Casey Smith Sees Promising Run Turn to Disappointment in Nashville

(Austin, TX) 11/6/07 - This season for Casey Smith has been one that every time the twenty-two year old Texas native hit the track he has had a fast car capable of a top five finish if not usually taking the win.  At this weekend’s All-American 400 in the city known for country music, Nashville, Tennessee, the story was the same for Smith as he was seventh quickest in practice and then posted the fourteenth quickest lap during qualifying on Saturday locking himself into the thirty-six car field.

After meeting and signing autographs with the fans during the days on track autograph session, it was now time for Casey to take the green flag in one of the most historic short track races in the country.  At the drop of the green flag Casey quickly made his way inside the top ten and managed that position for the first fifty laps.  Riding along, conserving his equipment, the car suddenly felt extremely tight and soon thereafter a puff of smoke billowed from the #99 Gary Buchanan Custom Homes/Rapid Disposal Chevy Monte Carlo.  From that moment on Casey began dropping back positions and eventually fell back within striking distance from the leader to going a lap down but luckily the caution flag was displayed due to an incident on the track.

Casey and crew discussed what the problem may be during the caution laps and quickly decided to make a right rear spring change and check for other potential problems.  The change made Smith fall one lap down to the leaders but the team felt confident with the prior success in the early stages of the race that Casey could easily gain his lap back.  However it was not to be as the problem which plagued the team continued forcing Smith to take an early exit from the event resulting in a disappointing twenty-seventh place finish.

“I’m not sure what happened but we definitely broke something in the rear end.  I think it’s the locker but we won’t know until we get it back to the shop.  We had a really good car too.  We were just riding around in the top ten saving our stuff until the end and something just let go.  I guess we will just go over to the Mobile banquet and start getting prepared for the derby at the end of the month,” stated Smith.

Casey will travel this week to Mobile, Alabama to accept his Miller-Lite Super Late Model championship trophy and not to mention a $4,000 check with his name on it.