SIX SMART WINNERS WITH WARD'S WIN AT CARAWAY
SMART Championship Race Tightens After Robert Jeffreys Memorial
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Martinsville, VA (September 8, 2024) - Six different winners have now graced Pace-O-Matic Victory Lane during the 2024 SMART Modified Tour season, two shy of the season-long record of eight, set just last year.
Brandon Ward, of Winston-Salem, NC, became the latest winner when scored the win in the Robert Jeffreys Memorial Saturday during the Robert Jeffreys Memorial at Caraway Speedway.
Ward took the lead on lap 67 from Brian Loftin while the two navigated through some slower traffic during the 99-lap race.
“You never know where everyone is going to go,” said Brandon Ward, who drives the Kevin Powell Racing by New Day number-04. “I was able to use some lapped traffic there. Brian washed up and we were able to get three wide. Sometimes that works out and sometimes it doesn’t, but this makes up for the one we were leading here and ran out of fuel coming to the white flag (June 2022).”
“They just don’t give you a lot of respect,” said Brian Loftin of the slower cars. “We are racing for a win and everyone is sliding around, and man, they got to racing there and held us up. It is what it is; it’s racing. Congratulations to Brandon, they had a good car, but man, we really wanted this one. The Robert Jeffreys Memorial would have meant a lot to this team (Shady Grady Racing). With the year we’ve had, this is a good step and hopefully we can keep getting better from here.”
For Ward, it was his second SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic win at Caraway and his sixth triumph overall.
“This is a big relief,” admitted Ward, who is driving a partial schedule with the series this year. “We had a great year with this race team. We had five wins at Bowman Gray (NC) and second in points, but we got some wins with Coulter Motorsports the last couple of years (with SMART) and now it’s nice to get Kevin and Jeff (Day) this win. This team, with Will Spaugh (crew chief) and the guys, works so hard and it’s just so good for us to get a win on the SMART Tour this year.”
Anthony Bello, from Newtown, CT, started second and drove the SunDrop, Hillbilly Motorsports number-79 to a career-best SMART finish of third. Bello will pick up the Carolina Drilling Blast to the Front award for being the highest finishing driver who has yet to win a Tour-Type Modified series event.
“We definitely had a winning race car, but I just wanted to calm down and really save my stuff. Following the 15 really helped me do that,” explained Bello, who is contending for the Racing Electronics Rookie of the Year award. “This year has been a humbling year. It’s been a little bit of a struggle, but that’s what this sport is; it’s a lot more lows than highs. I am just glad to get on the podium for these guys.”
Burt Myers and Danny Bohn finished fourth and fifth at Caraway Speedway. Bohn is now unofficially 31 points behind Carson Loftin, who finished 13th in the Robert Jeffreys Memorial.
Luke Baldwin, who won the Pace-O-Matic Pole award in qualifying, finished sixth. The SS Racing driver is third in the standings.
Next up for the SMART Mods will be The Flying VA Classic this Saturday, September 14 at Dominion Raceway in Spotsylvania, VA. Racing begins at 7pm ET. The SMART Mods are third in the main event line-up. A full schedule will be announced soon.
There are just four races left for the SMART Modified Tour in 2024. Just four days after Saturday’s event at Dominion, the Tour will race at Lonesome Pine Raceway in Coeburn, VA on Wednesday night, September 18. The Mod Squad Nationals will proceed the NASCAR weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway (TN), which is an hour up the road from LPR.
The legendary South Boston Speedway in Virginia will host the penultimate race on Saturday, October 12. The season finale will be at the famed North Wilkesboro Speedway on Saturday, October 19.
All SMART races are streamed live on FloRacing, the official streaming broadcast partner of the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic.
For updates on the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic, be sure to follow the series on social media (Facebook: SMART Modified Tour| Twitter: @SMARTMods_ | IG: @smartmods_).
By Bob Dillner - X: @shorttracklife_
SMART Modified Tour Race #11
Unofficial Race Results for the Robert Jeffreys Memorial - 09/07/2024
Caraway Speedway - Sophia, NC - 0.455 mile
Race Length: 99L - 45.045 M - 72.468 KM
Fin-Str-Car-Driver-Sponsors-Laps
1-3-04-Brandon Ward-Q104.1 / KevinSaysYes.com-99
2-2-15-Brian Loftin-Steve Tiire & Automotive-99
3-1-79-Anthony Bello-SunDrop-99
4-9-1-Burt Myers-Citrusafe / Peanut Patch-99
5-4-24-Danny Bohn-Ameri-Fast Supply of NC-99
6-7-7va-Luke Baldwin-Pace-O-Matic-99
7-22-99-Jimmy Blewett-Atlantic Sprinkler-99
8-16-40-Frank Fleming-Jerry Hunt Super Center-99
9-10-25-Tom Buzze Jr.-Mark III FInancial / UNITS Moving-99
10-5-2-Ryan Newman-SHITI Coolers / Aggressive Hydraulics-99
11-12-4-Jason Myers-QRC HVAC & Refrigeration-99
12-13-16va-Jonathan Cash-Pace-O-Matic-99
13-8-23-Carson Loftin-L&R Transmissions / LeBleu Water-99
14-11-11-Michael Ritch-A Better View Glass & Mirror-99
15-6-02-Joey Coulter-SRI Performance / Torch Eyewear-98
16-18-69-John Holleman IV-98
17-19-18-Daniel Yates-Yates Grading & Paving-98
18-15-12-Cody Norman-Jerry Hunt Supercenter-97
19-14-6-Slate Myers-Bryson Brothers Aerial Solutions-95
20-23-64-Ethan Truell-95
21-17-21-Jimmy Wallace-Carolina Drilling-90
22-21-63-Josh Lowder-Carolina Steel-87
23-20-44nc-Spencer Martin-64
SMART Modified Tour
The SMART Modified Tour captures the essence of one of the most legendary forms of racing in America, pavement Modifieds. Born in 1988, these ground-pounding, 600-horsepower missiles for the SMART Tour are a must-see for any racing fan.
In 2020, Chris Williams brought SMART Modifieds back to prominence after a brief hiatus. Due to the overwhelming popularity from its fan base, a four-race schedule in its initial year has given birth to an adventurous 15-race schedule in 2024.
This year will mark the fourth full-season of SMART Modified Tour racing since its return. Many of Modified racing’s best drivers, from all over the country, will compete with the series, which visits 13 different racetracks in three different states in the Mid-Atlantic - North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
SMART Modifieds compete on grueling asphalt oval short tracks, embedded in quaint local communities, each spring, summer and fall.
Pace-O-Matic
Pace-O-Matic develops, produces, and licenses fun and entertainment in the form of skill games in various states, including Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kansas, South Carolina, Texas and Wyoming, among others. Since its founding in 2000, the organization has built a talented leadership team and a culture defined by integrity, innovation, and compliance. Learn more at www.paceomatic.com.
SMART Championship Race Tightens After Robert Jeffreys Memorial
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Martinsville, VA (September 8, 2024) - Six different winners have now graced Pace-O-Matic Victory Lane during the 2024 SMART Modified Tour season, two shy of the season-long record of eight, set just last year.
Brandon Ward, of Winston-Salem, NC, became the latest winner when scored the win in the Robert Jeffreys Memorial Saturday during the Robert Jeffreys Memorial at Caraway Speedway.
Ward took the lead on lap 67 from Brian Loftin while the two navigated through some slower traffic during the 99-lap race.
“You never know where everyone is going to go,” said Brandon Ward, who drives the Kevin Powell Racing by New Day number-04. “I was able to use some lapped traffic there. Brian washed up and we were able to get three wide. Sometimes that works out and sometimes it doesn’t, but this makes up for the one we were leading here and ran out of fuel coming to the white flag (June 2022).”
“They just don’t give you a lot of respect,” said Brian Loftin of the slower cars. “We are racing for a win and everyone is sliding around, and man, they got to racing there and held us up. It is what it is; it’s racing. Congratulations to Brandon, they had a good car, but man, we really wanted this one. The Robert Jeffreys Memorial would have meant a lot to this team (Shady Grady Racing). With the year we’ve had, this is a good step and hopefully we can keep getting better from here.”
For Ward, it was his second SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic win at Caraway and his sixth triumph overall.
“This is a big relief,” admitted Ward, who is driving a partial schedule with the series this year. “We had a great year with this race team. We had five wins at Bowman Gray (NC) and second in points, but we got some wins with Coulter Motorsports the last couple of years (with SMART) and now it’s nice to get Kevin and Jeff (Day) this win. This team, with Will Spaugh (crew chief) and the guys, works so hard and it’s just so good for us to get a win on the SMART Tour this year.”
Anthony Bello, from Newtown, CT, started second and drove the SunDrop, Hillbilly Motorsports number-79 to a career-best SMART finish of third. Bello will pick up the Carolina Drilling Blast to the Front award for being the highest finishing driver who has yet to win a Tour-Type Modified series event.
“We definitely had a winning race car, but I just wanted to calm down and really save my stuff. Following the 15 really helped me do that,” explained Bello, who is contending for the Racing Electronics Rookie of the Year award. “This year has been a humbling year. It’s been a little bit of a struggle, but that’s what this sport is; it’s a lot more lows than highs. I am just glad to get on the podium for these guys.”
Burt Myers and Danny Bohn finished fourth and fifth at Caraway Speedway. Bohn is now unofficially 31 points behind Carson Loftin, who finished 13th in the Robert Jeffreys Memorial.
Luke Baldwin, who won the Pace-O-Matic Pole award in qualifying, finished sixth. The SS Racing driver is third in the standings.
Next up for the SMART Mods will be The Flying VA Classic this Saturday, September 14 at Dominion Raceway in Spotsylvania, VA. Racing begins at 7pm ET. The SMART Mods are third in the main event line-up. A full schedule will be announced soon.
There are just four races left for the SMART Modified Tour in 2024. Just four days after Saturday’s event at Dominion, the Tour will race at Lonesome Pine Raceway in Coeburn, VA on Wednesday night, September 18. The Mod Squad Nationals will proceed the NASCAR weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway (TN), which is an hour up the road from LPR.
The legendary South Boston Speedway in Virginia will host the penultimate race on Saturday, October 12. The season finale will be at the famed North Wilkesboro Speedway on Saturday, October 19.
All SMART races are streamed live on FloRacing, the official streaming broadcast partner of the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic.
For updates on the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic, be sure to follow the series on social media (Facebook: SMART Modified Tour| Twitter: @SMARTMods_ | IG: @smartmods_).
By Bob Dillner - X: @shorttracklife_
SMART Modified Tour Race #11
Unofficial Race Results for the Robert Jeffreys Memorial - 09/07/2024
Caraway Speedway - Sophia, NC - 0.455 mile
Race Length: 99L - 45.045 M - 72.468 KM
Fin-Str-Car-Driver-Sponsors-Laps
1-3-04-Brandon Ward-Q104.1 / KevinSaysYes.com-99
2-2-15-Brian Loftin-Steve Tiire & Automotive-99
3-1-79-Anthony Bello-SunDrop-99
4-9-1-Burt Myers-Citrusafe / Peanut Patch-99
5-4-24-Danny Bohn-Ameri-Fast Supply of NC-99
6-7-7va-Luke Baldwin-Pace-O-Matic-99
7-22-99-Jimmy Blewett-Atlantic Sprinkler-99
8-16-40-Frank Fleming-Jerry Hunt Super Center-99
9-10-25-Tom Buzze Jr.-Mark III FInancial / UNITS Moving-99
10-5-2-Ryan Newman-SHITI Coolers / Aggressive Hydraulics-99
11-12-4-Jason Myers-QRC HVAC & Refrigeration-99
12-13-16va-Jonathan Cash-Pace-O-Matic-99
13-8-23-Carson Loftin-L&R Transmissions / LeBleu Water-99
14-11-11-Michael Ritch-A Better View Glass & Mirror-99
15-6-02-Joey Coulter-SRI Performance / Torch Eyewear-98
16-18-69-John Holleman IV-98
17-19-18-Daniel Yates-Yates Grading & Paving-98
18-15-12-Cody Norman-Jerry Hunt Supercenter-97
19-14-6-Slate Myers-Bryson Brothers Aerial Solutions-95
20-23-64-Ethan Truell-95
21-17-21-Jimmy Wallace-Carolina Drilling-90
22-21-63-Josh Lowder-Carolina Steel-87
23-20-44nc-Spencer Martin-64
SMART Modified Tour
The SMART Modified Tour captures the essence of one of the most legendary forms of racing in America, pavement Modifieds. Born in 1988, these ground-pounding, 600-horsepower missiles for the SMART Tour are a must-see for any racing fan.
In 2020, Chris Williams brought SMART Modifieds back to prominence after a brief hiatus. Due to the overwhelming popularity from its fan base, a four-race schedule in its initial year has given birth to an adventurous 15-race schedule in 2024.
This year will mark the fourth full-season of SMART Modified Tour racing since its return. Many of Modified racing’s best drivers, from all over the country, will compete with the series, which visits 13 different racetracks in three different states in the Mid-Atlantic - North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
SMART Modifieds compete on grueling asphalt oval short tracks, embedded in quaint local communities, each spring, summer and fall.
Pace-O-Matic
Pace-O-Matic develops, produces, and licenses fun and entertainment in the form of skill games in various states, including Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kansas, South Carolina, Texas and Wyoming, among others. Since its founding in 2000, the organization has built a talented leadership team and a culture defined by integrity, innovation, and compliance. Learn more at www.paceomatic.com.