NEW SMYRNA, Fla. – Sammy Smith may have been in a different division on Friday night at New Smyrna Speedway, but the end result was still the same.
Making his first-ever super late model start, and driving for mega team Kyle Busch Motorsports, Smith shook off the spotlight and pressure of the World Series of Asphalt and drove to victory in the kickoff race to the week-long affair at the half-mile Florida oval.
The defending World Series pro late model champion took the race lead on a lap-four restart in the 35-lap feature and never looked back, winning by .891 seconds over New England star Derek Griffith.
“Man, this feels really good,” Smith said. “I just can’t thank these guys at KBM enough; they’ve been working hard these last few weeks to get these cars ready.
“It honestly didn’t really feel that much different,” he added, comparing the super late models to the pro late models he ran until this year. “I’ve had a lot of experience at this track, and pros and supers are a little different, but not much.”
Florida veteran Brad May finished third, ahead of Anthony Sergi and Austin MacDonald.
Jett Noland, Justin Mondeik, Jesse Love, Colin Garrett and Max Called-McDonald completed the top 10.
Earl Beckner won the 30-lap sportsman event, while Canadian Nicholas Naugle came out on top of a 35-lap pro late model slugfest.
Travis Eddy won the 35-lap tour-type modified feature and Dustin Higdon drove to victory in the 20-lap bomber main.
The finish:
Sammy Smith, Derek Griffith, Brad May, Anthony Sergi, Austin MacDonald, Jett Noland, Justin Mondeik, Jesse Love, Colin Garrett, Max Calles-McDonald, Jake Garcia, Brad Kossow, Vincent Staggs, Steve Weaver, Trey Bayne, Augie Grill, Ryan Moore, David Rogers.