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16-year-old Phenom Claims Third SMART Tour Win in Five Races in 2024
Rougemont, NC (April 7, 2024) – When Carson Loftin climbed out of his car following Saturday’s (April 6) Rumble in Rougemont at Orange County Speedway, he thought he had just wrapped up a solid second-place effort. However, he soon found out that he had, in fact, scored his third-career victory on the SMART Modified Tour powered by Pace-O-Matic.
Blake Barney commanded the late stages of the race and took the checkered flag, but his win was disqualified after series officials found an unapproved intake manifold on the engine of the 27-car in post-race technical inspection.
“Hate to win one like that,” Loftin said in a makeshift Pace-O-Matic Victory Lane. “This all goes to my team. They work so hard, and to get another one for them, it’s really special.”
With 11 laps to go, Loftin dove to the inside of Jimmy Blewett in turn three in what would turn out to be the pass for the win.
“The car really came alive,” Loftin continued. “We struggled right after the pit stop. We were really tight, and the car really came alive towards the end. I knew I had to make something happen. A few more laps and I feel like I would have got Blake [Barney] there, but we kinda ran out of laps.”
The win extended Loftin’s points lead over Luke Baldwin (finished fifth) just five races into the season. Despite the hot start, Loftin says he isn’t thinking that far ahead just yet.
“We keep focusing on winning races,” said the driver of the L&R Transmissions / Le Bleu Bottled Water / UMF Metal Fabrication number 23. “Obviously if we have a bad day, we’re going to try to make it the best day we can possibly make it. We are just going to keep focusing on winning races, and hopefully we can win some more here.”
After falling victim to Loftin’s late charge, Blewett was forced to settle for his second runner-up finish in as many weeks. In fact, Blewett is the Pace-O-Matic Hard Charger of the Race, advancing six positions from his eighth place starting position to second.
“I could get down to the bottom where nobody could go and make hay there for a while,” said the seven-time Turkey Derby winner at Wall Stadium in New Jersey. “We just got a little free there at the end. After the stop, the right rear opened up on us and just made us that little bit off. We were there, but just not enough.”
Jonathan Cash won the Carolina Drilling Blast To the Front Award by being the highest finishing driver who has not yet won a Tour-Type Modified Series event. In fact, his third place finish at Orange County Speedway was the best effort in the SMART Modified Tour.
Burt Myers won his second-straight Pace-O-Matic Pole Award and remained up front throughout the race before finishing in the fourth spot, his second top-five run of the season.
Danny Bohn started on the outside of the front row and dominated the opening 30 laps to take the Bell Helmets Stage One win, but faded late to finish 12th. Bohn also set the MJ Printing & Graphics Fastest Lap of the Race while he was pacing the field early in the event.
The SMART stars will wrap up the beginning portion of its schedule on Saturday, April 13 at Hickory Motor Speedway in Newton, North Carolina with the Hickory Hundred. Joining the SMART Modifieds on the night’s racing program will be the Carolina Pro Late Model Series, the Carolina Crate Modified Series and the Carolina Mini Stock Challenge.
As a whole, 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 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.
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 Spence Smithback – X: @shorttracklife_
SMART Modified Tour Race #5
UNOFFICIAL Race Results for the Rumble in Rougemont – 04/06/2024
Orange County Speedway – Rougemont, NC – 0.375 mile
Race Length: 99L – 37.125 M – 59.746 KM
Finish – Start – Car# – Driver – Sponsors – Laps – Points
1 – 1 – 23 – Carson Loftin – L&R Transmissions / LeBleu Water – 99 – 40
2 – 8 – 99 – Jimmy Blewett – Sponsor Wanted – 99 – 39
3 – 4 – 16VA – Jonathan Cash – Pace-O-Matic – 99 – 38
4 – 5 – 1 – Burt Myers – Citrusafe / Peanut Patch – 99 – 37
5 – 3 – 7VA – Luke Baldwin – Pace-O-Matic / Mohawk Northeast – 99 – 36
6 – 11 – 25 – Tom Buzze Jr. – Mark III Financial / UNITS Moving – 99 – 35
7 – 13 – 79 – Anthony Bello – Sun Drop – 99 – 34
8 – 14 – 18 – Daniel Yates – Yates Grading & Paving – 99 – 33
9 – 10 – 2 – Ryan Newman – SHITI Coolers / Aggressive Hydraulics – 99 – 32
10 – 9 – 04 – Brandon Ward – KevinSaysYes.com / Q104.1 – 99 – 31
11 – 12 – 4 – Jason Myers – QRC HVAC / Greg Butcher Trucking – 99 – 30
12 – 2 – 24 – Danny Bohn – Ameri-Fast Supply of NC – 98 – 29
13 – 17 – 77 – Gary Putnam – CURB Records – 98 – 28
14 – 19 – 51 – Jayden Harman – K.D. Wolfe Trucking / Kaluga Excav. – 98 – 27
15 – 20 – 21 – Jimmy Wallace – Carolina Drilling – 97 – 26
16 – 16 – 48 – Jonny Kay – A-Best Forklift – 97 – 25
17 – 18 – 45 – Gary Young Jr. – Ideal Comfort Heating & Air – 57 – 24
18 – 6 – 02 – Joey Coulter – Bilstein Shocks / Torch Eyewear – 47 – 23
19 – 15 – 15 – Brian Loftin – Steve Tires & Automotive -22 – 22
20 – 7 – 27 – Blake Barney – Amazing Graphics / D-Mac Pools -99 – DQ
Time of Race: 0h:46:09 | Margin of Victory: 2.141 seconds | Cautions: 2 for
Lap Leaders: Carson Loftin 38, Danny Bohn 33, Jimmy Blewett 28
Pace-O-Matic Pole Award: Burt Myers – 13.404 seconds (100.716 mph)
Bell Helmets Stage Winner: Danny Bohn
Jostens Lap Leader: Carson Loftin
Bankers Life Halfway Leader: Carson Loftin
Pace-O-Matic Hard Charger Award: Jimmy Blewett (+6 Positions)
Carolina Drilling Blast to the Front: Jonathan Cash
MJ Printing & Graphics Fastest Lap: Danny Bohn – 13.803 seconds (97.804 mph)
