Sammy Smith Adds to New Smyrna Trophy Stash with ARCA Win
Feb 16, 2022
With three races left to go, the Super Late Model championship in the World Series of Asphalt is wide open.
A pair of 35 lappers on Wednesday and Thursday lead to the Orange Blossom 100 main event on Saturday night at New Smyrna Speedway and six drivers still have a realistic shot to claim the Speedweeks championship.
Two-time and reigning World Series champion Derek Griffith is tied with Sammy Smith with 232 points entering Wednesday night. Tuesday night winner Jesse Love is 12 points behind and there is a three-wide tie at 14 points back between Brad May, Justin Mondeik and Gabe Sommers.
Considering that upwards of 30 cars are expected for Saturday night, this championship battle is poised to go down to the final laps.
Despite sharing the championship lead, Griffith and Smith are still seeking their first Super Late Model victories of the week. Griffith has five career victories during Speedweeks in a Super Late Model and Smith has two.
While they both value the championship, they will both tell you they’re here for wins first and foremost, and the lack of them this week is something that will motivate them throughout the week.
"We just try to win races or run good and let the bad stuff play out," Griffith said. "We've been pretty consistent this week. We just need a little bit, man. It's so close, everyone is close, and everyone is so equal here.
Griffith has recorded finishes of third, fourth, fourth, fourth and second.
"You just need that tiny little bit to win here, and hopefully we can figure it out," Griffith said. "But we're close."
Meanwhile, Smith picked up a win in the ARCA East race on Tuesday night, but says he’s not really thinking of the Super Late Model championship -- not even a little.
"I want to win races," Smith said. "If that means risking a wreck or costing ourselves a championship, I’ll take a chance at winning races, because that’s why we come here."
Smith has finishes of second, second, third and sixth.
Having picked up his first win of the week, Love doesn’t want to stop with just a single race. He’s actively thinking championship.
"100 percent, man," Love said. "It’s something to win, and I want to win it. I want to win everything there is to win."
That journey continues into Wednesday night.
WORLD SERIES OF ASPHALT
2022 SUPER LATE MODEL STANDINGS
THROUGH 3/7 RACES
- Derek Griffith Ldr.
- Sammy Smith -0
- Jesse Love -12
- Brad May -14
- Justin Mondeik -14
- Gabe Sommers -14
- Jake Finch -36
- Justin Drawdy -68
- Michael Hinde -74
- Austin Thom -84