SMITH SNARES SECOND IN A ROW IN AMSOIL SERIES
Solon Springs Driver Maintains Series Point Lead
By Jerry O'Brien 8-24-04

AMSOIL Series point leader Brady Smith of Solon Springs led 34 of 35 laps as he dominated the fourth leg of the six race series with a decisive victory over second place Darrell Nelson of Hermantown. It was the second consecutive win for the former series champion as he had also taken the top spot at the Proctor (MN) Speedway event back in June.

The top nine starting spots in the main event were determined by the top three in each of the three heat races competing in a nine lap dash. Nelson was the dash winner with Smith coming from ninth to fourth giving him the outside of the second row for the feature.

Nelson lined up on the pole with Harry Hanson to his outside. Joel Cryderman and Smith made up the second row. At the green flag Hanson stole the lead with Smith following through to second. Nelson fell back to third while Darin Meierotto and Cryderman made up the front runners. Hanson led the first circuit but Smith wasted little time sweeping to the outside in turn three and blasting past Hanson into a lead that would steadily widen. Meierotto and Hanson dueled for second with Meierotto taking the position. Nelson regrouped, got by Hanson, challenged Meierotto for the number two spot and made the pass. Meanwhile Smith had checked out on the rest of the field sprinting to a full straight away lead. As Smith rapidly closed on the rear of the field, three time series champion Steve Laursen made his presence felt moving to the high side challenging Meierotto for the number three spot. With a dozen laps in, the first of four caution flags flew which brought Nelson to Smith's rear bumper, but gave Smith clear track for the restart. At the green flag Nelson looked to the inside and drew alongside Smith, but Smith's momentum in the high groove enabled him to pull away with apparent ease. Smith again quickly expanded his lead to a straight away over Nelson while Meierotto and Laursen renewed their skirmish for third as John Kaanta had made his way forward from the inside of the fifth row to run fifth. The half way point was quickly reached with the order standing at Smith, Nelson, Laursen, Meierotto and Kaanta in the top five. Just outside the front runners and challenging for position was hot runner Rick Hanestad while Hanson, Bill Byholm, Todd Gehl and Kevin Carlson ran in the top ten. Just past the mid point with 14 laps remaining Tom Nesbitt slowed and stopped at the top of turn four bringing out caution flag number two. Again the stoppage gave Smith a clear track and the two point leaders resumed their battle. Meierotto and Laursen also resumed the duel for third but Laursen jumped the first turn cushion and rolled once on the ground, then in the air ending up with the rear of the car up on the guard rail in a very nasty wreck that brought out the red flag. After some tense moments Laursen climbed from his battered mount and walked under his own power to the ambulance for a check up. Laursen was apparently not injured seriously.

With Laursen's abrupt departure, Meierotto took over third ahead of Kaanta and Hanestad. Nelson again tried to steal the lead from Smith at the start, but the caution flag appeared immediately for a spinning Todd Frank in turn two. This time at the green flag Smith held the lead while Meierotto tried for second but slid wide in the fourth turn and Kaanta and Hanestad boiled by kicking him back to fifth. The final caution flag flew with eleven laps remaining for a stalled Jeff Broking on the back stretch. With 14 of 21 starters remaining, Smith sailed off once again out to that full straight away lead. The final circuits ran non stop with Smith taking the checkered flag over Nelson, Kaanta, Hanestad and Meierotto.

Results: AMSOIL Series 2004 race four. (22 Late Models)

Former dirt track racer Jerry O’Brien has been a motorsports journalist, columnist and track reporter since 1984. O’Brien has been a featured writer for Speedway Illustrated, Circle Track magazine and Late Model Racer magazine as well as columnist for Checkered Flag Racing News. In addition to being Racing Correspondent for the Superior Telegram he has been a regular contributor to All the Dirt Racing News, National Dirt Digest, Behind the Wheel, Hawkeye Racing News, Midstates Racing News and several web sites.