Five drivers to race for SMART championship after controversial inspection outcome

The ‘SMART 3’ championship finale for the SMART Modified Tour is now a ‘SMART 5’ due to a sporting complication that arose last weekend after the penultimate race at South Boston Speedway.

Before the technical complication, there was a rainout at Lonesome Pine on September 8, that also complicate was set to be a five-driver playoff format that then would eliminate the bottom driver in points and then again at South Boston on October 12.

Basically, the rain out then meant South Boston would eliminate either Burt Myers or Ryan Newman unless the won the race. Myers won but then came technical inspection about the engine and carburetor packaged used in the No. 1 car.

The carburetor package used in the Myers engine was illegal but permitted in inspection.

Here are the statements provided to broadcaster FloRacing after South Boston by series director Chris Williams and technical director Alan Shepard:

“We try to do everything up front and in full transparency,” said Williams. “We were made aware of a bulletin for an 18-degree engine, using a short booster. That rule was made so that the engine can be more competitive with other engines on tour. Our interpretation of the bulletin issued in January didn’t match our internal documents we were working off of.”

And then Shepard:

“My interpretation of the rule included all built engines,” said Shepard. “We looked at the engine at the last race at Dominion (Raceway) and we deemed it a built engine that is legal with a short booster. One of our officials brought to our attention a bulletin that wasn’t specific to our current document.”

Phil Stefanelli, Owner PSR Products and chassis, who fields cars for four of the five championship teams, including Myers’, issued a strongly worded statement on the matter.

“We are not accusing Burt of doing anything illegal this weekend at South Boston,” Stefanelli said. “SMART series officials allowed him to run the short booster carburetor. As a company we want to make it perfectly clear that our integrity is paramount, and that we take pride in providing a competitive, legal product and will not tolerate a blatant disregard of the rules.

“PSR and its ownership group is disappointed in the SMART Modified Tour’s handling of post-race technical inspection at South Boston Speedway on Saturday, and even more so in how those decisions are now impacting the previously announced Championship format for Saturday night’s championshiprace at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

In my opinion, series officials knew of the intentions of the No. 1 car before the event and could have taken action to appropriately enforce the rules and integrity of the series prior to the race, but chose instead to allow a competitor to compete in a race with championship implications with a significant competitive advantage. Then, to make matters worse, instead of taking action on the team/car that benefitted, they decided to penalize several other teams, drivers, and sponsors by among other things, changing the championship race format.Furthermore, PSR Products, effective immediately, will terminate its business relationship with any PSR Products customer who blatantly goes against ANY series rules and regulations. For the SMART Modified Tour to continue to grow into the prominent series we all want it to be, transparency and consistencywhen it comes to competing within the rules is paramount, and not doing so hurts every team, driver, sponsor, and race track involved with the SMART Tour.

“This week should be focused on the great season the SMART Modified Tour has had and about the 3 drivers that earned a chance to race for a championship, but instead the focus will be on these other issues and the negativity that comes along with it.”

As a result of both the rain cancellation at Lonesome Pine and then the technical complication at South Boston, all five championship playoff drivers will be championship eligible on Saturday at North Wilkesboro Speedway instead of just three.

Carson Loftin
Danny Bohn
Luke Baldwin
Ryan Newman
Burt Myers

The highest finishing driver of the five on Saturday wins the championship.