Caraway Speedway, Sophia, N.C. SMART Tour Warrior 99 Saturday 27, 2022

 Posted by Wayne G.Barber    Story by Jim Snape and Photos by Simply the Best, Crystal Snape

 The tour type modified combination of Caleb Heady and Tommy Baldwin Jr. has been a dream come true. This team is on a hot streak that has 8 top 5 finishes in a row with the SMART tour. The latest finish was his victory in the warrior 99 at the Caraway Speedway.

   Heady drew the outside pole starting spot alongside pole sitter Jonathan Brown. Brown also set fast time in qualifying then redrew the pole and blasted out to become the initial leader with Heady, Bobby Labonte, Luke Fleming and Bobby Measmer Jr. in tow.

      It didn't take Heady long to sniff out the lead and by lap three he made an inside pass to take over the lead. Heady pulled out to a fifteen car length lead while the rest fell into single file running in tire saving mode.

    By the lap thirty stage break caution the entire field regrouped and on the restart Brown out-dragged Heady to lead for the second time. Again the rest of the field set a conservative pace trying to save tires for a later charge.

   The second yellow flag flew on lap 45 for a minor spin. This caution was the chance for the leaders to pit, handing the lead over to Luke Fleming with Measmer Jr. starting beside. The restart only lasted one lap until the caution light came on again for a stalled car on the front stretch. Fleming ran out to the lead again but Measmer challenged him for the next few laps pulling along side but Fleming would prevail ... until lap 56. Measmer pulled off a pass by Fleming, but Fleming wasn't going to let Measmer get away and the two dueled for the lead again. On lap 65 Fleming took the top spot back allowing Labonte to take advantage and slip into second place.

   While Fleming and Labonte tried to break away, back in the pack Heady knew he was running out of time and started to pick off competitors one at a time. By lap 73 Heady put Brian Loftin in his rear view mirror for fourth place.

  On lap 77 Labonte finally wrestled the lead from Fleming while Heady picked off Measmer for third place and five laps latter took over the runner up spot from Fleming.

   On lap 86 a four car crash on the back stretch eliminated Jonny Kay from the marathon. This caution opened the pits for a beehive of activity among most of the leaders, among them was Labonte, Hirschman, Loftin, Gary Putnam, Fleming and Burt Myers.

   Heady stayed on track inheriting the lead with Brandon Ward second. With laps running out quickly the heavy hitters who took on a new Hoosier started to put on the pressure and Burt Myers charged from the sixth spot into second place in two laps. Following Myers was Hirschman coming from seventh into third.

   Lap 88 brought out a caution and Myers used his fresher tire to power into the lead on the restart but Heady wasn't going to give up easily. Heady got beside Myers for two laps and took back the lead on lap 91.

   The last caution came on lap 95, another minor spin. Heady on older tires looked like a sitting duck with Myers, Hirschman, Labonte and Loftin breathing down his neck, but the 17 year old driver looked like a veteran driver and wasn't going to let this one slip away, holding on to win his first 2022 victory with the SMART tour. Burt Myers turned in a brilliant performance finishing second. Labonte took the third podium finish from Hirschman in the last laps. Brian Loftin rounded out the top five.

Summary

Jerry Hunt Super Center 30 Lap Stage Break- Caleb Heady

Carolina Drilling Blast to the Front- Dennis Holdren

Fastest Lap of the Race-Bobby Labonte

Free Hoosier Race Tire-Jonny Kay

Pace O Matic Hard Charger-Jason Poole

Josten's Lap Leader- Caleb Heady

Bankers Life Halfway Leader- Luke Fleming

Fastest Qualifier- Jonathan Brown-16.060

Finish

1   7NY-Caleb Heady

2   1-Burt Myers

3   25-Bobby Labonte

4   60-Matt Hirschman

5   15-Brian Loftin

6   14- Bobby Measmer Jr.

7   77-Gary Putnam

8   2-Brandon Ward

9   07VA-Dennis Holdren

10 22-Jonathan Brown

11  4-Jason Myers

12  12-Anthony Bello

13  79P-Jason Poole

14  99-Jamie Tomaino

15  41-Bussy Beavers

16  21-Tommy Neal

17  02-Troy Young

18  6-Greg Butcher

19  21W-Jimmy Wallace

20  01-Brian Weber

21  40-Luke Fleming

22  48-Jonny Kay

23  03-Craig Young

24  00-Kevin Orlando

25  79-Jeremy Gerstner

26  37-Dan Speeney