“This was our first time in race conditions at this track, it was my worst qualifying attempt but after watching several cars crash during qualifying, I figured let’s just get in the show.  We picked up a second from qualifying but didn't want to take any chances, we wanted to get it in the show and get it a good finish.” GR Smith, the 23-year-old Folsom, New Jersey native, qualified 25^th.

At the start of the race before they had finished the first lap, there was a miscue at the front of the field that started the first caution.  “Under that caution, we hadn’t even ran a lap so I didn’t clean my tires before the restart.  It didn’t feel that bad. It ended up I spun the tires on the restart and missed a shift and fell to the back.”

After falling to last place, Smith got focused and got back into his rhythm.  GR Smith, a Veteran of DIRT big block and sportsman modifieds, started moving up through the field steadily.   “The car was great and we continued moving up picking up position after position.  We moved up to 18^th and got out of the pits in 17^th.”  Smith continued moving up and picking cars off cars until he had moved into the top ten.

“On restarts the guys that took tires would blow by us, it would take us about five laps to get going and then the car would come in and we would pass them back.  I’m not sure if we had the right gear in but the car really handled well.”

GR Smith was running eighth with 25 laps to go.  “We were three wide coming off the corner.  When the guys behind us start wrecking.  So we missed that one.  Then on the restart running 7th there was a chain reaction incident in front of us.  Everyone started checking up and someone just got into us in the rear.  Going thought the gears we got spun around.  It didn’t do any damage to the cars body, but it knocked the toe out and hurt the engine. After that we were way off the pace.”  GR Smith finished 22^nd.

 “I didn’t get the finish I wanted, but this is the most confidence I have had since I started running in the ARCA RE/MAX Series.  I wasn’t mad at the finish of the race. It wasn’t anyone’s fault.  From where we started and where we ended up, it was a good race.   I’m very pumped up and I know it was just a rookie mistake spinning the tires, but that is what track time is all about.”

GR is excited and can’t wait for the next race.  “I know this next race will be great!”

For more information or Media inquiries please contact:
G&G Motorsports Marketing -  Francine Schill – 607-625-5876