Race to Stop Suicide 200 Race Recap

Date: Feb. 15, 2022

Event: Race to Stop Suicide 200

Series: ARCA Menards Series East

Location: New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway (half-mile oval)

Start/Finish: 1st /1st (Running, completed 200 of 200 laps)

Winner: Sammy Smith of Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) (Toyota)

Making his debut for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the ARCA Menards Series East, Sammy Smith earned the win in the season opener at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway, leading 167 of the 200 laps contested. The win marks the first for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the ARCA Menards Series East.

Smith started on the pole after laying down a lap of 18.506 on Tuesday afternoon in the sole combined practice/qualifying session.

Throughout the race, Smith swapped the lead six times with Taylor Gray, assisted by cautions for both on-track incidents and passing rain showers.

The No. 18 TMC Transportation Toyota fought tight center throughout the whole race. During the scheduled race break on Lap 104, crew chief Mark McFarland made an adjustment to the car that helped propel Smith to victory.

Smith’s next race for Kyle Busch Motorsports will be the General Tire 150 at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway on March 11.

A replay of the Race to Stop Suicide 200 will air on USA Network on Friday, Feb. 25, at 1 p.m. ET.

ARCA Menards Series East Driver Championship Standings:

Smith currently leads the Series standings by six points over second-place Taylor Gray and by eight points over third-place Max Gutierrez.