From Bryan Hulbert
ELMA, Wash. (June 19, 2021) – Seeing the opportunity to strike, Washington’s Cam Smith did not let it go to waste as the Quick Time Espresso No. 17 raced his way into SawBlade.com Victory Lane for the first time with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network on Night 1 of the Fred Brownfield Classic.
The 158th winner with the series, Smith, is the seventh Washington shoe to top the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network and first from Mill Creek, bringing the number of winning municipalities to 120.
On winning his first Lucas Oil ASCS event, Smith said, “It’s awesome to be able to defend against the National Tour. This is what we’ve been working on over the last couple of years that when they come to town, we’re ready.
While Smith has never been shy on speed, laps count, and the 2020 season didn’t offer any at Grays Harbor. Something that had him a little worried coming into the weekend.
“With COVID happening last year, we weren’t able to come here much. I was hesitant, and I just wanted to get out of here with a good weekend and get to Dirt Cup because that’s where we have been racing a lot, so to do this down here means a lot.”
Chasing Matt Covington and Garen Linder the opening 12 rounds, the pair traded the lead several times, with Covington always able to get back to the stripe first. Caution working Lap 13, the field reverted back to the twelfth circuit. Taking off to the cushion, Covington and Linder left the bottom wide open. Mashing the throttle off the second turn, Smith shot to the point.
With the pair still stalking, it took a couple of laps to gain an advantage as Linder took over second.
Into traffic on Lap 22, a pair of slower cars blocked Smith’s path. Seeing a half straightaway advantage dwindle to car lengths, Smith was finally able to thread the needle coming to the white flag. With a rolling roadblock in place, Smith claimed victory by 2.126-seconds.
Garen Linder’s first podium appearance with the National Tour, the runner-up finish in his 16th A-Feature appearance, is his first top-five. Settling into a ferocious battle in the closing laps, Matt Covington held on to third by 0.120-seconds over 10th starting, Blake Hahn, and California’s Willie Croft, who all crossed in a battle nearly too close to call. The third and fourth place run by Covington and Hahn has tied them in the championship standings.
Greg Hamilton was sixth, followed by Colton Heath from 14th. Despite a badly damaged racecar after slamming the wall nearly head-on in his Heat Race, J.J. Hickle rolled from 13th to eighth and managed to hold the champion lead by three markers. Robbie Price was ninth, with Lane Taylor posting a tenth place finish in his first National Tour A-Feature.
A field of 38 drivers fell into four SCE Gaskets Heat Races, with wins going to Garen Linder, Willie Croft, Robbie Price, and Matt Covington. A pair of BMRS B-Features was won by Scott Bogucki and Trey Starks. The night’s lone provisional was used by Dylan Westbrook.
Racing returns to Grays Harbor Raceway on Sunday, June 20. Gates open 4:00 P.M. with racing at 6:00 P.M. (PDT). Admission per is $28, Senior and Military is $22, and Youth (2-10) is $5. Grays Harbor Raceway is located at 30 Elma McCleary Road in Elma, Wash. The track is part of the Grays Harbor County Fairgrounds.
More information and tickets can be found online at http://www.graysharborraceway.com or by calling (360) 482-4374.
Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour presented by MAVtv
Fred Brownfield Classic
Grays Harbor Raceway
Elma, Washington
Saturday, June 19, 2021
Heat Race #1 (8 Laps)
1. 22L-Garen Linder[2]
2. 96-Greg Hamilton[4]
3. 28-Scott Bogucki[3]
4. 10L-Brock Lemley[7]
5. 2L-Logan Forler[9]
6. 76-Shawn Rice[1]
7. 10C-Chance Crum[8]
8. 33T-Tyler Driever[5]
9. 77X-Alex Hill[10]
10. 21-Jesse Schlotfeldt[6]
Heat Race #2 (8 Laps)
1. 29-Willie Croft[1]
2. 19-Colby Thornhill[4]
3. 33S-Lance Sargent[7]
4. 63-JJ Hickle[6]
5. A1-Jared Hood[8]
6. 75-Brian Boswell[3]
7. 34-TJ Richman[9]
8. 23-Seth Bergman[5]
9. 28R-Eric Rockl[2]
10. 99-Malachi Gemmer[10]
Heat Race #3 (8 Laps)
1. 21P-Robbie Price[1]
2. 4L-Lane Taylor[4]
3. 55-Trey Starks[2]
4. 33-Colton Heath[6]
5. 18-Jason Solwold[8]
6. 17B-Ryan Bickett[5]
7. 0J-Jay Cole[7]
8. 47X-Dylan Westbrook[9]
9. 17C-Chris Bullock[3]
Heat Race #4 (8 Laps)
1. 95-Matt Covington[2]
2. 52-Blake Hahn[3]
3. 17-Cam Smith[7]
4. 22X-Tyler Thompson[4]
5. 88-Travis Reber[1]
6. 56-Joel Myers[9]
7. 15-Jeff Dunlap[8]
8. 12-Steven Snawder[5]
9. 14-Bailey Sucich[6]
B-Main (12 Laps)
1. 28-Scott Bogucki[1]
2. 56-Joel Myers[2]
3. 88-Travis Reber[3]
4. 10C-Chance Crum[4]
5. 47X-Dylan Westbrook[7]
6. 0J-Jay Cole[6]
7. 33T-Tyler Driever[8]
8. 75-Brian Boswell[5]
DNS: 14-Bailey Sucich
DNS: 23-Seth Bergman
DNS: 28R-Eric Rockl
B-Main 2 (12 Laps)
1. 55-Trey Starks[1]
2. 22X-Tyler Thompson[2]
3. 15-Jeff Dunlap[4]
4. 77X-Alex Hill[7]
5. 17B-Ryan Bickett[3]
6. 76-Shawn Rice[6]
7. 17C-Chris Bullock[9]
8. 99-Malachi Gemmer[10]
9. 21-Jesse Schlotfeldt[11]
DNS: 34-TJ Richman
DNS: 12-Steven Snawder
A-Main (25 Laps)
1. 17-Cam Smith[2]
2. 22L-Garen Linder[4]
3. 95-Matt Covington[1]
4. 52-Blake Hahn[10]
5. 29-Willie Croft[8]
6. 96-Greg Hamilton[7]
7. 33-Colton Heath[14]
8. 63-JJ Hickle[13]
9. 21P-Robbie Price[9]
10. 4L-Lane Taylor[6]
11. 19-Colby Thornhill[5]
12. 18-Jason Solwold[16]
13. 28-Scott Bogucki[17]
14. 22X-Tyler Thompson[20]
15. 56-Joel Myers[19]
16. 2L-Logan Forler[12]
17. A1-Jared Hood[15]
18. 33S-Lance Sargent[3]
19. 10L-Brock Lemley[11]
20. 55-Trey Starks[18]
21. 88-Travis Reber[21]
22. 15-Jeff Dunlap[22]
23. 47X-Dylan Westbrook[23]