Saturday night racing action at New Smyrna Speedway featured the Sportsman cars and drivers racing for 50 laps and a nice $1,000 payday. Sixteen cars checked in for time trials and it was Lakeland-area driver Brandon Morris setting the quick lap at 19.680 seconds. Aaron Williamson of Palm Harbor was second fastest with a 19.788 lap while Garrett Hill was third with a lap of 19.932. Morris drew the eight pill for the line-up inversion placing Shelton Bowers and Richard Goodrich on the front row for the start of the big race. Bowers led the opening circuit before Earl Beckner powered by to take the lead. Bowers held strong in second until Morris made his move to the runner-up spot on lap 11. Caution flew for the first time on the 13th lap as Williamson looped his car while ducking low to make a pass in turn one. Williamson went to the rear for the restart as Beckner continued to hold tough to the lead before Morris was finally able to sneak by on lap 19. Collin Allman had a solo spin to bring out the yellow flag on lap 22 while Goodrich spun his mount on lap 27 in turn four for yet another caution. On the restart Williamson, who looked to have the fastest car on the speedway, took second from Beckner and began to chase down Morris, passing him on lap 30. Action behind the leaders was frantic at this point but the race remained under green until the 46th lap when Bowers and Hill tangled in turn four. There was an altercation during the caution laps between Beckner and Daniel Conlin, Jr. stemming from a run-in as the two battled a few laps earlier during the long green flag run. Both pitted with Beckner dropping out while Conlin took on a new left rear tire and returned to the fray.
After cooling his tires off under caution, Morris was ready to make a late charge and got by Williamson as they completed lap 47. Just as the white flag was about to be displayed, Allman spun again to set up a green-white-checker finish. Morris sprinted ahead as the field took the restart but the checker and red flags would be waved at the same time as Steve Barnes and Richard Fiore, Jr. crashed hard going into turn one. Hill and Allman were also caught up in the wreck but fortunately all drivers escaped unharmed. Morris claimed the victory and was congratulated in Gibson Truck World victory lane by Williamson who came home second. Derrick Wood ran a steady race to claim third spot while Goodrich recovered from his earlier spin to get fourth with Bowers coming back for fifth. Sixth through tenth were Dwight Farr, Jr., Donny Williams, Mike Pletka, Conlin and Fiore with Barnes, Allman, Hill, Beckner, Mike Soukup and Timmy Todd, Jr. the remaining finishers.
Cody Blair blew away the field to win the Pro Late Model feature as he led from green to checker. Ricky Anderson was involved in a lap 11 altercation with Zack Jarrell but came back to make a late pass on Michael Lira to finish second ahead of Lira, Will Carroll and Daniel Miller. Rounding out the finishers were Jarrell, Colby Clements, Tommy Mackey and Tim Viens.
Jarrett Korpi also led every lap of the E-Modified feature race to take his second win of the new season. Korpi survived some late race caution flags to score the victory over Chris Brannon, Roger Benton, John Compagnone, Matthew Green, Michael Seay, Jim Higginbotham and Mike Dahm.
Shannon Kelly and Mike Amato came across the stripe in a dead heat to complete the first two laps of the Super Stock main event before Amato took over to lead the third and fourth laps. Defending class champion Kelly powered to the front on the fifth lap and never looked back to claim his first win of the year. Danny Frye slipped by Amato on lap 15 and held second the rest of the way with Amato third ahead of J. T. Tippins and Ernie Tumminello. Becca Samsoe was sixth trailed by Joe Bandur, Preston Hunt, Michael Bedient, George Dahm and Mike Dahm.
There were just four Strictly Stocks making up the field by three of the four led laps in the event. Johnathon Murphy just held off Jimmy Barron for the win ahead of Aaron Overman and early leader Charlie King, Jr, who fell out with problems after a good run.
This Saturday evening, April 19, the E-Modifieds race for 50 laps while the Pro Late Models, Mini Stocks, Super Stocks and Strictly Stocks are also in action. There will be a big Easter egg hunt for all kids aged 12 and under with around 900 eggs being “hidden” for them to find.