Smith stretches lead in Chargers class at Caraway Speedway

Matthew Smith holds the checkered flag after one of his victories in the Chargers division Saturday at Caraway Speedway. (Courtesy of Caraway Speedway)

SOPHIA — Matthew Smith created more distance in the standings of the Chargers division at Caraway Speedway by winning two features Saturday at the track.

Smith, the points leader in the class, won by more than five seconds in the first feature, with Nathan Quella the runner-up among 12 entrants.

In the second race, Smith had to move up in the field and took the lead shortly after the midway mark of the race. Quella again finished in second place, followed by Jason Gallimore and Caden Everhart. But Gallimore’s car failed a postrace inspection, so he was dropped from the standings.

** There was a tight finish in the 602 Modifieds feature, with Carter McMurray dueling with Jaxson Casper. McMurray ended up with the victory, while Cody Norman pulled in third and was followed by Eric Zeh, Mitchell Wright and Joel Belanger.

Yet Casper ended up in the top position for the speedway’s “Triple Crown” events in the 602 Mods, a competition that included three designated races in July, August and September.

** Jimmy Cooper ended up in first place in the UCARs race after some lineup shuffling.

A lapped car encountered trouble and that created a wreck that included Jeremy Kidd and Jamie Vance. Kidd had to make a tire change, so he was sent to the back of the pack, while Vance didn’t continue in the race.

Tito Clapp was the initial beneficiary, with Cooper the runner-up and Josh Phillips, Justin Smith and Skylar Hughes following in the next positions. But when Clapp’s car failed inspection, that made Cooper the winner. Mason Vance assumed the fifth-place spot, while Kidd’s comeback netted him sixth place.

** In Crown Vics, Bennett Deane was the winner in the 15-lap race, followed by Dean Levi, Christian Morris, TJ Gibson, Bobby Bescher and Steven Collins.

** The Mini Stocks winner was Tyler Bush, who fended off AJ Sanders in the 20-lap feature. Blaze Sanders was third, ahead of Austin Shumate and Michael Brown.

** US Legends cars were also on the docket, with Colton Hale winning the 25-lap race ahead of Chase Van Houten.

There’s more racing at the speedway this weekend, with Limited Late Models holding twin features along with racing for Chargers, Mini Stocks, UCARs, 602 Modifieds, Crown Vics, Legends and Bandoleros.