NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Southeastern super late model ace Matt Craig scored the biggest victory of his career Sunday by taking the checkered flag in All American 400 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.
Craig, a multi-time champion of the CARS Super Late Model Tour and defunct PASS South tour, ended up in a dog fight for the race lead after leader Chandler Smith dropped out of the race after a mechanical issue.
The battle for the win ended up coming down to Craig and Northeastern late model ace Derek Griffith, who was making his All American 400 debut. They bounced off each other multiple times in the final run to the checkered flag, with Craig eventually emerging with the lead.
Craig was able to escape from Griffith, who ended up losing second to Jackson Boone. Boone attempted to run down Craig, but he ran out of time and finished second.Â
Griffith settled for third, with recently crowned CARS Super Late Model Tour champion Carson Kvapil finishing fourth. Local racer Willie Allen completed the top-five.Â
Cole Williams won the companion 100-lap pro late model race that closed the night of racing at the .596-mile asphalt oval.
The finish:
Matt Craig, Jackson Boone, Derek Griffith, Carson Kvapil, Willie Allen, Cody Coughlin, Sammy Smith, Dylan Fetcho, Casey Roderick, Stephen Nasse, Hunter Robbins, Michael House, Jesse Love, Albert Francis, Jack Smith, Justin Drawdy, Jake Finch, Joe Ross, Chandler Smith, Dalton Armstrong, Buddy Shepherd, Kyle Crump, Cole Butcher, Blake Rowe, Dakota Stroup, Connor Okrzesik, Austin Nason, Jake Garcia, Gabe Sommers, Hunter Wright, Devin O’Connell, Justin Marks.