Chris Smith victorious in Budweiser 100 at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway.
By Dan Walker
Scarborough, Maine-Last season Chris Smith found himself wheeling a Pro Series car at Beech Ridge and went on to be rookie of the year. The deal with that car was not renewed for the 2009 season so Smith was helping out George Libby with his Sport Series car this season. Libby made the decision to put Smith in his cat for Saturday nights Budweiser 100 and as they say the rest is history as Smith was the winner.
Nate Leavitt led for the opening 15 laps until Frank Wear took over following a restart. Wear would stay as the pacesetter for the next 38 circuits when Russ Morse got to the inside and went to the front. Starting in the middle of the field, Sally Gherardi and Chris Smith had made their way to the lead pack as Morse and Wear were dicing for the lead.
Smith made the move to second place on lap 60 and began to plan his attack on Frank Wear. It only took Smith 1 lap to move around Wear and into the lead as Wear, Gherardi and Don Morse were having a battle for second spot. Smith would stay in front with Wear second but Gherardi and Don Morse spent the final 40 laps in a side by side race for third place. At the finish it was Smith and Wear with Gherardi getting third and Don Morse fourth. Russ Morse made a late race charge to finish fifth right on the heels of Don Morse and Gherardi.
In other action Mike Rowe won his first points race of the season but his second straight victory following last weeks 100 lap win. Steve Jones nearly pulled off the upset as he led most of the race despite heavy pressure from as many as 6 cars during the event. Rowe took the lead on a lap 35 restart and went to victory lane with Bradley Babb second and Jones a career best third. Mike Maietta Jr and Bub Bilodeau were fourth and fifth.
Mike Ramsey won the 30 lap Wildcat feature race. Ramsey took the lead on lap 24 and beat his team mate Lewis Anderson for the win. David Wildes was third with Shawn Gilpatrick and Dan Bean next across the finish line.
Shawn Brackett was the winner of the 20 lap Road Runner feature race. Brackett led from lap 11 to the finish for the win with Ray Letellier second and Matt Dow third. Ed Connolly and Brian Graffam were fourth and fifth.