Dustin Smith Looking For Another Strong Showing at Five Flags

For Dustin Smith, hard work is starting to pay off in a big way.

The Mobile, Alabama driver enters this weekend's Allen Turner Pro Late Model Series event at Five Flags Speedway third in the series points. He is also leading the Pro Late Model track championship at his home track, Mobile International Speedway.

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He and his family team have also been steadily picking up stronger results in Super Late Model competition in appearances at nearby tracks. Last weekend, he finished sixth with the ASA Southern Super Series at the Rumble by the River 125.

While appearing on Five Flags Speedway's "In The Groove" podcast on Tuesday evening, Smith discussed those improvements and the work that has made them possible in 2025.

“My team and my dad, you know, we’ve put a lot in this program the past couple of years," said Smith. "After the Derby, we sat back and got a new Super [Late Model] car. That was the third race at Montgomery that the car has been on the track. Just a lot of dedication on my end, my team’s end, my dad’s end. It takes a lot to keep running up front with these guys that run every weekend.”

“It takes a lot to keep your mind focused on racing. My dad, Alex, me, we’ve all just gotten better. I feel like this is gonna be a pretty good year. We had a good year last year, but I think this year is gonna be better.”

At Montgomery, Smith's sixth-place finish didn't even reflect the potential of the day. He fell out of the top five with 25 laps to go while dealing with a mechanical gremlin, holding back his No. 33 on the long straightaways of Montgomery's half-mile.

At one point, Smith was as high as second place in the running order, challenging eventual winner Matthew Craig.

“We had a good car," said Smith. "We fought it all day Friday and stuff like that. Alex and all them, we made some big changes and figured some stuff out, got it better for me to drive.

“During the race, on like lap 25, we started developing a miss in the motor or something like that. It progressed to get worse and worse throughout the race. I just couldn’t keep up after that. I was doing all I could to keep the track position I had.”

Now, the focus turns to Friday's Allen Turner Pro Late Model Series 100 at Five Flags. Smith finished second to Jake Finch in the opener to the Road to the Snowflake 100, and hopes to pick up one more spot on Friday.

Between Five Flags and the success he is having so far at Mobile, he hopes he can claim one, if not both, track championships this year.

“I think I’m, what, third in points there," said Smith. "It’d be nice to have two track championships this year."

Racing begins at Five Flags Speedway on Friday, June 13 at 8 p.m. CT/9 p.m. ET. Fans can watch the second round of the Allen Turner Pro Late Model Series live on RacingAmerica.TV.

-Photo credit: Will Bellamy