Good Short Track Racing

Moses Smith came to Roseville’s All American Speedway hoping to keep his streak alive. He was the only driver to finish in the top 10 in all six series visits to the track since 2008. Last night’s efforts not only extended that streak; it also added him to the list of three other drivers who are tied for the most top-five finishes, with four each.

There were 28 entries for the Toyota/ NAPA Auto Care 150, which was the second of fourteen races on the 2011 schedule. The #16 Hasa Pool Products/NAPA Filter Toyota qualified fourth.

The racing was tight and unpredictable from the drop of the green flag. Moses managed to move up into third early in the race. He dropped back to fifth for a few laps; however for the majority of the race he battled to stay in-between third and fourth. The side by side encounters keep the crowd on the edge of their seats.

The roar of over nine hundred Hasa Pool Products racing fans acknowledge Moses’ move into the lead on lap 137 of the 150 lapper. Moses led for eight laps. However, on the last restart, Moses was fighting to maintain the lead when slight contact with another competitor allowed the eventual race winner to pass underneath him.

“We had a good car all day,” said Smith, who matched his career best finish. “It practiced good and it qualified good. In the race, it was really good. We were trying to save a little bit for the end, hoping for a late-race yellow and it came. We were able to jump out there in the lead for a little while and really didn’t want that last caution to come out, but it did and it got the best of us. It was just good short-track racing.”

The second place finish, his career best, seated Moses second in the championship point standings. The race will be televised on SPEED Channel on Thursday, May 5.

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West is back in action next on April 30 for its first road-course event of the year, the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah.