle Grissom
9. Gus Dean
10. Cole Timm
11. Matthew Craig
12. Chris Davidson
13. Richard Gould
14. Clay Rogers
15. Quin Houff
16. Trevor Noles
17. Harrison Burton
18. Todd Gilliland
19. Chad Finley
20. Stephe Nasse
21. Spencer Wauters
22. Joey Coulter IV
23. Steve Wallace
24. J.J. Haley
25. Tyler Church
26. Garrett Campbell
DNS: Brandon Setzer
Late Model Stocks
1. Josh Berry
2. Todd Gilliland
3. Myatt Snider
4. Jamey Caudill
5. Doug Barnes
6. Blake Stallings
7. Caleb Holman
8. Austin McDaniel
9. Tyler Ankrum
10. Roddey Sterling
11. Michael Fose
12. Justin Crider
13. Trent Barnes
14. Stefan Parsons
15. Brayton Haws
16. Craig Stallard
17. Chris Hudspeth
18. Thomas Beane
19. Tommy Lemons
20. Deac McCaskill
21. R.D. Smith
22. Clay Rogers
23. Jeff Oakley
24. Rusty Skewes
