Double-Header Weekend for Casey Smith

(IRVINGTON, AL) April 15, 2007 --  Just six days before his 21st Birthday, Casey Smith continued the start of his 17th racing season heading to a double-header weekend.  First stop - Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida for the first Blizzard series race of the 2006 season. 

Smith has produced stellar results at the half-mile oval ever since a Super Late Model win in his second visit at 14-years-old, and many impressive finishes in the famed Snowball Derby.

Smith qualified a quick 17.648 seconds, which would put him 7th out of a solid 38-car field.

Starting on the inside of row four, Smith wasted no time and passed the #22 of Jeremy Pate on the inside to take sixth.  Smith was conserving his tires for the first half of the 100 lap event because he had a good handling car and he knew that this race would come down to a tire gamble.

A caution at lap 48 brought leaders Charlie Bradberry, Augie Grill, and Josh Hamner in for fresh tires.  From past experience, Smith thought it was too early to pit and took the gamble to stay out with Dave Mader III, Eddie Mercer and Joey Senter. 

Smith felt really good about his chances to get to the front while sitting in 4th position with 50 to go and fresh rubber waiting for him.

Another caution ensued at lap 58.  Again, Smith felt it was still too early and stayed out with Mader, while Mercer and Senter went in for fresh ones.

Running in 2nd, Smith debated whether he needed tires at all in the caution-filled event, but thought they would best be used with 25-30 laps to go.  During a long green-flag run, Smith watched in his rearview mirror as Bradberry came through the field on fresh tires.

When the yellow flag waived at lap 75, Smith knew it would be a gamble to come through the field with only 25 to go, but he was a sitting duck with the drivers that had new rubber.  Smith was there to win, so he made the call to come in for right side tires.

Starting behind a long line of cars after the restart, Smith started to sense something wasn’t right.  The new tires were killing the handling on his car and he was unable to get back to the front.  He finished a disappointing 14th.