CAMDEN, Tenn. — Sam Seawright checked a major career box Monday night at Camden Speedway, scoring his first victory with the DIRTcar Summer Nationals in a thrilling photo finish.
Seawright dominated the main event, leading all 30 laps around the Tennessee oval amid challenges from Coltman Farms Racing teammate Luke Morey and Summer Nationals points leader Tanner English.
The 22-year-old rising talent lined up outside of the front row alongside English for the drop of the green flag and went right to work, using the middle lane to get around English as they entered Turn 1 and leading all the way back around the three-eighths-mile oval to lead Lap 1.
The action began to heat up with six laps left as the top three broke away from the rest of the field. English went high into Turn 1, trying to find something to get around Seawright, but Morey was able to take advantage and slipped by English on the bottom to take the runner-up spot out of Turn 2.
As the white flag waved, it was Morey who found just enough of the inside lane left open and took advantage, pulling even with Seawright as they exited Turn 4. The duo drag raced to the checkered flag, and it was Seawright coming out on a top in a photo finish at the line by .076 seconds.
“Our car’s been really good all year, I am just glad we got something to show for it, I’m excited for the next couple weeks,” Seawright said. “I know [Morey] was on me there and the lap cars were holding me up bad and I just kept getting in dirty air and putting myself in bad spots. Luckily, it all worked out.”
Morey crossed the line in second, making it a one-two punch for Coltman Farms Racing on the podium to kick off Week 4 of the Hell Tour’s 40th anniversary campaign.
“I’m proud of [Morey],” Seawright said. “He has done a good job. I know Brett’s ecstatic, and that’s all that really matters because he’s the one who puts all the money into this and he’s happy, so I’m happy.”
Kyle Hardy finished third, Tanner English fourth and Rusty Schlenk rounded out the podium.
The finish:
Feature (30 Laps): 1. 16-Sam Seawright[2]; 2. 49-Luke Morey[3]; 3. 99-Kyle Hardy[5]; 4. 96-Tanner English[1]; 5. 91-Rusty Schlenk[8]; 6. 74-Mitch McGrath[4]; 7. 15-Clay Stuckey[6]; 8. 25-Jason Feger[12]; 9. 17SR-Brody Smith[10]; 10. 81F-Jadon Frame[9]; 11. 09-Michael Leach[7]; 12. 31M-Tyler Millwood[11]; 13. LIL91-Carter Schlenk[14]; 14. 30-Mark Voigt[13]; 15. 12-Jack Franklin[18]; 16. 51-Dean Carpenter[15]; 17. 81-Jason Riggs[20]; 18. (DNF) 67-Gregory Carrico[16]; 19. (DNF) C6-Oakley Johns[17]; 20. (DNF) 17-Jarrett Jones[19]; 21. (DNF) 15W-Brian Woodard[21]; 22. (DNS) 75-Daniel Adam
