Smith's fortunes improve

Prevails at Lernerville for 1st time since '99

Thursday, May 16, 2002

By Chris Dolack, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

It's not supposed to be this easy.

Stevie Smith charged past pole-sitter Joey Saldana on lap seven and lengthened his lead to a half track to win the Commonwealth Clash last night at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver.

The victory, his first at Lernerville since 1999, was worth $10,000.

"I didn't know how good we were compared to the other cars, but I felt pretty good," said Smith, a native of New Oxford, Pa., who was ninth in points with only two top-five finishes before last night. "It feels good just to win anything. We've gotten off to a really slow start this year. Hopefully, this is the change and turn of things."

"I was just driving each lap as hard as I could without fouling up too bad. It adds up in 35 laps."

Saldana, who finished second, shot out to an early lead, but once he caught the rear of the field, Smith was able to catch and pass him.

"He tightened his car up and we left ours a little loose," said Saldana, who set a track record of 12.334 seconds in time trials. "He could run around the bottom and we couldn't run with him."

Mark Kinser, a six-time winner at Lernerville, finished third last night. He remains third in points behind leader Danny Lasoski, who finished 15th, and Steve Kinser, his cousin who finished 10th.

"Stevie's not had a great year," Mark Kinser said. "I'm not shocked, but I'm surprised. Stevie's definitely a competent driver and very good, but he just spanked the field tonight."

Ed Lynch Jr. was the top local finisher. After winning the his heat, Lynch finished 14th in the feature.

"I missed the setup," he said. "It was too tight the whole time."

Before the first lap was completed, Donny Schatz brought out the first caution when he got sideways in turn three and flipped three times. His car was badly damaged, but he was able to walk away.

On the restart from a caution on lap 10, Saldana was in third behind Jac Haudenshild when a camshaft in Haudenshild's car broke. Saldana couldn't avoid hitting him and pushing him over turn two.

NOTES -- Steve Kinser blew an engine on the second lap of his time trial but was able to replace it. He finished second in his heat race. ... Heat race winners were Kenny Jacobs, Haudenschild, Johnny Herrera and Lynch. ... The Outlaws will race at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio, May 31.