Andrew Wins Frank McKinney Memorial

It’s often said that lightning never strikes in the same place twice. On Saturday, August 30th at the Watermelon Capital Speedway, lightning struck for the 13th straight time as Andrew Smith claimed the victory and the $3000.00 first place prize money in the Frank McKinney Memorial Scholarship 50 lap race.

After having to wait an extra week after a postponement due to Tropical Storm Fay, twenty-two drivers, including some of the top drivers in the world of Legends racing, were on hand at the speedway in Cordele, Georgia and eager to take home the winner’s share of the second-largest purse in the history of Legends racing in Georgia. The race was held to raise money for a scholarship fund established in honor of Frank McKinney, a local Legends racer who passed away from complications after surgery to repair an injury sustained in an accident at the track in 2007.

The format of the race would be to qualify and then run a 20 lap segment. After a cool-down period, the cars would then line up in the order they finished in the first segment for a 30 lap battle for the top prize. Andrew, driving the car recently nicknamed “White Lightning” by some fans at the speedway, posted a lap of 18.652 on the 3/8 mile oval to claim the second starting position. After the inversion, he would line up in the fifth spot for the start of the first segment alongside fast qualifier Chris Buescher of Prosper, TX.

According to a Legends of Georgia press release, “The 20 lap segment was as good of a Legends race as you will ever see.” Andrew, Chris Buescher, and Chad Hackenbracht quickly worked their way to the front and swapped the lead several times. There were also many furious battles for position throughout the pack. At the end of the segment, Andrew had earned the second starting spot for the final shootout.

During the cool-down period, the drivers were able to grab a quick drink while the crews were allowed to refuel and adjust tire pressures on the cars to prepare for the 30-lap finale. When asked about his chances in the race, Andrew said, “I can get ahead of them, but I don’t know if I can keep them behind me. It seems like they can pull out and pass me when they get ready, but I can go right back around them.”

There was a definite sense of nervousness in the air.

Once the green flag dropped on the final segment, the drivers settled in for twenty-three laps of fast, furious two and three wide racing throughout the field. Up front, the lead continued to be swapped between Andrew, Buescher, and Hackenbracht. By lap 22, Andrew had taken the lead and was beginning to put a little daylight between him and the rest of the field. On lap 23, however, the caution flag flew and the field was bunched up once again. After the cleanup and restarts for a couple of more cautions, the race was finally resumed.

“It seemed like we ran lap 23 ten times”, Andrew would later comment. “Every time I looked at the scoreboard it was lap 23!”

With the “choose rule” in effect, Andrew always found himself side by side with some very fast cars for the nerve-racking double file restarts. But each time, Andrew was able to fend off all challenges and proceeded to pull away and lead the field to the checkers for the 13th consecutive time at the speedway.

“My car was perfect. I could drive it anywhere I needed to without pushing it”, said Andrew after the race. “I did find myself holding my breath there for awhile in the first 20 laps though.”

After successfully making it through tech, Andrew joined the 14 members of his family (spanning four generations) that were on hand in Victory Lane to celebrate for the 13th time at the Watermelon Capital Speedway.

It will definitely be a topic of conversation around the family table for a long time to come.