Casey Smith's Gulf Coast Weekend good and bad

[NickHolt]

Podium Finish and Blown Motor the Story of Casey Smith’s Gulf Coast Weekend

 

Austin, TX 6/30/10- The story couldn’t have been more different from Five Flags Speedway to Mobile Int’l Speedway for Casey Smith and his Texas based race team at last weekend’s round number three of the Sunoco Gulf Coast Championship series.

 

Smith, though he felt like he was down on power; finished third at Pensacola, Florida’s Five Flags Speedway and then traveled to Mobile, Alabama to complete the double header weekend where his indication of the motor going away was accurate, ending the race just eleven laps short of the 100 lap distance with a blown motor and a tenth place finish.

 

At Five Flags Speedway, with the new format in effect of a break at the halfway point of the race to allow competitors to change tires under yellow taking the necessity of having a full pit crew out of the equation, Casey managed his best finish so far this year in Gulf Coast Championship series competition. Not only did it work for Smith but a majority of the teams all had praise for the new format.

 

“The halfway break allowed us to show, for the first time in a while, what we are capable of tonight. We didn’t have to use our tires up to get back up front after losing four or five positions on pit road and at the end of the day it was just as good if not a better a race for the fans,” stated Smith after the race. “I know most everybody was happy with the format because it saved everyone a little money and right now that little bit goes a long way.”

 

After an impressive finish the night before, high hopes of another good run at Mobile were thought to be on the agenda. After topping the charts during the day’s practice session Smith qualified seventh on the starting grid with the feeling that he was down on power and had a better “race” car than his qualifying outcome showed. Smith was right as he worked his way up to third, sixty laps into the event and then eventually to the runner up position with just eleven laps to go when his Hamner power plant let go ending what looked to be an even better finish than the night before.

 

“I felt like the motor didn’t quite have the power like it should have last night and then tonight it was more of the same. I know I didn’t really have anything for Augie (Grill) either night but we had a good race car so it was pretty disappointing that it ended the way it did. I know Jeff (Hamner) will get us all fixed up and we’ll be back next time; its just one of those racing luck deals,” added Smith.

 

For all the latest news on Texas native Casey Smith visit his all new website at www.caseysmithracing.com. For pr and marketing related issues with Casey Smith Racing contact Chris Ragle with Tex Motorsports Marketing at cragle02@yahoo.com or call 704.706.3666.