CONCORD, N.C. – Week three of the Jack in the Box Summer Shootout saw Dylan Smith score his first top-10 finish of the season. Smith has been working toward making his car more and more competitive and being able to get to the front of the pack more quickly during his races.
Round three saw Smith with more speed early and also saw him with a car he could drive anywhere, which came in handy when there were multiple caution periods during the main event.
Mike Neff, Frontstretch: Tell us about scoring your first top 10 in a Summer Shootout race.
Dylan Smith: It was pretty good. The car was pretty good although we started in the back of the pack. We need to step up our qualifying and heat racing game. We have a good racecar every night and we were just dodging wrecks pretty much. There were a lot of wrecks going on last week. We were right in front of it or it was right in front of us and we were able to weave our way through and end up with a top 10 so we were really pleased with that.
Neff: You’ve been taking advantage of the outside on restarts quite a bit this summer, why has that been working for you?
Smith: Ryan Solomon, I’m not sure what he’s been doing for us, but he’s got it wound up on the outside so we’re able to hang on the outside longer than most everyone else. When the opportunity presents itself to jump to the outside I tend to take it because, if you can pin somebody down just right you can gain a spot and definitely not lose one so it is working out pretty good.
Neff: We’re here for the Big Money 100 this week. You ran your heat race yesterday and came home fifth. Was that your first ever top five in a Legends car?
Smith: Yes, we should have been fourth. When we got back to the pits we realized the caster had been knocked out on it just a little bit so it made it a little tight, but the car was still good. Coming into our B-main we were positive and we had a good run going before we got into a little skirmish on the track but you’ll have that in big-time stock car racing. It is just part of the game.
Neff: We’ll be back at it next Tuesday. You scored your first top 10, will we see your first top five before too long?
Smith: Hopefully this Tuesday, if not a top three. We have a really strong car and I’m getting better every week. We’re starting to figure out where we need to be and I’m starting to figure out what I need the car to do. As long as we can have a little luck and stay out of the wrecks I think we can do it.
About the author
What is it that Mike Neff doesn’t do? The writer, radio contributor and racetrack announcer coordinates the site’s local short track coverage, hitting up Saturday Night Specials across the country while tracking the sport’s future racing stars. The writer for our signature Cup post-race column, Thinkin’ Out Loud (Mondays) also sits down with Cup crew chiefs to talk shop every Friday with Tech Talk. Mike announces several shows each year for the Good Guys Rod and Custom Association. He also pops up everywhere from PRN Pit Reporters and the Press Box with Alan Smothers to SIRIUS XM Radio. He has announced at tracks all over the Southeast, starting at Millbridge Speedway. He's also announced at East Lincoln Speedway, Concord Speedway, Tri-County Speedway, Caraway Speedway, and Charlotte Motor Speedway.
A daily email update (Monday through Friday) providing racing news, commentary, features, and information from Frontstretch.com
We hate spam. Your email address will not be sold or shared with anyone else.