Skinner and Moore Dominate Red Eye 50/50

"The Gunslinger," Mike Skinner celebrates winning the Pro Late Model Red Eye 50/50 50 lap feature at New Smyrna Speedway. (Jim Jones/Jim Jones Photography)

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Florida (January 12, 2019) -- The 33rd Annual Red Eye 100 50/50 at New Smyrna Speedway took on a new look in 2019. Instead of the traditional 100 lap super late model affair, the race was broken into two 50 lap features; one for super late models, and the other for pro late models. At the end of the night of January 5th, victory lane was visited by two veterans, kicking this racing season off with a bang.

Mike Skinner led wire-to-wire in the pro late model portion of the night. Starting on the pole, Skinner had to contend with a strong effort by Sammy Smith in the first half of the race. Smith, driving for 2018 Snowflake 100 winning team Anthony Campi Racing, saw his bid at the Red Eye fall by the wayside after contact with Todd Stone in turn two on lap 39.

“I really enjoyed getting to work with Anthony Campi Racing,” Smith told Speed51.com. “They are very knowledgeable and a great group of guys. I had a lot of fun and learned a lot in my first Late Model race. Anthony is a great crew chief, coach and helped me get comfortable in the car. Racing with Mike Skinner was a great experience. I was able to take in some things while racing around him that will help me with in future races.”

Skinner had to then fend off a hard charging Brad May late in the feature. May, stayed close, and pulled alongside Skinner on the final lap as the pair crossed the finish line. It was Skinner, the 1995 NASCAR Truck Series Champion, holding off May to the checkered flag.

“Brad was coming,” said The Gunslinger. “He did a really good job on the restarts. I probably overdrove one and two a little bit, but was able to bring it back.”

“We didn’t really have a fast car all day and we did a bunch of changes right before qualifying. This Toyota was just a little bit better than most of them.”

In the Super Late Model 50 lapper, Ryan Moore dominated from drop of the green flag. Unlike the clean, fast-paced Pro Late Model feature, this race was bogged down by multiple cautions. The cautions kept the field tight throughout the first half of the race, which also kept Anthony Sergi in striking distance of Moore. Sergi was able to get briefly find the lead on lap 23 before yet another caution slowed the field back down.

The second half of the race would see a superb battle between Sergi and Brad May, however it was all Ryan Moore up front, cruising to the win.

“For my guys and I to build a car, come down here, qualify second and win the race, I think they should know we’re here,” Moore said in victory lane. “It was a crazy race, a lot more yellows than I wanted to see.  But we had a really good car.  The thing would just pull really hard down the front stretch.”

The Red Eye 50/50 starts off a monstrous year at New Smyrna Speedway that includes over 40 nights of racing.

Next up at NNS is the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing during Speedweeks from February 8th to 16th.

Red Eye 50/50 Pro Late Model Results:

1 5 Mike Skinner
2 9M Brad May
3 1x Todd Stone
4 0 Josh Todd
5 24S Dalton Smith
6 3 Andrew Franzone
7 28 Barry Brooks
8 24 Chance Jewels
9 81 Sammy Smith
10 117 Phillip Bessette
11 72 Bruce Griffin
12 43 Daniel Dye
13 54 Zach Harris

Red Eye 50/50 Super Late Model Results:

1          74        Ryan Moore
2          9M       Brad May
3          20        Anthony Sergi
4          56        Gus Dean
5          5K        Daniel Keene Jr.
6          11        David Rogers
7          28I       Jared Irvan
8          5A        Jerry Artuso
9          32        Harold Crooms
10        2          Brad Bowman
11        17        Tanner Gray
12        12M     Mario Goselin
13        62        John Gerstner
14        59X      Becca Monopoli
15        99        Christian Rose
16        39        Morgan Hoover
17        12K      Brad Kossow
18        67        Colin Allman
19        54        Drew Dollar
20        40        Tovia Grynewicz
21        21        Trey Bayne
22        7          Doug Elliot
23        24D      Dalton Smith
24        1          Todd Stone
25        57        Travis Cope

PixelatedSPEED is a motorsports news and views website covering all things racing and has been “Bringing Pixels 2 Pavement Since 2018”. If you've made it this far into the post, thank you. Please consider sharing this content on the interwebs and following PixelatedSPEED on Facebook and Twitter and joining in on the conversation. http://facebook.com/PixelatedSPEED & http://twitter.com/PixelatedSPEED 

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Raceday: 2019 Red Eye 50/50 - Everything You Need to Know

Seen here during the March 2012 Miller Lite Series weekend in Mobile, Alabama, New Smyrna regular Anthony Sergi has entered the Red Eye 50/50 in a Super Late Model. (Jamie Williams/Finish Line Photography)

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Florida (January 5, 2019) -- Racing gets back underway early in Florida as New Smyrna Speedway plays host to a packed Saturday of action headlined by the 33rd Running of the Red Eye 50/50.

Traditionally a 100 lap, Super Late Model event, this year’s running of the Red Eye will feature double-header Pro Late Model and Super Late Model 50 lap races. This is in an effort to better showcase the Pro Late Models and hopefully bring fans to the edge of their seats with a short sprint rather than the longer format, which favored tire saving over pure speed.

Also included on the racing schedule is a full slate of local division features for Modifieds, Sportsman, Super Stocks, Mod Minis, and Bombers.

RELATED: New Smyrna Speedway Kicks Off Massive 2019 Schedule with Red Eye 50/50 and World Series

In last year’s Red Eye 100, West Palm Beach, Florida’s Jeff Choquette led 99 of the 100 laps en-route to a dominating victory. The 32nd running of the Red Eye produced only one caution, for an accident involving Dustin Smith in turn two. Choquette bested Hudson, New Hampshire driver Derek Griffith, North Carolina’s Gus Dean, Maine’s Ryan Moore, and Florida’s David Rogers.

The half-mile speedway, located just minutes from Daytona, and the beach, will have a strong crop of talent to comprise the field. Pre-entries include local standouts Brad May, David Rogers, Anthony Sergi, and Travis Cope.

This race draws in competitors from all across the country. Also entered in the Red Eye 50/50 are Todd Stone from Vermont, Brad Kossow from Wisconsin and Ryan Moore from Maine.

NASCAR Truck Series Champion Mike Skinner returns behind the wheel of a Pro Late Model.

Although not yet listed on the entry list, expect a host of additional drivers, such as the duo 2018 race winner Jeff Choquette and contender Stephen Nasse from Jett Motorsports among others.

Entry List (as of January 3, 2019)

Super Late Models:
1 Todd Stone
2 Brad Bowman
7 Doug Elliott
9M Brad May
11 David Rogers
12 Brad Kossow
17 Tanner Gray
20 Anthony Sergi
21 Trey Bayne
32 Harold Crooms
40 Tovia Grynewicz
54 Drew Dollar
57 Travis Cope
59X Becca Monopoli
62 John Gerstner
67 Colin Allmän
74 Ryan Moore

Pro Late Models:
0 Josh Todd
1 Todd Stone
3 Andrew Franzone
5 Mike Skinner
9M Brad May
22 Drew Dollar
24 Chance Jewels
32 Harold Crooms
43 Daniel Dye
54 Zach Harris
81 Sammy Smith
117 Phillip Bessette

A complete listing of local division entries can be found on the New Smyrna website

33rd Annual Red Eye 50/50 Schedule

(Times in Eastern)
11:00 AM -- Pit Gate/Tech/Fuel/Tires/Registration Opens
2:00 PM  -- Driver’s Meeting
2:30 PM -- Super Late Model Practice (45 mins)
3:20 PM -- Pro Late Model Practice (45 mins)
4:10 PM -- Local Division Practices
6:30 PM -- Super Late Model and Pro Late Model Qualifying
7:15 PM -- Pre-Race Ceremonies
7:30 PM -- RACING BEGINS

Modifieds: 25 laps
Super Stock: 25 laps
PRO LATE MODELS: 50 laps
***Intermission***
Sportsman: 25 laps
Mod Mini: 25 laps
SUPER LATE MODELS: 50 laps
Bombers: 20 laps
Ground Pounders: 20 laps

Complete event details, ticket prices, and more can be found at the New Smyrna Speedway website, http://newsmyrnaspeedway.org

PixelatedSPEED is a motorsports news and views website covering all things racing and has been “Bringing Pixels 2 Pavement Since 2018”. If you've made it this far into the post, thank you. Please consider sharing this content on the interwebs and following PixelatedSPEED on Facebook and Twitter and joining in on the conversation. http://facebook.com/PixelatedSPEED & http://twitter.com/PixelatedSPEED 

PixelatedSPEED is a part of the Gravel Network. Copyright - 2018, 2019

New Smyrna Speedway Kicks Off Massive 2019 Schedule with Red Eye 50/50 and World Series

Driver David Rogers, a regular at New Smyrna Speedway, practices for the 51st Snowball Derby in Pensacola in December 2018. (PixelatedSPEED Photo)

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Florida (January 2, 2019) -- New Smyrna Speedway, just five miles from New Smyrna Beach and only minutes away from Daytona International Speedway, will play host to over 40 nights of racing in 2019… the bulk as a part of the NASCAR Whelen All American Series weekly racing program. The schedule begins this weekend, January 5th, with the Red Eye 50/50 and stretches through to November 9th with the Florida Governor’s Cup 200.

The first race of this monstrous schedule is the Red Eye 50/50 on January 5, 2019. Traditionally a 100 lap Super Late Model event, this year’s edition will feature a new format. Two 50 lap features, one for Super Late Models and the other for Pro Late Models, will headline a weekend of racing that will also include races for The American Auto Sportsman, Super Stocks, Mod Minis, Florida Modifieds, Bombers, and Ground Pounders.

Track Manager Rusty Marcus said this is an attempt to provide more exposure for the growing Pro Late Model class, and spotlight the home track divisions as well.

“We got some up and coming Pro Lates,” said Marcus. “The Pro Late Model class has been bigger than what it’s been the last few years, they expressed interest in wanting to be a part of it.”

“It upsets me at times when we have a big show at our race track,” he added. “I consider the track the home of our drivers and I don’t like when somebody invites you to their home but you are not allowed to come. So we’ve invited all of our regular divisions to be a part of the Red Eye, which I think will be more exciting for the fans.”

Following the Red Eye 50/50, NNS ramps up for Speedweeks 2019 and the traditional World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing during the month of February. Super Late Models, Pro Late Models, Modifieds, Sportsman, Super Stocks, Trucks and more will compete over the course of nine nights of racing.

A myriad of specials will be held during the week in various classes. The World Series will once again play host to the season opening event for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East with a 175 lap contest on night three, February 10th. The night will also feature the Southern Sprint Car Shootout Series. The John Blewett III Memorial will headline night six with a 76 lap race for the Tour-Type Modifieds on February 13th. Night eight, February 15th, will include the Richie Evans Memorial Tour Modified 100 and the Zack Donatti Memorial Pro Late Model 100. The week will close on night nine with the Orange Blossom 100 for the Super Late Models.

After the extensive World Series has concluded, New Smyrna shifts gears and ventures into the heart of their racing season with over 20 weeks of racing under the NASCAR Whelen All American Series racing program. Most weeks will feature a combination of Late Models, Sportsman, Super Stocks, Bombers, Trucks, and Mod Minis.

The season wraps up in November with the 54th Annual Florida Governor’s Cup 200 for the Super Late Models. Full details of that weekend have not yet been finalized.

For full details on all of these events, ticket information and more, hit up the New Smyrna Speedway website, http://www.newsmyrnaspeedway.org, and follow the speedway on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NewSmyrnaSpeedway.

Editor’s Note: Normally I like to include the track’s schedule as a part of the post, however, New Smyrna Speedway’s 2019 schedule is so massive, I don’t feel as those I can adequately present it here on PixelatedSPEED at this time, or at least in this post. With that said, I refer you all to the New Smyrna Speedway schedule announcement post on the track’s website. Thank you.

PixelatedSPEED is a motorsports news and views website covering all things racing and has been “Bringing Pixels 2 Pavement Since 2018”. If you've made it this far into the post, thank you. Please consider sharing this content on the interwebs and following PixelatedSPEED on Facebook and Twitter and joining in on the conversation. http://facebook.com/PixelatedSPEED & http://twitter.com/PixelatedSPEED 

PixelatedSPEED is a part of the Gravel Network. Copyright - 2018, 2019