HAMPTON, VA :: On a very warm and humid evening in Langley Speedway, 16 NASCAR Whelen All American Series (NWAAS) Late Models came looking to better last week’s performance with one looking to sweep the night once again. That man would be Nick Smith. Had it not been for a bad crash and a motor failure earlier in the year, Smith could easily either be the series points leader or right there with points leader CE Falk. Matt Waltz has had a go at it too sitting second in points, but a motor failure earlier in the year may have spoiled the thoughts of a track title. CE Falk out of the three has escaped misfortunes on the season and is comfortably in the lead.
Once again in qualifying, Nick Smith proved why he holds the current Langley Speedway track record by claiming yet another pole run in 2013 with a 15.643 second lap at 90.903 mph. Matt Waltz turned in a fast lap as well that secured him a spot on the front row with Smith. Also posting good laps were CE Falk, who has not been the best at qualifying this year, Greg Edwards and Brenden. Queen was hot earlier in the season has since cooled off but got help this week from championship racer and crew chief Phil Warren.
Late Model racing began just as the sun set before a loud and screaming crowd standing in anticipation of the green flag. Nick Smith wasted no time in securing the point with CE Falk in tow. But it wasn’t long before our first caution for a spin involving Jeremy Grogg and Jeff Shiflett. Both cars were ok and able to continue. Green flag racing resumed with Smith in the lead and checking out from the rest of the field. For several laps the leader had built up a lead the size of a half a backstretch until the race’s second caution flew on lap 59. With the field bunched up now came an opportunity for someone to make some gains in position on the next cone restart.
Though the outside groove has been slow to develop on this new asphalt, CE Falk chose to go to Smith’s outside to battle for the lead. Green flag waves and the battle for the point began. Smith, Falk go door to door with CE Falk leading the first lap on the restart. Smith would reel CE Falk back in as they went into turn three but suddenly Falk shoots up the hill and starts to go around. From the center of turn three, Falk nails the throttle and drifts his car out of turn four. Several of the leaders were able to go by Falk but Jeff Oakley was not so fortunate. Falk would go on around and in a fiery crash, collect Oakley’s car ending both of their nights.
Both drivers would be ok but both of their cars were destroyed from the wreck. Racing resumed with leader Nick Smith showing the way, the race would see one more caution before the checkered flag waved. Nick Smith in this feature would not to be denied as he would go on to win his third race of the year. Matt Waltz finished second with Mark Wertz just behind him in third, Greg Edwards was solid in his fourth place finish and Wesley Falk rebounded after an early race spin to round out the top five. Then came the big question, did CE Falk have a backup car and can his crew prepare it to race competitively in time for the second feature?
Questioned answered as the car Falk was racing outside of Langley Speedway was quickly lowered down from the rollback. His race team frantically persevered in preparing the race car and CE Falk was back in business. But how good would Falk be in that race car? Starting the second feature in how they finished the first, Nick Smith would start on pole leading a field of 15 Late Models to the green. As the green flag waves, Matt Waltz would stay door to door with Smith to battle for the race lead. After a few laps, Waltz would slip a bit just enough to allow Smith to motor by on the inside so Waltz had to fall in line.
The race’s first caution came out on lap nine of the event when Duane Shreeves and Jeremy Grogg get together. Both were able to continue but all eyes were on the progress of CE Falk. At this point, Falk was showing ninth in the field but was also showing some smoke from his ride as well. Race action resumed with Wesley Falk taking the cone but Smith would make quick work and assume the lead. Waltz continued his assault not letting the leader get away in second, Wes Falk was able to get down and claim third in the field on this restart. Then came the race’s second caution on lap 19 and more problems for track points leader CE Falk.
Falk would have to come to pit road for service as his ride is reported with overheating issues. Once again, Falk was sidelined from competition finishing 14th and would take another hit in the series points standings. Back to racing action, Nick Smith got a strong restart, securing the point leaving Matt Waltz and Greg Edwards to settle the second spot. Others making moves at this point in the race were Mark Wertz, Wesley Falk and Terry Carroll showing some muscle as well. It was check out time for Nick Smith who was beginning to pull away but before he would get too far from Matt Waltz, the race experienced another caution period.
This time it was for the battle between Wesley Falk and Terry Carroll for fifth in the field, both cars were ok and were able to continue in the race. The green flag waved again on lap 33 to restart the race and Nick Smith has yet another solid restart securing the lead. Smith, for the next several green flag laps, would build a four car length advantage before Matt Waltz started to close on in. By lap 54, Waltz had tracked down the leader and was on the bumper of Nick Smith. From that point, it was a matter of when did Matt Waltz want to take the lead as Smith was not as good on this green flag run. Just a few laps later, it was settled, Matt Waltz was the new leader.
From that point, Waltz looked to be in control as he navigated his way through lap traffic. Clearly Nick Smith had used up his right rear and he would need a caution to catch Waltz in his pursuit of Victory Lane. With just a few laps remaining, he got that caution when Terry Carroll and Duane Shreeves got together hard on the backstretch. Nick Smith was back in business and would get one more shot of the faster car of Matt Waltz. On the restart, Nick Smith dared to go the outside of Waltz the leader. A great battle for the lead ensued for the two as Greg Edwards got a great restart as well going three wide into turn three before wisely lifting.
With that move from Edwards, Smith would get the line to go after Waltz who won the battle into the turn. Then contact occurred between the two which saw Matt Waltz skating up the hill and open the door to Nick Smith who then took the lead. Matt Waltz was able to recover and get back down in time to take second but could not mount another charge as Nick Smith went on to win and post up his fourth consecutive win at Langley Speedway. Matt Waltz would finish second, Greg Edwards was third, Mark Wertz with another solid run was fourth and Brenden Queen rounded out the top five of the group.
But as the celebrations took place of Nick Smith winning four straight, Matt Waltz was left fuming over what Smith fans may say was the bump and run. For Waltz fans, it was a last chance dive bomb that stole a race from them. Either way, Langley Speedway may just have their first rivalry brewing in the Late Model division. The other big story from this night was how big of a hit would CE Falk take in the points battle. Coming into the race, Falk was showing a 46 point advantage. Unofficially at the time of writing this story, he now shows a 22 point lead. Action resumes for the Late Models as they go at it again this Friday, July 5th for 150 laps.
