ASHEBORO, N.C. – John Smith worked his way past L.W. Miller on a green-white-checkered finish to win the Firecracker 150 in NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour action at Caraway Speedway. ASHEBORO, N.C. – John Smith worked his way past L.W. Miller on a green-white-checkered finish to win the Firecracker 150 in NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour action at Caraway Speedway.
Smith, who started alongside leader Miller on the final restart, was able to get the lead and held on for his first win in his 44th career start on the tour. Smith also became the fourth different winner in as many race this season on the NWSMT.
It was the first career tour victory for Smith, out of Mount Airy, N.C.
Last October, Smith nearly collected his first win on the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour at Caraway but was unable to make the late pass. He wouldn't be denied a second time.
The second-place Miller dominated much of the night, leading by as many as ten car lengths at one point, but Bryan Dauzat made contact with the outside retaining wall in Turn 2 on Lap 144 to set up the thrilling finish by Smith. Miller, who wrestled the lead away from Zach Brewer on the race's first lap and looked to be on the way to his 11th career victory, led all but five laps on the .455-mile oval.
James Civali followed Smith and Miller across the line for a finish of third. Jason Myers and Burt Myers logged fourth and fifth-place finishes, respectively.
Andy Seuss finished sixth with Josh Nichols seventh. Gene Pack, Johnny Sutton and Gary Putnam completed the top 10.
James Civali built his points lead to 24 points over L.W. Miller, (670-646) who moved into second-place in the point standings after his third consecutive runner up finish. Seuss, Smith and Brewer complete the top five.
Earlier in the day, Burt Myers collected the Coors Light Pole Award for the second straight race at Caraway and extended his overall tour record to 23 poles.
The NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour returns to the track on Aug. 7 for the Strutmasters.com 199 at the historic Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Fin. Start, Car#, Driver, Sponsor, Laps, Points, Bonus Points, Money, Stats
| 1 | 13 | 25 | John Smith | Tutterrow Surverying/Rick's Home Improvement | 154 | 185 | 5 | $2,300 | Running |
| 2 | 2 | 36 | L.W. Miller | John Baker Plumbing & Utilities Pontiac | 154 | 180 | 10 | 1,500 | Running |
| 3 | 3 | 79 | James Civali | Hill Enterprises/Coors Light/LeBleu Water | 154 | 165 | 1,125 | Running | |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | Jason Myers | Wendell Edwards/Moorefield & Trantham Ent. | 154 | 160 | 1,050 | Running | |
| 5 | 9 | 1 | Burt Myers | Capital Bank/Patterson's Brand Chili Ford | 154 | 155 | 1,350 | Running | |
| 6 | 10 | 47 | Andy Seuss | Q Racing Oil/Rockingham Boats/MUA Dodge | 154 | 150 | 850 | Running | |
| 7 | 6 | 2 | Josh Nichols | Gershow Recycling/Pen Fair Service Chevrolet | 154 | 146 | 750 | Running | |
| 8 | 14 | 31 | Gene Pack | Gene Pack Builders Chevrolet | 154 | 142 | 690 | Running | |
| 9 | 15 | 10 | Johnny Sutton | Last Round-Best Round UFC Fighting T-shirts | 154 | 138 | 590 | Running | |
| 10 | 17 | 77 | Gary Putnam * | Stock Car Steel Chevrolet | 154 | 134 | 650 | Running | |
| 11 | 11 | 44 | Brandon Hire | Crane & Rigging,Linebach Machinery Chevrolet | 154 | 130 | 825 | Running | |
| 12 | 20 | 81 | Austin Pack | Clayton Homes/Wings N Things Chevrolet | 154 | 127 | 500 | Running | |
| 13 | 16 | 48 | Brad Robbins | Tri-City Trading Chevrolet | 154 | 124 | 485 | Running | |
| 14 | 21 | 0 | Greg Butcher * | Butcher Racing Chevrolet | 153 | 121 | 460 | Running | |
| 15 | 18 | 97 | Bryan Dauzat | OB Builders, Inc. Chevrolet | 142 | 118 | 445 | Accident | |
| 16 | 8 | 23 | Brian Loftin | QMF Metal & Electronic Solutions/L&R Trans. | 119 | 115 | 430 | Electrical | |
| 17 | 12 | 02 | Buddy Emory | T & C Motorsports Chevrolet | 115 | 112 | 420 | Transmission | |
| 18 | 19 | 12 | Mike Norman * | DMC Auto Exchange/B&G Pie Co. Ford | 99 | 109 | 410 | Vibration | |
| 19 | 1 | 11 | Zach Brewer | Phoenix Pre-Owned/Triad Auto Sales/Piedmont | 92 | 111 | 5 | 400 | Accident |
| 20 | 5 | 8 | Jonathan Kievman | A Best Forklift Chevrolet | 60 | 103 | 390 | Ignition | |
| 21 | 7 | 40 | Frank Fleming | Jerry Hunt Auto & Truck Center/Lewisville | 47 | 100 | 380 | Ignition |
RACE STATISTICS
Fastest Qualifier: Burt Myers, Time: 15.821 Seconds, Speed: 103.533 mph
Time of Race: 1 hrs., 3 mins, 41 secs Average Speed: 66.017 mph Margin of Victory: .010 Seconds
Caution Flags: Laps 2-4 (#40 car stalls on the track); 23-26 (#12 spins in Turn 2); 53-57 (#0 Spins in Turn 2); 71-75 (#97 Spins in Turn 2); 87-90 (#81 Spins in Turn 2); 93-101 (#11, #44, #81, #48, #0, #12 accident in Turn 1); 122-125 (#44 Spins on backstretch); 143-151 (#97 Hits Turn 2 wall). 8 for 43 laps.
Lap Leaders: L.W. Miller 1-4, Zach Brewer 5, L.W. Miller 6-26, Zach Brewer 27, L.W. Miller 28-151, John Smith 152-154.
Total Laps Led: L.W. Miller 149, John Smith 3, Zach Brewer 2. 5 changes involving 3 drivers.
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
COCA COLA MOVE OF THE RACE AWARD: John Smith, 25 Tutterrow Surverying/Rick's Home Improvement Chevrolet
COORS LIGHT POLE AWARD: Burt Myers, 1 Capital Bank/Patterson's Brand Chili Ford
FEATHERLITE MOST IMPROVED DRIVER AWARD: Brandon Hire, 44 Crane & Rigging,Linebach Machinery Chevrolet
SUNOCO ROOKIE OF THE RACE AWARD: Gary Putnam*, 77 Stock Car Steel Chevrolet
* Denotes Sunoco Rookie of the Year Contender