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3 Father-Son Combos Are Now Winners in SMART History
Timmonsville, SC (March 2, 2024) – The old phrase, “The Apple Didn’t Fall Far from the Tree,” could certainly apply to 9-time SMART winner Brian Loftin and his son, Carson. In just his 16th-career series start, the 15-year-old driver won his first race in a Tour-Type Modified. It came Saturday (March 2), in the Peanut Patch 99 at Florence Motor Speedway (SC), which marked the season opener for the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic.
Caron Loftin passed one of the best in the business, Matt Hirschman, to take the lead on lap 81. He then held off Burt Myers and Ryan Newman for the victory.
“All of them are great drivers. When I was behind Hirschman, I knew it was going to be tough to get by him. But these guys gave me a great car and I was able to do it. Man, this feels good,” said Loftin, who drives the number-23 Modified sponsored by L&R Transmissions and LeBlue Bottled Water.
With Carson’s victory, he and his father, Brian, become the third father-son combination in SMART history to win races.
“This means a lot. People don’t know how much goes into putting these race cars together. It’s been a lot of late nights in the shop, and it paid off,” continued Loftin. “I’m trying to make racing a career and I gotta win races. I can’t thank these guys enough for sticking behind me. It sure feels good.”
Defending series champion Burt Myers led 25 laps enroute to a runner-up finish.
“We just lacked overall grip,” said Myers, who drives the Citrusafe Grill Cleaners | Peanut Patch number-1 Modified. “We knew this was coming; Carson is a real talent. He’s smooth and on a track like this, that matters. We were just a little off, but we still led laps, won the stage (Bell Helmets Stage One Dt) and still finished second.”
The Jostens Lap Leader of the Race was Hischman, who led 43 circuits. The SMART Chevy number-60 was involved in an intense battle with Myers and Luke Baldwin (finished 5th), which led to his car spinning late in the race. Hirschman also won the Pace-O-Matic Pole Award in qualifying.
The Pace-O-Matic Hard Charger of the Race was Joey Coulter, who started 12th and advanced eight positions to finish fourth.
In 2024, SMART fans will be treated to 15 races at 13 different facilities in the tri-state region of North and South Carolina, as well as Virginia.
The season continues when the 600-horsepower Modifieds tackle the Warrior 100 at Caraway Speedway in Sophia, NC on Sunday, March 10.
The SMART Mods will also host one of the biggest Modified races in all of America, on Saturday, March 23, with the Pace-O-Matic King of the Modifieds at South Boston Speedway in Virginia. The season commences at the famed North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina on Saturday, October 19.
All races can also be seen on FloRacing, the official streaming broadcast partner of the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic.
Burt Myers captured the 2023 championship for the SMART Modified Tour in the season’s final race in October. The contest at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, NC was won by Pace-O-Matic driver Bobby Labonte. OCS will host a race with the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic on Saturday, April 6.
To see the entire schedule for the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic, as well as all the latest news and information, please visit the series website at www.smartmodtour.com, and be sure to follow the series on social media (Facebook: SMART Modified Tour| Twitter: @SMARTMods_ | IG: @smartmods_).
By Bob Dillner – Twitter: @shorttracklife_
SMART Modified Tour Race #1
Official Race Results for the Peanut Patch 99 – 03/02/2024
Florence Motor Speedway – Timmonsville, SC – 0.4 mile
Race Length: 99L – 39.6 M – 63.756 KM
Fin – Str – Car – Driver – Sponsors – Laps
1 – 5 – 23 – Carson Loftin – L&R Transmissoins – 99
2 – 3 – 1 – Burt Myers – Peanut Patch / Citrusafe – 99
3 – 4 – 2 – Ryan Newman – Shiti Coolers – 99
4 – 12 – 02 – Joey Coulter – TORCH Eyewear – 99
5 – 2 – 7va – Luke Baldwin – Pace-O-Matic – 99
6 – 9 – 99 – Jimmy Blewett – 99
7 – 13 – 24 – Danny Bohn – Ameri-Fast Supply – 99
8 – 11 – 77L – Will Lambros – Skip Barber – 99
9 – 8 – 04 – Brandon Ward – Q-104.1 / KevinSaysYes.com – 99
10 – 16 – 4 – Jason Myers – QRC HVAC / Greg Butcher Trucking – 99
11 – 7 – 15 – Brian Loftin – Steve’s Transmission & Automotive – 99
12 – 1 – 60 – Matt Hirschman SMART Chevy – 99
13 – 18 – 79 – Anthony Bello – Sun Drop – 99
14 – 17 – 25 – Tom Buzze Jr. – UNITS Moving & Storage – 99
15 – 10 – 27 – Blake Barney – Amazing Graphics – 99
16 – 14 – 16va – Jonathan Cash – Pace-O-Matic – 99
17 – 21 – 40 – Frank Fleming – Simmons Powersports – 99
18 – 22 – 0 – Randall Richard – Ringaquared – 99
19 – 19 – 45 – Gary Young Jr. – PSR Products – 99
20 – 23 – 22 – Jason Tutterow – Carolina Drilling – 98
21 – 6 – 23NY – Bryce Bailey – K2 BBQ Sauces – 44
22 – 15 – 77 – Gary Putnam – CURB Records – 29
23 – 20 – 21 – Jimmy Wallace – Carolina Drilling – 29
24 – 24 – 48 – Tovia Grynewicz – A-Best Forklift – 10
Time of Race: 1h:21:50 | Margin of Victory: 1.423 seconds | Cautions:
Lap Leaders: Hirschman 43, C. Loftin 31, B. Myers 25
Pace-O-Matic Pole Award: Matt Hirschman – 17.053 seconds (84.442 mph)
Bell Helmets Stage Winner: Burt Myers
Jostens Lap Leader: Matt Hirschman – 43 Laps Led
Halfway Leader: Matt Hirschman
Pace-O-Matic Hard Charger Award: Joey Coulter (+8 Positions)
Carolina Drilling Blast to the Front: Luke Baldwin
MJ Printing & Graphics Fastest Lap: Tovia Grynewicz – 17.912 seconds (Lap 5)
Peanut Patch
Peanut Patch has been a Southern staple for generations and is the #1 brand of boiled and canned green peanuts in the world! In fact, boiled peanuts are recognized as the official snack of South Carolina! Known for its commitment to quality and taste, Peanut Patch ensures that all peanuts are harvested and boiled on the same day, preserving their rich, peanutty taste and natural nutritional goodness. Because the peanuts are harvested and canned within hours of them coming out of the ground, Peanut Patch boiled peanuts are more flavorful and nutritious than dried or roasted peanuts. The South’s favorite savory snack is available in four delicious flavors, Original, Cajun, Salt ‘n Vinegar and Hot & Spicy. Each flavor delivers a unique twist and the beloved juicy texture for a great snacking experience. Folks can purchase Peanut Patch boiled peanuts at many roadside stands, from hot-and-ready Kettles at gas stations and convenience stores, from cans in local grocery stores and online at https://peanutpatch.store/.
The best-selling brand is proudly owned and operated by McCall Farms, a leading producer of farm-fresh canned goods in Effingham, South Carolina. The company acquired the Peanut Patch brand from Roddenberry Foods of Cairo, Georgia in 2002. Canning their own brand of boiled peanuts since 1980, McCall Farms soon turned Peanut Patch into the nation’s number one brand of boiled peanuts. Peanut Patch products are available practically everywhere, year-round. Originally found in roadside stands, now you can enjoy Peanut Patch Boiled Peanuts from hundreds of roadside stands to millions of kettles & cans and online at https://peanutpatch.store/.
SMART Modified Tour
The SMART Modified Tour captures the essence of one of the most legendary forms of racing in America, pavement Modifieds. Born in 1988, these ground-pounding, 600-horsepower missiles for the SMART Tour are a must-see for any racing fan.
In 2020, Chris Williams brought SMART Modifieds back to prominence after a brief hiatus. Due to the overwhelming popularity from its fan base, a four-race schedule in its initial year has given birth to an adventurous 15-race schedule in 2024.
This year will mark the fourth full season of SMART Modified Tour racing since its return. Many of Modified racing’s best drivers, from all over the country, will compete with the series, which visits 13 different racetracks in three different states in the Mid-Atlantic – North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
SMART Modifieds compete on grueling asphalt oval short tracks, embedded in quaint local communities, each spring, summer and fall.
Pace-O-Matic
Pace-O-Matic develops, produces, and licenses fun and entertainment in the form of skill games in various states, including Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kansas, South Carolina, Texas and Wyoming, among others. Since its founding in 2000, the organization has built a talented leadership team and a culture defined by integrity, innovation, and compliance. Learn more at www.paceomatic.com.
