DA GRAF, Ohio — Over 20 cars unloaded for the season-opening weekend of racing with the Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman for the Cabin Fever 75 at Shadybowl Speedway. Mechanical problems plagued drivers from the very start of the weekend, but in the end, Josh Smith dominated the 75-lap contest at the uniquely shaped oval.
Starting on the outside of row number two, Smith didn’t take long to find his way to the front of the field. Brian Brewer and Kenny George led the 18-car field to the green flag with Brewer jumping out to the early race lead.
George, who got hung up on the outside fell quickly outside of the top five. Meanwhile, Smith was using the outside to his advantage picking off cars he’d originally lost position to as he clawed his way back to the front.
J.P. Crabtee settled into the second spot behind Brewer after moving around Hinton and Parsons as well as Smith. Hinton got shuffled to the top and fell quickly outside of the top five. Meanwhile, Smith began his hunt for the front moving around Parsons, then Crabtree, before finally edging ahead of Brewer on lap 12. Brewer’s afternoon quickly went from bad to worse after losing the lead as he also fell outside of the top five.
The first caution of the afternoon came and put Smith to the test with Crabtree restarting on his outside. Crabtree was able to hold his own for three laps after the caution, but was tight on the exit of the corner which allowed Smith to go back to the front. Billy Hutson, the afternoon’s fast qualifier had to start in the 8th spot after the invert. He worked his way through the field and up to the second spot prior to the next caution.
On the restart, Hutson again challenged Smith but wasn’t able to pull out front. Hutson settled back into second and worked up a plan to get around Smith. On lap 48, Hutson edged out ahead of Smith at the finish line and appeared to be on his way to taking the lead, however, contact with the outside wall sent Hutson spinning into turn three. That gift wrapped the second spot for Zach Stacy, who sported a Gary St. Amant throwback on his No. 6 machine.
Smith was again flawless on the restart, but the battle was between Stacy and Crabtree for second. The two traded the position multiple times while Smith drove out to over a half-second advantage. As Stacy and Crabtree leaned on each other going into turn one after a late race restart, chaos broke out on the frontstretch. Brewer’s car kicked sideways at the exit of turn four and collected at least six cars in the accident including Hutson, Huckeba, George and others.
Stacy and Crabtree, despite their best efforts, couldn’t track down Smith who walked away with the win. Crabtree and Stacy traded paint the final five laps for second spot before Stacy got the best of Crabtree at the line. Austin Coe and Greg Stilwel Jr. rounded out the top five.
“Hats off to Billy [Hutson], this was his race to win,” Smith said in victory lane. “He had the better long run speed and would have got us there. I think home track advantage played a big part in this one, I’ve run a lot of laps here.”