Jensen Ford dominated the UCRA race at Smoky Mountain
Smoky Mountain Speedway played host to the United Championship Racing Alliance as part of its WIMZ Rockin’ With the Stars/Hall of Fame event on Saturday night. At the end of the evening it was Jensen Ford who had dominated the feature race for Crate Late Model cars to earn a $2,000 payday.
Ross White led the way in qualifying when he posted a lap time of 16.663 seconds around the 4/10 mile clay oval. Jake Teague, Ford, Michael Courtney, Kyle Courtney, Chip Brindle, Eli Beets, UCRA points leader Jimmy Elliott, Jesse Lowe and Josh Henry rounded out the top-10 in time-trials.
Ford earned the pole for the feature race by winning the first heat race of the night ahead of White, Beets, Kyle Courtney and Lowe.
Michael Courtney would start on the outside of the front row as a result of his win in the second preliminary race over Teague, Elliott, Brindle and Bobby Mays.
On the initial attempt at a start for the 40-lap feature White spun sideways at the front of the pack with Kyle Courtney, Beets and Henry being collected in the melee. Beets and Henry would retire from the race as a result of the damage each sustained.
Jake Teague(117), Ross White(0) and Michael Courtney race in the early going.
Ford wasted little time in taking command of the race as he shot to the lead at the drop of the green flag with White, Michael Courtney, Teague and Elliott trailed the leader in the initial stages of the event. Ford and White pulled away in the early going while Michael Courtney battled with Teague for the third spot.
A caution flag waved on lap 16 when Teague spun just after passing Courtney for position. Series officials then made the decision to give Teague his spot back after his spin.
Just before the race’s halfway mark Kyle Courtney moved around Elliott to move into the top-5. Soon after, Brindle also passed by Elliott to take sixth.
Greg Martin(24) and Chip Brindle race for position late in the race
During the second half of the event the only drama that remained was with the contest for second as Ford pulled away to significant lead ahead of a battle between White and Teague. That issue wasn’t settled until the final circuit when Teague moved by White to claim the spot behind Ford.
At the finish it was Jensen Ford who claimed the win ahead of Jake Teague, Ross White, Michael Courtney, Kyle Courtney, Chip Brindle, Jimmy Elliott, Greg Martin, Anthony White and Kenny Kizzar.
Ford and crew celebrate their win
