Ace Speedway in Almatahaw, North Carolina has been the starting point for many careers in east coast Late Model racing and NASCAR since the track was first constructed in 1953. One of the drivers who established a successful career at Ace Speedway was Rodney Cook, a native of Reidsville, North Carolina who collected over 40 victories alone at his home track, and won two consecutive track championships at Ace in 2006 and 2007.
However, Cook was forced to end his racing career at the end of the 2012 season when he was diagnosed with cancer, but continued to make select appearances at Ace despite being confined to a wheelchair. On December 10, 2013, Cook lost his battle with cancer at the age of 44, but Ace Speedway elected to honor Cook’s memory by holding the Rodney Cook Classic race for Late Model drivers along the east coast starting in 2014.
This year will mark the fourth time that the Rodney Cook Classic will be run at Ace Speedway, and the event is expected to draw many competitive Late Model drivers, including 2017 ValleyStar Credit Union 300 winner Timothy Peters. R.D. Smith, a former Ace Speedway track champion, is also expected to file an entry for the race, and will be looking to win the Rodney Cook Classic for the second year in a row.
“It meant a lot to win the race last year,” said Smith. “I had finished second in that race during its inaugural year, so it meant a lot to capitalize and finally get that win. Rodney meant a lot to this area and a lot to the track, since it was Rodney’s home track. He had a lot of fans and a lot of family.”
Smith, who lives about ten miles from Ace Speedway, is looking to rebound at his home track after a poor showing in the ValleyStar Credit Union 300, where he finished 29th after being caught up in an accident shortly after the halfway break. Despite the disappointing finish, Smith had worked his way up through the field prior to the crash, and believes that he will have another strong car for Saturday night’s race. Smith also believes that his experience at Ace Speedway will be crucial in order to score his second consecutive victory in the Rodney Cook Classic.
“We have to concentrate and focus on being the best that we can be,” said Smith. “I feel like if we can get our car right, and bring our A-game, then the rest of the field will have to contend with us. There will be a lot of good teams and good drivers there, but if we do our job, we will be right there at the end. It should still be a really tough race for everyone though.”
One of the competitors that Smith will have to go up against is Danville, Virginia native Justin Snow, who he finished second to in the first Rodney Cook Classic race in 2014. Despite showing speed in the ValleyStar Credit Union 300, Snow failed to make the race in his fourth attempt after being caught up in an accident during the second heat race. Snow will be looking to bounce back with a strong performance at Ace Speedway, and will also be searching for another lucrative win to his Late Model resume that includes victories at South Boston Speedway and Southern National Motorsports Park.
Alex Yontz, who won the Rodney Cook Classic in 2015, is not expected to file an entry for the event, leaving Snow and Smith as the only two potential repeat winners going for victory on Saturday night. Both of them will have to hold off several strong competitors besides Timothy Peters if they want a chance to earn their second victories in the Rodney Cook Classic, including Peyton Sellers and Stacy Puryear, both of whom ran inside the Top 5 throughout most of the ValleyStar Credit Union.
