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News & Notes: Smith Targets Strong Start To 2009 Season
As Moses Smith (No. 16 HASA Pool Products/White Flyer Toyota) enters his third full season of competition in the NASCAR Camping World Series West, he has steadily advanced in becoming a contender on the stock car racing circuit. After closing out last season with a best-ever third-place finish – the Tempe, Ariz., driver topped that by launching his 2009 campaign with a runner-up finish.
Smith hopes to keep his momentum rolling as the series heads to All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif., for the Toyota/NAPA AUTO PARTS 150 on Saturday, April 4. (CLICK HERE FOR RACE EVENT PAGE)
The historic fairgrounds track has quickly become a popular venue for Smith, who registered top-five finishes in both events there last year. “Roseville seems to work for us,” he said. “We’re definitely excited to go back there. I finished third there at the end of last year. It would be nice to move up on the podium.”
Coming off a second-place finish in the season opener at Thunderhill Raceway in Texas, Smith acknowledged that following that up with another strong performance would be a great way to start the year. “If I can duplicate the second-place I had in Texas, that would be awesome,” he said.
Smith, who celebrates his 33rd birthday on Monday (March 30), credits a variety of reasons for his recent success. “I don’t know if I could pick one thing to sum it up,” he said. “I’ve been trying to learn from guys in the series like Mike David and Eric Holmes, guys that just know what it takes to get it done. I’ve been trying to learn from those guys and work with my new crew chief Mario Isola. Things are really coming together – between all those people, my teammates and fellow competitors. Everybody’s been kind of helping me along. I can’t just attribute it to one thing.”
Smith credits the scheduling of the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown in late January with helping him stay sharp in the off season and helping him carry his momentum from one season to the next.
“It kept us busy and kept our minds in the game,” Smith said.
As he prepares to return to Roseville, a tight .333-mile oval known for a lot of contact, Smith knows it will require plenty of patience to get a good finish.
“Last year, we just tried to be patient for as much of the race as we could and tried to save our equipment for the last 25 to 40 laps,” he said. “I think that’s what it takes. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment early on in the race and tear your equipment up. I think you’ve just got to be patient and stay competitive, but make sure you save your equipment.”
That approach differs from the strategy used in open-wheel formula racing, where Smith competed prior to coming to the NASCAR Camping World Series.
“The formula car racing was real similar to some of the late model stuff, where you only have 50 laps to get the job done,” he explained. “It took me a while to kind of get used to taking my time.”
As he returns for his third year in the series, all with Bill McAnally Racing, Smith’s passion for stock car racing remains as strong as ever. “I’ll tell you, I still love driving formula cars, but you can’t beat this racing,” he said. “Racing a stock car in the West Series is just second to none. The racing is so tight and so intense. I’m really digging it.”
While he is optimistic about his chances at Roseville, Smith declines to offer a prediction for the event.
“I try not to predict too much stuff,” he said. “Once you start planning too far out, you get kind of mixed up once you get there. We left off well there last year, so I’m expecting we’ll pick up where we left off. I’m expecting a good run.”
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| The Race | Toyota/NAPA AUTO PARTS 150 |
|---|---|
| The Place | All American Speedway, Roseville, Calif. |
| The Date | Saturday, April 4 |
| The Time | 8:50 p.m. PT |
| TV Schedule | SPEED, April 9, Noon PT |
| Track Layout | .333-mile paved |
| Race Purse | $110,122 |
| 2008 Winner | Eric Holmes |
| 2008 Pole | Jason Bowles |
| Schedule | Saturday: Practice 1:35-2:20 p.m., 2:40-3:25 p.m. Time Trials 5 p.m. |
| Track Contact | Kara Sizemore, (916) 676-0010 ksizemore@billmcanallyracing.com |
| NASCAR Contact | Kevin W. Green, (661) 392-8543 kgreen@nascar.com |
News & Notes
The race … The Toyota/NAPA AUTO PARTS 150 is the second event in a 13-race schedule this year for the NASCAR Camping World Series West. The series is slated to return to the historic Northern California track for its season finale on Sept. 26.
The procedure … The starting field is 24 cars, including provisionals. The first 20 cars will qualify through two-lap time trials. The remaining four spots will be awarded through the provisional process. The race will be 150 laps (50 miles).
The track … All American Speedway is a .333-mile paved oval with eight degrees banking in Turns 1 and 2. Turns 3 and 4 have progressive banking, beginning at 10 degrees and graduating to 14 degrees. The track hosted five NASCAR Camping World Series West events between 1977 and 1982, when it was a quarter-mile oval, and two races last year.
The records … Qualifying: Paulie Harraka, Oct. 25, 2008, 87.953 mph, 13.630 seconds; Race: Jason Bowles, Oct. 25, 2008, 49.634 mph, 1 hour 3 minutes 12 seconds.
Action-packed event … Event promoter, BMR, has put together another great lineup of entertainment for this year’s event at All American Speedway. In addition to the Toyota/NAPA AUTO PARTS 150 NASCAR Camping World Series West race, the event features a variety of other divisions in competition. Other events include The Riebes Auto Parts 125 Presented by Ameripride Uniform Services SRL Southwest Tour Series race, the TMS Modified 50 for local Modifieds and the WSRA Mini Cups and Baby Grands. The event will also feature a custom motorcycle show on the midway put on by Clinton’s Custom Cycles. In addition, the midway will also feature a band, the California Cowboys, presented by Exclusic Energy.
No repeat race winners … The seven NASCAR Camping World Series West races at Roseville resulted in seven different drivers visiting Victory Lane – Sumner McKnight in 1977, Jim Insolo in 1978, Tim Williamson in 1979, Jim Robinson in 1981, Jim Bown in 1982, Eric Holmes (No. 20 NAPA Toyota) in the season opener in 2008 and Jason Bowles (No. 6 Sunrise Ford Ford) in the fall of 2008.
No repeat pole winners … The seven events have also featured seven different Coors Light Pole winners – Chuck Bown in 1977, Bill Schmitt in 1978, Insolo in 1979, Robinson in 1981, Jim Bown in 1982, Bowles in the spring of 2008 and Paulie Harraka (No. 12 NAPA AutoCare Toyota) in the fall of 2008.
Top finishes … Jim Insolo, Jim Robinson and Bill Schmitt are tied for the most top-five finishes at the historic Northern California track, with three each. Schmitt has the most top-10 finishes, with four.
Leading the way … Eric Holmes has led the most laps in series competition at Roseville. He led last year’s season opener from flag to flag for 153 laps, and led an additional 106 laps in the season finale. giving him a total of 259 laps out front.
Widespread competition … Eighty-two different drivers have competed in series action at All American Speedway.
Final Notes From Thunderhill
First win gains Pursley Showdown spot … Greg Pursley (No. 26 Gene Price Racing/Star Nursery Chevrolet) captured his first career win in the NASCAR Camping World Series West, with a victory in the Allstate Texas Thunder 150 at Thunderhill Raceway in Kyle, Texas on March 14. In doing so, he also became the first driver this year to secure a spot in the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown. Pursley of Newhall, Calif., won the Super Late Model portion of the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown in 2007. As in previous seasons, winners of NASCAR Camping World Series events this year will secure a spot in the prestigious postseason event.
A first for Mayhew … David Mayhew (No. 17 MMI/Ron’s Rear Ends Chevrolet) set the fast mark in qualifying at Thunderhill to take his first career Coors Light Pole Award in the NASCAR Camping World Series West. Mayhew of Atascadero, Calif., lapped the .375-mile oval at a speed of 89.203 mph.
Career-best marks … Several drivers had career-best finishes at Thunderhill. A runner-up finish by Moses Smith (No. 16 HASA Pool Products/White Flyer Toyota) topped his previous best mark of third in the season finale last year. Jamie Dick (No. 88 Viva Auto Group/Johnnie Walker Performance Center Chevrolet) notched his first career top-five finish by coming home fourth at Texas. Jonathon Gomez (No. 34 Heritage Cattle / RTD / D4D Chevrolet) was the top finishing Sunoco rookie at Thunderhill, while also matching his previous best finish of eighth.
Talented rookies chase Sunoco Award … Four drivers have registered for this year’s Sunoco Rookie of the Year program. As the top-finishing rookie in the season opener, Jonathon Gomez took the initial lead in the rookie standings. Others competing for the prestigious title include Blake Koch (No. 21 God Speaks.com / DayStar.com Chevrolet) of West Palm Beach, Fla.; Paulie Harraka (No. 12 NAPA AutoCare Center Toyota) of Fairlawn, N.J.; and Bow Carpenter (No. 09 Calpry/Land of Frost Chevrolet) of San Antonio, Texas.
Series return … The Thunderhill event marked a return to the series for Bow Carpenter, who competed in several events in 1999 and 2000.
Record pace … Despite a late-race caution that led to the race distance being extended for a green-white-checkered finish, a record was set for the average speed of the event at Thunderhill Raceway. The average speed of 57.836 mph eclipsed the previous mark established in last year’s race of 54.479 mph.
Last year’s event ...
Eric Holmes delivered Toyota its first win in the NASCAR Camping World Series in this event last year. He led wire-to-wire in his No. 20 NAPA Toyota to capture the win before a sell-out crowd in the NASCAR Camping World Series West season opener at All American Speedway.
He dashed into the lead from his starting spot on the outside of the front row and never looked back.
Holmes held off the competition in a two-lap dash to the finish, as a late-race caution extended the race distance for a green-white-checkered finish.
Although he paced the field from start to finish, his race was not without some troubles as he experienced problems with his radio communication to his pit crew.
David Mayhew, who shadowed Holmes throughout much of the event and mounted several challenges, battled back from a wild late-race scramble to take second in the No. 21 BayBioDiesel/RCR Chevrolet. Mike David finished third in the No. 2 Bennett Lane Winery Ford. Johnny Borneman was fourth in the No. 8 Twisted X Boots/Red Line Oil Ford – followed by Moses Smith in the No. 16 HASA Pool Products/White Flyer Toyota.
