Country Time: Jeff Smith Scores First Late Model Victory At Thompson Speedway

Jeff Smith celebrates his first career victory Wednesday at Thompson Speedway

THOMPSON – Jeff Smith spent plenty of his formative days as a youth in racing having fun cruising around the Little T Quarter Midget facility at Thompson Speedway.

Wednesday the driver known as “Big Country” made the Big T his playground.

Smith held off the advances of Damon Tinio over the closing circuits to win the 25-lap Late Model feature at Thompson Speedway.

It the first career victory at Thompson for Smith, of Old Lyme.

Tinio, of Mendon, Mass., was second and Marc Curtis Jr. of Worcester, Mass. third.

Smith went under Rick Gentes for the lead off turn two on lap 17. On lap 20 Tinio got under Gentes for second and quickly focused in on Smith’s bumper.

Tinio got under Smith in turn three on lap 22, but Smith was able to defend the challenge through turn four. Tinio gave Smith a couple more bumps over the final three laps, but couldn’t find a lane to the front.

“The car was real tight and I kind of set my own pace,” Smith said. “As being the leader I just checked up a little bit and he gave me a couple shoves in the turn, but it kind of screwed him up more than it did me. Overall I’m happy with the car. It’s a lot better than the last time we came up here.”

Corey Hutching of Salem won the 20-lap Limited Sportsman feature. Shawn Monahan of Waterford second and Chris Douton of Waterford third.

Joe Baxter of Pascoag, R.I. won the 15-lap Mini Stock feature. Eric Bourgeois of East Haddam was second and Mike Viens of Seekonk, Mass. third.