AUSTIN, TX (June 5, 2006) -- Casey Smith is having the season he has been working towards for a long time.  For the last 5 years, he has jumped from one series to the next, never getting to fully maximize the learning curve.  His first move out of the Super Late Model arena was to the NASCAR Southeast Series when he was 16 years old.  After just one race, NASCAR made the 18-year-old policy, and Casey had to find another series to run in.  The American Speed Association (ASA) closed its doors in 2004 just when Casey was figuring things out and competing in the top-five. 

Now Casey has returned to the local Super Late Model arena in a big way - running in 3 different series’ around the south; the United States Racing Association (USRA) Series in Texas, the Blizzard Series at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida, and the Miller Lite Super Late Model Series at Mobile International Speedway in Mobile, Alabama.

After the first quarter of the 2006 season, Casey finds himself in the top-five of all three series.  He leads the USRA Series just six points ahead of Chris Davidson.  He is tied with Davidson for 5th place in the Blizzard Series points battle and is 4th in the Miller Lite Super Late Model Series.

“It is exciting to be leading the USRA points race.” Casey said.  “There is a slim margin so we are trying to extend our points lead at Texas.  We have had the best year I have had in stock cars so far and hopefully we can keep that up and keep learning every week.”

Casey has had a perfect start in the first two races of the USRA season with 2 poles and 2 wins in 2 races.  He is looking to make it three-for-three this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway in the first race of the “Texas Two-Step Nationals” where there is $5,000 at stake and a chance to win $10,000 more if he can win the USRA event at San Antonio Speedway on June 17th.

Casey has seen many checkered flags at Texas Motor Speedway on the quarter-mile track in his Legend car years.  He has never been on the Speedway in Texas, but has experience at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Lowe’s Motor Speedway in the ASA series.

“I am very excited to get back to the big track.  We are going with pretty much the same set-up as I had at Atlanta.  We won’t be going as fast as the speeds you can get to there, but the set-ups are very similar.”

Practice begins Friday at 12:00 with Qualifying at 5:30 followed by the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.  The race starts at 5:45 on Saturday followed by the Indy Racing League.