Moses Smith, driver of the No. 16 NAPA Filters/Hasa Pool Products Toyota Camry would finish out the 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West season third in the points race. In the fourteen races in the 2011 season, Smith recorded five top-five finishes and nine top-tens. This season he had his career best average finish in the five years he has competed in the NKPS West with two second place finishes coming at the short track of All American Speedway and the road course at Miller Motorsports Park.

Smith and the No. 16 NAPA Filters Toyota team spent the bulk of the nearly three-hour long practice session getting reacquainted with the 'new' Phoenix International Raceway. During the summer, the one-mile track was reconfigured.

Most noticeably was the back stretch where the dog-leg curve between turn 2 and 3 was pushed out 95-feet and the dog–leg tightened from 800 to 500 feet. "This is a weird track," Smith radioed in to the NAPA Filters/Hasa team. The back stretch was often compared to a roller coaster ride by many of the teams. Smith fought a tight race car for most of the practice session. He qualified on the inside of row fifteen.

Starting on the inside of row six, Moses Smith, who drives the No. 16 Hasa Pool Products/NAPA Filters Toyota Camry for Bill McAnally Racing, made his way towards the front of the field of NASCAR K&N Pro Series West cars. By lap 88 of the scheduled 150-lap race, he was in sixth. With twenty-five laps to go, Smith had navigated the Hasa Toyota into the fourth spot. He moved into third with ten laps to go.

A late race caution set the field up for their first attempt at a green-white-checkered finish. As the cars came to the checkered flag, Smith would get turned. He recovered the No. 16 Hasa Toyota to bring home a seventeenth place finish. With one race left of the 2011 West Series season, Smith is third in the championship points.

“The Hasa Toyota was good,” said Smith. “It took a little bit to get going. We were fast on the inside as well as running on the outside groove. The lap down cars held their line which really helped me. It looked like we were going to have a good finish when I got turned coming to the checkered flag. That’s short track racing.”

The three-time NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Most Popular Driver Moses Smith, who added pink to the look of his No. 16 HASA Pool Products/NAPA Filters Toyota, participated in a recent charity event for Breast Cancer Awareness held by his sponsor, White Flyer.

“It was a real honor to carry the colors that represent those that have beat breast cancer and those that are battling this disease. My aunt had breast cancer and it's cool to be able to pay a tribute to her and others who have beat this.”

For more information on Bill McAnally Racing, please visit our website at www.billmcanallyracing.com.  Please also visit NASCAR Hometracks to Vote for the Most Popular driver. Smith has received this honor for the past three consecutive years. Go to www.nascar.com/news/110719/2011-mpd-knwest/index.html and vote for Moses daily.

For more information on Moses Smith, please visit www.mosessmith.com. You can visit our sponsors' websites at www.hasapool.com, www.napafilters.com and You can also follow Moses on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mosessmith16.  Become a fan of Moses Smith on Facebook by going to https://www.facebook.com/MosesSmithFanClub.

Story by Kaye Reshaw
Photo by Jeannie Broussal

Moses Smith, pilot of the No.16 NAPA Filters/Hasa Pool Products Toyota Camry and the Hasa team brought home a fifth place finish at Spokane County Raceway (SCR).

Smith holds his position running in second in the chase for the series 2011 championship. Thru twelve races this season, he has five top-five finishes and nine top-tens.

Smith put the NAPA Filters Toyota in the top-ten of the fastest cars during the practice sessions. He then went on to qualify in seventh to start the 200-lap race. At the end of the first 25 laps, Smith moved into sixth. "The car is tighter than I would like," he radioed in to crew chief Mario Isola. "Hang in there bud. We'll get it better at the break," said Isola.

There was a mandatory break at lap 102. Smith would restart the second half now in eighth. "Come on Hot Rod!" said Isola. "Let's go get them." At lap 140, Smith reported in that the No. 16 NAPA/Hasa Toyota was "tight, tight, tight". After Moses' adjustments made from inside the car didn't help, Smith was called to pit road. The team put some rounds in the right rear of the car. He reported in at lap 160 'we gained but I'm too free off". Not losing any positions, Smith came in under caution and the team made further adjustments including removing a bit of tape as the car was running hot. "That second change didn't do anything," Smith radioed. "I don't have anything to get by the field." Focused on the front, Smith continued his charge and would gain four positions before taking the checkered flag.

"I was tight all night'" said Smith. "It was good racing. I ran with someone side by side all night. This is a cool track. It needs some polishing but I wouldn't mind racing here again."

"We're pointed in the right direction. I'm looking forward to going back to tracks I'm familiar with (All American Speedway and Phoenix International). With the championship out of our reach, our plan is to hang in there and finish the season second in points. We'll see what happens."

Smith and the No. 16 NAPA Filters/Hasa Pool Products team would like to thank all the fans that came out to meet him at Leisure Supply in Spokane Friday September 2nd. So many of them came out to the race at SCR the next day and were able to spend some more time with Smith at the pre-race autograph session.

Set your DVRs. The NKNP West Series race from Spokane County Raceway on Thursday September 8th. It will be on SPEED at 6 pm ET.

Please also visit NASCAR Hometracks to Vote for the Most Popular driver. Smith has received this honor for the past three consecutive years. Go to http://www.nascar.com/news/110719/2011-mpd-knwest/index.html and vote daily.

The next event on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West schedule is the Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts 150 at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 15. Get your tickets now. Visit www.allamericanspeedway.com or www.billmcanallyracing.com for more information.

For more information on Bill McAnally Racing, please visit our website at www.billmcanallyracing.com. Bill McAnally Racing is now on Facebook. Become a fan and stay up to date with the latest happenings with your favorite race teams.

For more information on Moses Smith, please visit www.mosessmith.com. You can visit our sponsors’ websites at www.hasapool.com, www.whiteflyer.com, www.napafilters.com and www.blimpie.com/ .

You can also follow Moses on Twitter and Facebook.

K&N Pro Series West Driver Moses Smith rounded out the top-ten at the Montana Raceway Park in Kalispell, Montana driving the No. 16 Hasa Pool Products Toyota Camry. He qualified eleventh and was in tenth at lap 8. During the first caution, crew chief Mario Isola radioed to Smith “keep digging.”

Smith radioed later radioed back “the groove keeps getting higher and higher…I like it”. Another car made contact with the No. 16 Hasa Toyota with 15 laps to go causing the left front fender to rub the tire. “That was a bad deal,” said Smith. “I love the Montana fans. I wish we had more for them. Off to Spokane.”

The drivers and teams from BMR spent time Friday participating in a Fan Fest at the track and a special event at Kalispell Toyota. The fans were able to get autographs and check out the race cars from BMR. VIP race fans had a special treat on race day as Michael Waltrip and Eric Holmes paid them a special in the track’s VIP Hospitality area. Smith leaves Montana Raceway Park second in the chase for the series championship.

You can watch the following tape delayed broadcasts on SPEED at 3:00 p.m. pacific time:

1. Portland International Raceway Portland on 08/18/11
2. Colorado National Speedway on 08/25/11
3. Montana Raceway Park on 09/01/11

The next event on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West schedule will be at Spokane County Raceway in Airway Heights, Washington, on Saturday, September 3.

For more information on Bill McAnally Racing and our race partners, please visit the website at www.billmcanallyracing.com. Bill McAnally Racing is now on Facebook. Become a fan and stay up to date with the latest happenings with your favorite race teams. Also follow the team on BMR_NASCAR on Twitter.

For more information on Moses Smith, please visit http://www.mosessmith.com. You can visit our sponsors' websites at http://www.hasapool.com http://www.whiteflyer.com, and http://www.napafilters.com . You can also follow Moses on Twitter at @mosessmith16.

Source Kaye Reshaw
Photo by Pat Brandon