Carson Brown Dominates ASA STARS National Tour Opener at New Smyrna Speedway

📸 Daniel Vining

New Smyrna Beach, FL - The season is officially underway for the Appalachian Sucker Punch ASA STARS National Tour after Tuesday's Clyde Hart Memorial at New Smyrna Speedway. A 32 car field rolled from the grid looking toward the green flag for 200 laps

Rookie of the Year candidate, Tristan McKee brought the field to green alongside All American 400 Champion, Dawson Sutton. McKee jumped out to the early lead but was quickly slowed when Bubba Pollard spun off the nose of William Sawalich's No.25 in turn one on just the third lap of the race. Pollard's night was over from damage received during the spin.

McKee continued to lead with Sutton trailing and Carson Brown riding in the third spot. Another caution flew just a handful of laps later when Last Chance Qualifier winner, Kole Raz made huge contact with the turn four wall attempting to avoid a slowing Carson Hocevar. Raz climbed from the car under his own power and was done for the night.

The race's biggest incident came on lap 22 when Gabe Sommers and Kasey Kline came together going down the backstretch. The contact resulted in a cut left rear tire for Sommers entering turn three, sending him hard, nose-first, into the outside wall. Behind him, nearly a dozen cars piled up at the bottom of the race track bringing the field to a stop. Most everyone was able to continue, Sommers' night was over.

On the restart, McKee's time at the point came to an end, with Brown deciding it was time to go. Brown rocketed around the outside of McKee's No.5 off turn two and never relinquished the lead from that point. Brown went on to win all three stages and the race, which saw just one caution flag in the final stage.

"This thing was on rails tonight," Brown said in Victory Lane. "I kind of wanted to ride in third there for a little bit, I knew that the front row was kind of brawling it out there a little bit. I knew if I got into second I might be able to get into the lead on a restart, but I kind of waited on that and pounced when I could."

Dawson Sutton held on for the second spot, spending much of the race in the runner-up position.

"My Rackley team brought me an amazing car all week long," Sutton said after the race. "To finish second hurts a little bit, but congratulations to Anthony [Campi] and his team."

McKee, who lost the lead midway through the first stage, stayed inside the top five all night, and finished the Clyde Hart Memorial 200 on the podium.

"We led the first little bit there and then faded back to around third and ran third the rest of the race," McKee explained. "We just need a little bit more for those front two, props to them. Carson [Hocevar] and I - I think he was in the top five too, pretty cool to have two Richie Waters cars in the top five."

The next event for the ASA STARS National Tour is on Saturday, March 14th at 5 Flags Speedway for the Sunshine State 200. Local racing and ASA STARS National Tour Practice takes place on Friday, with Pole Qualifying and the Sunshine State 200 on Saturday.

Unofficial Clyde Hart Memorial Results