HAMPTON, VA :: Late Model race fans couldn’t have asked for better weather to take a spot in the bleachers at Langley Speedway for yet another night of short track racing. Cool evening temps and a healthy schedule of racing set the tone for the Late Model division with Nick Smith coming in as the hottest driver on the track. Smith has clearly established himself as the man to beat racking up numerous pole awards and six wins to his credit. Though well short on series points for a championship no thanks to a blown motor, a bad wreck and this guy named CE Falk. Smith as of late has certainly been making it look all too easy.
The evening got underway with qualifying and, to no surprise, Nick Smith grabbed the pole for the evening’s twin 63 lap races. Not far behind in lap times were Greg Edwards, along with Dude Gibbs and Matt Waltz who has had fast laps in qualifying all year. Making his Late Model return to Langley Speedway was Doug Godsey who had a solid lap and sat fifth in the grid. Other notables were CE Falk, Casey Wyatt, though a little down on speed qualifying sixth and seventh were going to be good in race trim and eager to get racing. So with the stage set for the first of twin 63s on tap and a full field of Late Models, this is how it all went down.
The green flag waved at Langley Speedway for its first 63 lap feature for the Late Model race division. The lap count is in honor of 63 years of racing at the flat banked short track earning the reputation of one of the toughest track in the Mid Atlantic. Nick Smith brought the field into turn one and by turn two secured the lead spot. Greg Edwards would follow in tow but could not hold the rapid pace that the leader had set. By mid-way into the race, Smith has gone unchallenged building a comfortable seven car length lead but still there, keeping pace was Edwards who has yet to let Smith out of his sights.
While this was going on, the racing was far better between Waltz, Wyatt and now Falk battling nose to tail at one point for position. Casey Wyatt as of late has been hitting his race set ups and has been very competitive lately, looked to make a few moves at this point. But as the battles for position continued, the leaders were getting away. Wyatt would beat Waltz for third as Falk also was able to get by settled in at fourth. Then the races first caution as CE Falk goes around unexpectedly with a tire gone down, Falk would then have to come to pit road to change that tire and start at the rear of the field.
Back to green and back to yellow for a huge crash involving Mark Wertz, Dude Gibbs, Terry Carroll and Danny Edwards Jr. Gibbs and Danny Edwards Jr survived and were able to continue. Green flag once again and Nick Smith cleared by turn two securing the lead along with the race. After a brief battle for second, Greg Edwards would claim that spot, CE Falk who started 11th on the last restart worked his way to finish third. Matt Waltz who dared to take the cone settles for fourth in the grid and Casey Wyatt who at one point was the fastest hot rod on the track, ended this first feature fifth.
The starting grid for the second feature began where the first one ended giving Nick Smith the pole and a mirror full of 19 Late Models. Green flag waved and, this time, Greg Edwards was a bit more testy to challenge Smith for the lead as the two fight side by side. But one little slip from Edwards was all Smith needed to secure the lead. Taking advantage also was CE Falk and Casey Wyatt leaving Greg Edwards to settle for the four spot. Then the races first caution as Duane Shreeves is pointed the wrong way, he would go on and continue to race. Back to green flag racing and once again Nick Smith proved to be much to get by for the race lead.
It wasn’t very long into the race before Smith had built up a sizable lead over second place CE Falk by at least 10 lengths. But it was Waltz and Wyatt battling for third that had caught the attention. Waltz would prevail in holding the spot but that allowed Greg Edwards to want some of Wyatt for fourth. At the halfway, Smith had now built his lead by 14 lengths and after 12 laps, Greg Edwards still couldn’t get by Wyatt for fourth as the two continue to battle. Caution waved again for the second time bunching up the field and what could be the last shot at Nick Smith.
This lap 59 restart was been a dandy but for second place runner CE Falk, its one he may have had to pass on. What normally we would have seen Falk take the cone and line up on the outside, instead lined up behind the leader. Falk may have been big picture racing as he was looking to wrap up a fourth track title but that didn’t stop Waltz who has been going high on the restarts all night long. With just a few laps remaining, the green flag waved once again and with an amazing launch, Nick Smith grabbed the lead. Waltz who didn’t fare so well saw Falk and Edwards go by before he was finally able to get down on the bottom grove.
But just as the night started with Smith winning, it ended the same way with Smith winning marking a season high of 8 wins on the year. CE Falk finished second as Greg Edwards finished third, Matt Waltz finished fourth. Casey Wyatt, like Waltz bitten also by the restart bug and couldn’t get going finished for yet another top 5 in 2013. It was another dominating performance from Nick Smith and his race team. CE Falk, who sports six wins of his own this season would clinch another track title at Langley Speedway bringing his total now to four in five years. What’s unique about this title is that they did it without a crew chief this year and that fellow teammate, racer and brother, Wesley Falk prepared the race cars this year. Congrats to EF Motorsports and their 2013 championship.
