Spencer Davis Scores First Victory of 2014 at New Smyrna
Georgia Driver Also Finishes Second in Pete Orr 100 Super Late Model Event
Dawsonville, Georgia’s Spencer Davis took
on New Smyrna Speedway (FL) over the
weekend and came home with both a win
and a second-place finish. Davis finished
second to track veteran Travis Cope in the
Super Late Model Pete Orr Memorial/Orange
Blossom 100 and captured the victory in
the 25-lap Pro Late Model feature later
in the evening.
The first event of the night, the Super Late Model 100-lapper, ran uncharacteristically clean with just one caution slowing the event early at lap 38.
“The night turned out really good for us with a second and a win in the Pro car,” said Davis. “This is probably the cleanest New Smyrna race I’ve been to yet. There was just the one caution just before halfway and it was just a one-car caution. Then the rest of the race went all green.”
Davis, who rode fourth most of the event, made the most of a late-race tangle to make his way up to top-two and secure his podium finish in the closing laps.
“I was happy with fourth,” said Davis. “That would make two fourths back to back, two top-five’s to start off the year. Then second and third tangled and got up on the wall and stuff and we wound up with second. I was really happy with tha,t but it was still just one position too short.”
After celebrating a runner-up finish in the Super Late Model race, Davis was determined not to come up one spot short in the 25-lap Pro Late Model feature. Davis started fourth and quickly charged to the front.
"We weren’t going to settle for second," added Davis of his Pro Late Model effort. "We took our time but man those Florida motors are hard to pass with the power they’ve got down the straightaway.
“But I managed to get by them one at a time and take the lead. As soon as I got the lead, I was able to gain a few car lengths and bring home the trophy."
After two events and one remaining, Davis now sits second in the 2014 Florida Super Late Model Triple Crown standings. Coupling Saturday's second-place result with his fourth-place finish in the season-opening Red-Eye 100 at New Smyrna earlier in January, Davis is knocking on the door of the championship.
When the final leg of the Triple Crown takes the green at the end of the 48th Annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna on February 22, Davis will be in search of not only the race win, but also the prestigious title.
"Last year we were coming into the last night of Speedweeks almost in the same position with a fourth and a sixth-place finish sitting fourth behind Travis Cope, Stephen Nasse and David Rogers. We broke a rear end in qualifying coming out of the pits and then Nasse broke in that race. When we got by Rogers, we were tied for third and fourth, that put us in second so we barely out of the lead and once I got into position. I was on my way to winning Speedweeks and the Triple Crown which would have been a big deal but it didn’t play out that way.
“We broke a trailing arm bracket and twisted the drive shaft which ended our night early last year,” said Davis. “So it’s going to be cool if we can pull this thing off this year. I think we’ve got the car to, but Cope’s going to be hard to beat.”
The final leg of the 2014 Florida Super Late Model Triple Crown, the inaugural Bruce Gowland Memorial 100, will round out the New Smyrna Speedway World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing action on Saturday, February 22.
