Fire and Rain at Daytona Ends with Smith’s Two-Peat

By Jonathan Fjeld

Photos by Erick Messer/TRE

Twoquick rain cautions in the first 10 laps may have been a warning for what was to come in Friday night’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series opener at Daytona, won by Zane Smith.

Rain caused the race to end early at 79 laps, with Smith the winner. He endured 41 caution laps and just 38 green-flag laps to win the Truck opener for the second year in a row after leading 17 laps.

When there wasn’t rain, there was wrecking.

The first wreck knocked Clay Greenfield, Dean Thompson and Hailie Deegan were knocked out of the race in a Lap 30 multi-truck wreck on the frontstretch.

“It was getting kind of crazy and, earlier that lap, I backed out of it but I don’t know if I got touched or what happened. I just hate that happened, we really look forward to races like these,” Greenfield said.

“The wreck happened and I couldn’t do anything. What happened, happened. It’s frustrating because I got an opportunity with Toyota and if you look at where I came from [Niece Motorsports], I wanted to prove myself to y’all. It’s just frustrating,” Thompson said frustratingly, also looking ahead to Darlington, his favorite track.

“I saw the 84 [of Greenfield] get sideways and I made a split-second decision. They bounced back up the track so it is what it is. Daytona is one of those places where you end up in victory lane or on the wrecker.”

After the first wreck, it misted heavily under that caution and provoked two separate red-flag periods. On Lap 41, Stewart Friesen, Parker Kligerman, Brett Holmes and Codie Rohrbaugh were taken out on a backstretch wreck that involved others and ended Stage 2. On Lap 59, a turn 3 wreck finished off Daniel Dye and Rajah Caruth and involved others.

Finally, after 10 laps under a Lap 69 caution for rain, a onehour red flag and a tease to a return to racing, Zane Smith emerged as the winner.

Netflix’s Drive to Survive, Season 5

(2022)PremiersFridayFebruary24th.

"In Formula One, you need to be able to adapt. When you need to be aggressive; you need to be aggressive. When you need to be smooth, you need to be smooth. When I'm in the car, I will never give up."

- Max Verstappen – Season 5 (2022)

The Netflix series has gotten so popular even people that have not followed Formula One or even care about racing are watching. “My mom is watching it. She watches the races,” said Tom McKean, former F1 contributor for ESPN and presently a producer for Sports Center. “Now, she is asking me questions like, ‘what’s going on?’ She’s not interested in sports like, at all. It’s just so far reaching. It’s like a drama.”

Drive to Survive is entering its 5th season. Camera crews follow the teams, drivers and team principals throughout the season and highlight stories on and off the track. Season 5 follows the 2022 season in which Max Verstappen won a record 15 races.

Verstappen, son of former F1 driver Jos Verstappen and Sophie Kumpen, became the Netherlands’ first World Champion in 2021 at the age of 24. Verstappen was also the youngest Formula 1 driver at 17. He also became F1’s youngest race winner at 18. His aggressive style did not sit well with some drivers.

The 2021 battle with 7-Time World Champion, Lewis Hamilton, came down to the final lap of the final race and a controversial finish. The 2022 season that will be dramatized in season 5 will racing footage and behind the scenes journalism. Whereas the Championship was not in dispute, there should be some juicy activity in the pits and parlors on the Formula One Circuit.

“I really hope they hone in on the Ferrari debacles week after week. I know they had cameras with them some of those weekends,” McKean pines. “Like Monaco, things like that where it was just a total disaster. Always fun.”

“You know, it's fantastic because one of the things I really like is watching Christian Horner (Red Bull Principal) and Toto Wolff (Mercedes Principal),” said NM Motor Sports Report Host, David Swope. “You know they are going at it. It's just fabulous because the things that go on behind the scenes are at least as good as the things that go on the track. The pressure, the mind games. Can’t wait.”

“Oh yeah, give me all the awkward moments and the team principles usually deliver the best lines,” comments McKean. “I am ready for any of those because some of those you don't even know about during the season. You had no idea, those even happened. There was one with Sebastien Vettel a couple years ago with Ricardo after he made the announcement, he was leaving the team and they're just standing there. Both standing there and it is incredibly awkward and really no one had any idea that interaction even happened until the series ran, it was great.”

Itwas a beautiful fall day in October in Albuquerque and perfect for a car show. The New Mexico Motor Sports Report was proud to present the Hooters Halloween Spooktacular Car Show on Saturday October 29, 2022.

Cars started showing up at 6am with over 160 cars in attendance by 9:30am. We even had a few joined in the fun who didn’t register or even stay the whole show, but fun was had by all.

Games and Trick or Treat was available for FREE to the public. Intellitec College & Dions had booths for games as well as a Selfie Booth created by our talented staff. The GTO Club brought out the Value Cover Track and NAPA Auto Parts provided young and young at heart complimentary Hot Wheels to race on the track.

Clark’s Pet Emporium sponsored a Pet Costume Contest. Yearwood Performance sponsored the Costume

Contest for males & females. Gift Certificates were given to the winner’s, who were judged by public acclaim via cheering, roused on by Steve Haydu. Over $2,000 was raised for “Give a Hoot,” a campaign sponsored by Hooter’s Restaurants worldwide to promote Brest Cancer Awareness. The 50/50 had prizes provided by Swope Real Estate including a floor jack, jack stands, a pancake compressor and more.

Trophies were provided by Advanced Testing Services Inc (ATSI), Albuquerque Dragway, Car Crafters, Jackson Compaction, New Mexico Motor Events and Yearwood Performance. Every entered car was able to vote for their favorite participating vehicle by decade. People’s Choice and Best in Show went to Reggie & Margaret Tibbetts, in that order.

The 2023 Hooter’s Halloween Spooktacular will be Saturday October 25 - same Bat Time, Same Bat Location!