ROOKIE LUKE BALDWIN CAPTURES 2024 SMART MODIFIED TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP Justin Bonsignore Wins the Season Finale at North Wilkesboro Speedway FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE North Wilkesboro, NC (October 19, 2024) - 18-year-old modified rookie, Luke Baldwin, is the 2024 SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic champion. The third-generation modified racer secured the title, and the Racing Electronics Rookie of the Year honors, with the SMART Mods by finishing third in the season finale Saturday at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina. “I told a couple of people that just four years ago I was sitting in my room playing iRacing, praying for something like this,” said Baldwin after he climbed out of his race car and celebrated with his SS Racing team. “I can't say thanks to everyone enough. Pace-O-Matic, Sadler Stanley Racing, I have said it a couple of times but, I don’t know if I would be racing right now if it wasn’t for Hermie Sadler and Bill Stanley. This is unbelievable.” While Baldwin cherished his newly crowned championship, series-invader Justin Bonsignore dominated the race to ride the elevator to the famous victory lane at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Bonsignore, from Holtsville, New York, led all but three laps (96 of 99) enroute to his first series win in his first-career SMART Modified Tour race. Bonsignore held off Matt Hirschman to the checkered flag. “Matt Hirschman is the ultimate at these tire-saving races and he was charging hard on old tires,” said Bonsignore in the Pace-O-Matic Victory Lane. “We had a really good car in the beginning, but Matt (Hirschman) was able to flip the strategy after getting crashed. You never can count him out, even on older tires. I was able to get the lead, but we’re not used to changing just one tire during a race. We don’t do that with our series, so we’re not accustomed to the adjustments you need to make,” added Bonsignore. “The car was just giving up too much there at the end. I think if it was anybody beside Matt Hirschman on the last lap, we would have ended up in the fence.” READ MORE.... |
SMART 5 CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDERS
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SMART BEACH TRIP DOUBLEHEADER
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KENNY MINTER CLASSIC RECAP
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THE SMARTY TROPHY
The Tom Dawson Trophy belongs to the winner of the Snowball Derby, the Guitar is given out at Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville for the All American 400, Martinsville rewards winners with a Ridgeway Grandfather Clock. Now there’s a new special trophy that’s arrived to the racing scene. Like at Kentucky Speedway you get a Crosley jukebox for winning, Meridian Speedway gives it’s winners a unique trophy that features the town’s water tower that’s behind the track. The SMART Modified Tour will showcase a brand newly created trophy at the next scheduled event which stands to be Caraway Speedway in July. The tour director Chris Williams extended his personal thoughts about generic trophies. “Traditionally winners are presented column trophies.” Said a reluctant Williams. “I was looking for something completely different. I wanted something so unique and interesting that the drivers will be shocked and astonished to see it. I want those drivers to keep coming back to claim one of these uniquely created trophies.” READ MORE.... |