SMART Modified Tour
The Southern Modified Auto Racing Teams 'Tour' is a Modified stock car racing series racing in the Southeastern region of The United States. The series began in 1989, NASCAR took over the series in 2005. During its time as a NASCAR sanctioned series it followed identical regulations to the Northern NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.
The series merged with the Northern Modified Tour in 2017 bringing an end to the series after almost 30 years.
The series came back in late 2020 without NASCAR sanction under the SMART Tour name and ran its first full season since 2004, in 2021 with the likes of Bobby Labonte and Ryan Preece competing, after only 4 events in 2020.
All races are broadcast live on FloRacing.
History
NASCAR itself has a long tradition of Modified racing in the Southeastern U.S., prior to the formation of today's Northeast-based Whelen Modified Tour in 1985. The evolution of Modified racing began in the late 1940s with the first NASCAR sanctioned race taking place at the Daytona Beach course in February, 1948. Coupes and sedans were the vehicles of choice and provided a new form of entertainment as tracks began to spring up all over the country. NASCAR Modified teams competed in championship events up and down the east coast, including stops at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, North Wilkesboro Speedway and Martinsville Speedway. Top drivers from North Carolina and Virginia, such as Ralph Brinkley, Ray Hendrick and Satch Worley, were regular NASCAR Modified competitors.In the late 1980s, while modified racing was maintaining its popularity in the Northeast, Late Model Stock cars moved into the spotlight throughout the South. The downward slide suffered by the Southern Modifieds made many people feel that the division was fading, and quite possibly disappearing altogether from the region.
The S.M.A.R.T. TOUR Era
In September 1988, after a rain-out in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, a group of dedicated car owners and drivers banded together and formed the Southern Modified Auto Racing Teams, or S.M.A.R.T., as they became known to race fans throughout the region. The group set as its goal to strive to return Modifieds to their previous state of popularity in the South. For the next 16 years, Modified racing through the S.M.A.R.T. Tour raced at tracks throughout the Carolinas and Virginia.1989 season
The inaugural season included a total of six races. The schedule had two races each at North Wilkesboro and Pulaski County, and one race each at Langley and Myrtle Beach. The first race in series history was on April 9, 1989, at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Virginia. Eighteen modifieds entered the inaugural event. Frank Fleming's pole-winning lap of 15.990 seconds for the event was the quickest in Langley's history. Robert Jeffreys earned the honor of being the first race winner by holding off Philip Smith. At the Lowes 150 on April 15 at North Wilkesboro Speedway, driver Don Smith had to be cut from his car after crashing on the second lap. Smith had a broken left shoulder from the crash. Northern Modified superstar Jimmy Spencer won in his only career S.M.A.R.T. start after recovering from a mid-race crash to finish two car-lengths ahead of Gary Myers. The season concluded at Pulaski County Speedway on October 15. Johnny Bush grabbed his only career series victory while Philip Smith was crowned the tour's inaugural champion. In the first season there were six different winners, with no driver winning more than one event.| # | Event | Date | Track | Pole-winner | Winner |
| 1 | Modified 150 | April 9, 1989 | Langley Speedway | Frank Fleming | Robert Jeffreys |
| 2 | Lowe's 150 | April 15, 1989 | North Wilkesboro Speedway | Jimmy Spencer | |
| 3 | July 1, 1989 | Pulaski County Speedway | Tony Jankowiak | ||
| 4 | September 9, 1989 | Myrtle Beach Speedway | Frank Fleming | ||
| 5 | September 17, 1989 | North Wilkesboro Speedway | Philip Smith | Philip Smith | |
| 6 | October 15, 1989 | Pulaski County Speedway | Johnny Bush |
1990 season
The second season grew to eight races. The season began at Hickory Motor Speedway on March 31, and ended on September 29 at Caraway Speedway. North Wilkesboro was the only track to hold more than one event. This was the first season that had a race held at Caraway Speedway, which would later hold the most races in series history. Junior Miller won his first career series win at the season opener at Hickory Motor Speedway. It wasn't until April 21 at North Wilkesboro Speedway that a driver became a repeat winner in the series. Robert Jeffreys held off Jimmy Spencer to win his second career SMART race. Jay Hedgecock became the first repeat winner of the 1990 season at Pulaski County, holding off Johnny Bryant and Frank Fleming. The race was stopped on lap 73 because of an accident with the cleanup truck. After a blown engine, the track safety truck lost the Stay-Dry spreader, dumping the chemical all over the second turn and causing a red flag for 17 minutes. Jay Hedgecock ended the year at Caraway Speedway with his third consecutive victory and fifth triumph in the eight-race season. There were only three winners during the season: Jay Hedgecock, Junior Miller and Robert Jeffreys. Hedgecock dominated the season and won the season championship.| # | Event | Date | Track | Pole-winner | Winner |
| 1 | March 31, 1990 | Hickory Motor Speedway | Junior Miller | ||
| 2 | April 13, 1990 | Tri-County Motor Speedway | Jay Hedgecock | Jay Hedgecock | |
| 3 | Lowe's 150 | April 21, 1990 | North Wilkesboro Speedway | Robert Jeffreys | |
| 4 | July 7, 1990 | Pulaski County Speedway | Jay Hedgecock | ||
| 5 | August 26, 1990 | Lonesome Pine International Raceway | Junior Miller | ||
| 6 | September 1, 1990 | Myrtle Beach Speedway | Jay Hedgecock | ||
| 7 | September 16, 1990 | North Wilkesboro Speedway | Billy Middleton | Jay Hedgecock | |
| 8 | September 29, 1990 | Caraway Speedway | Jay Hedgecock |
1991 season
The third season held seven races, starting off with the season opener on April 13 at Concord Motorsport Park, and ending on October 5 at Lanier Speedway. The event at Lanier Speedway, in Braselton, GA, was the first event held outside of Virginia and the Carolinas. Junior Miller dominated the Motor Mile Speedway event, leading all but 25 laps of the race and holding off pole winner Jay Hedgecock. Hedgecock had to be treated for exhaustion after driving the entire race without power steering. Philip Smith dominated the race at North Wilkesboro, leading the last 91 laps en route to his only 1991 victory. The only other leader of the race, pole sitter Gary Myers, fell out with mechanical issues. Junior Miller claimed both his third victory of the season and his first S.M.A.R.T. season title at the season finale at Lanier Speedway. There were five winners during the season. Miller won the most races during the season with three wins.| # | Event | Date | Track | Pole-winner | Winner |
| 1 | April 13, 1991 | Concord Motorsport Park | Gary Myers | ||
| 2 | April 20, 1991 | Caraway Speedway | Junior Miller | ||
| 3 | July 6, 1991 | Motor Mile Speedway | Jay Hedgecock | Junior Miller | |
| 4 | August 31, 1991 | Myrtle Beach Speedway | Billy Middleton | ||
| 5 | September 8, 1991 | Tri-County Motor Speedway | Jay Hedgecock | ||
| 6 | September 15, 1991 | North Wilkesboro Speedway | Gary Myers | Philip Smith | |
| 7 | October 5, 1991 | Lanier Speedway | Junior Miller |
1992 season
The 1992 season held thirteen races, nearly twice as many as any previous season. The season began on April 11 at North Wilkesboro Speedway, and ended on November 3 at Caraway Speedway. Tour races were held at Bowman Gray Stadium for the first time. In the season opener, Paul Spencer, brother of NASCAR's Jimmy Spencer, claimed his only series victory by holding off Jay Hedgecock. Bobby Hutchens was the pole winner for the race but fell out on the 13th lap due to a mechanical failure. There were six winners during the season. Frank Fleming won the most races during the season with four wins, but Jay Hedgecock would claim his second series championship at the end of the season, becoming the first multiple time championship winner of the series.| # | Event | Date | Track | Pole-winner | Winner |
| 1 | Lowe's 150 | April 11, 1992 | North Wilkesboro Speedway | Bobby Hutchens | Paul Spencer |
| 2 | April 18, 1992 | Caraway Speedway | Frank Fleming | ||
| 3 | May 2, 1992 | Bowman Gray Stadium | Junior Miller | Ralph Brinkley | |
| 4 | July 3, 1992 | Tri-County Motor Speedway | Jay Hedgecock | ||
| 5 | July 4, 1992 | Caraway Speedway | Junior Miller | ||
| 6 | August 1, 1992 | Bowman Gray Stadium | Gary Myers | ||
| 7 | September 7, 1992 | Myrtle Beach Speedway | Jay Hedgecock | ||
| 8 | September 14, 1992 | Caraway Speedway | Gary Myers | ||
| 9 | September 18, 1992 | Tri-County Motor Speedway | Gary Myers | ||
| 10 | September 20, 1992 | North Wilkesboro Speedway | Frank Fleming | ||
| 11 | September 26, 1992 | Caraway Speedway | Frank Fleming | ||
| 12 | October 3, 1992 | South Boston Speedway | Frank Fleming | ||
| 13 | November 3, 1992 | Caraway Speedway | Jay Hedgecock |